Assessment of attitude among dental undergraduate students towards Public Health Dentistry as a career choice in Davangere city-A cross sectional survey

Abstract

Context: Public Health Dentistry, a unique specialty, which focuses on oral health issues in communities rather than in individual patients. Among the various disciplines of dentistry, it is unfortunate that though Public Health Dentistry forms the basis of dental health care services and holds the key for developing awareness about the social aspects of the profession, it is often given less priority by the students as a choice for postgraduate training.Aims: To explore the attitude of dental undergraduate students towards Public Health Dentistry as their career choice.Methods and Material: A cross sectional questionnaire survey was done among 103 interns of Davangere city. Data regarding their attitude was collected using a Questionnaire.Statistical analysis used: Descriptive data was generated in percentages and tables and graphs were used to describe the data and chi-square test to assess categorical data.Results: Majority of the participants were females (61.2%) and had joined Dentistry by chance (45.6%. Oral surgery was more preferred (30.2%) followed by Conservative dentistry (24.2%). The participants found Public Health Dentistry subject to be good (66.0%) but were undecided to choose as their careers (52.4%). They agreed that this subject offered easy employment (34.0%), was essential for increasing awareness about oral health in society (51.5%), gave a chance to be a good academician (63.1%) and offered opportunities abroad (49.5%).Conclusions: The participants found that the subject to be interesting and were also agreed on the different aspects of this subject. Efforts to increase awareness among undergraduates should be considered.