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Low Dental Care Utilization in Nepal: A Barrier to Better Oral Health

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Research conducted by the Department of Community Dentistry in Nepal highlights the concerning issue of low dental care utilization among adults in the Jiri region. According to the study, a staggering 82.1% of the participants had not visited a dentist in the past year, with the majority citing the high cost of treatment as the primary barrier. The study also found that age and employment status significantly impact dental service utilization, with older adults and the unemployed being less likely to access dental care.

Key Takeaways:

  • A cross-sectional study conducted among 725 adult residents of Jiri, Nepal, found that 82.1% of participants had not visited a dentist in the past year.
  • The major barrier to dental service utilization perceived by the study participants was the high cost of treatment (474, 65.4%), followed by lack of awareness to seek dental care (417, 57.5%) and difficult access to oral health services due to scarce dental facilities (393, 54.2%).
  • The study concluded that addressing concerns about the affordability of oral health care, adequate accessibility of public dental facilities, and oral health education and promotion at the community level can increase dental care utilization.
  • Patients aged 65 years and above (109, 87.2%) and unemployed residents (331, 86.9%) were significantly less likely to utilize dental services compared to other age groups and employed individuals (P = 0.033 and P = 0.001, respectively).
  • Dental pain was the primary reason for visiting a dentist for those who did utilize dental services.

Statistics:

  • 595 (82.1%) of the 725 study participants had not visited a dentist in the past year.
  • 87 (12%) of the participants utilized dental services in the past six months.
  • 109 (87.2%) out of 125 participants aged 65 years and above had not visited a dentist in the past year.
  • 331 (86.9%) out of 381 unemployed participants had not utilized dental services.
  • High cost of treatment was perceived as the major barrier by 474 (65.4%) participants.
  • Lack of awareness to seek dental care was perceived as the major barrier by 417 (57.5%) participants.
  • Difficult access to oral health services was perceived as the major barrier by 393 (54.2%) participants.

Sources:

  • Utilization of oral health care services and perceived barriers among adults residing in Jiri, Nepal: a cross-sectional study. BMC Public Health, 2025, 25(1):1-8. (BMC Public Health - http://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com)
  • The publisher for BMC Public Health is BMC.
  • A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22873-3.

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