FACTORS AFFECTING UTILIZATION OF DENTAL SERVICES AMONG LOCAL POPULATION, A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY IN PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN

Abstract

On a global level, dental problems are considered a serious problem since they are complex and preventable, management is essential to their treatment, as is early discovery and prevention. The regular use of oral and dental service by people is one of important factors in reducing oral and dental disease. The study aimed to identify that the factors affecting utilization of dental service among the local population at Peshawar. A descriptive cross-sectional study is conducted in CUSIT from January to July 2025. Data were collected using structured, self-administer questionnaire based study was conducted among 385 participant.  The population of this study was Local population of Peshawar, Pakistan. Predesigned questionnaire were filled and analyzed. The data was entering in SPSS version 22. The data is presented in the form of tables and pie charts and run the chi square test for finding of association in different factors. This study investigated the factors influencing the non-utilization of dental services among 385 individuals aged 18 to 50 years. The participant demographic was 66.8% male and 33.2% female. The findings reveal that economic issues (56%), the absence of female dentists (42%), and the perception of not having dental problems (39%) were the most prevalent barriers to seeking dental care. Other significant factors included fear of pain (33%), unprofessionalism (17%), and being too busy (16%). Furthermore, transportation availability issues were notable, with 20% reporting a half-hour commute and 14% reporting over an hour. Less frequently cited reasons, each around 5%, were poor sterilization, inability to afford services, and unavailability of services. These results highlight the multifaceted challenges individuals face in accessing dental care and underscore the need for targeted interventions addressing financial barriers, service accessibility, and patient perceptions to improve oral health outcomes. Treatment rates were low, with 46% of people receiving no care, even though 37.9% of people had dental issues. However, 53.5% of respondents said they would be willing to see a dentist within the next six months. These results show that in order to increase the use of oral health services, there is a need for better accessibility, cost, and public awareness.