title: Gaps in need, demand, and effective demand for dental care utilization among residents of Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the relation between need, demand, and effective demand for dental services in Andhra Pradesh, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a cross-sectional study performed among populations residing in the rural and urban areas of Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, India. Data were collected from 3102 individuals who were selected through multiphase random sampling. Data regarding self-perceived dental need, dental service utilization, and barriers for utilization were collected through s pretested questionnaire followed by type-III clinical examination to assess the normative need of the individuals. Chi-square test was used to compare independent and dependent variables, and further comparison was done with multivariate logistic regression analysis for significant variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Less than half (40%) of the participants perceived a need for dental care. Among the people who perceived need for care, only 21.4% utilized dental care and 78.6% of them had unmet dental needs. The two main reasons for not seeking dental care was lack of money, i.e., unaffordable dental treatment (48%) and having the perception that they do not have any dental problem (19.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is an enormous difference between normative need, demand, and actual utilization rates in dental care, and hindrances for effective demand need to be addressed to improve dental care delivery system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, R. V. S. Dental College, Kannampalayam, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pradeep
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, Vishnu Dental College, Bhimavaram, India.
authors.forename: Kalyan K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Chakravarty
authors.affiliation: Department of Prosthodontics, St. Joseph Dental College, Eluru, India.
authors.forename: Kavya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Simhadri
authors.affiliation: Department of General Dentistry, Eastman Institute of Oral Health, Rochester, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghenam
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Drs. Sudha and Nageswara Rao Siddhartha Institute of Dental Sciences, Cinaoutpally, Gannavarm, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Guntipalli M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Naidu
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Drs. Sudha and Nageswara Rao Siddhartha Institute of Dental Sciences, Cinaoutpally, Gannavarm, Andhra Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Sudhakar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vundavalli
keywords: Demand for dental care; dental service utilization; normative need