Dental communication correlation with felt need profile of dental caries treatment

Background: According to the data of the Ministry of Health of Indonesia in 2001, the prevalence of dental and oral caries patients is 60% of Indonesia's population, and 71.8% of the population does not treat or seek treatment when they have dental caries. This is evidenced by data released by the National Health Survey in 2004; only 38% of the population came to the health center and only 4.9% presented to the governmental hospital. From the preliminary research, the data obtained including the level of knowledge about good dental health, motivation for high dental caries care, high dental caries care services, good perception about dental caries care, and felt need for high dental caries treatment did not guarantee that a person had good oral health. Aims: The study aim lies in identifying the correlation of dental health communication with the picture of the felt need of dental caries care so that dental health services given to the society become effective and efficient. Settings and Design: This was an observational analytic study. Subjects and Methods: Ninety-six respondents were grouped into six groups. Primary data collection was made by performing oral and dental examinations using Oral Hygiene Index and Decay Missing Filling index and questionnaire. Statistical Analysis Used: The data obtained were analyzed using Spearman's correlation test. Results: Knowledge of dental caries, perception of dental caries impact on oral function, motivation of dental caries treatment, and felt need had significant relation to social class strata. There was no significant relationship between communication and felt need of dental caries treatment. Conclusions: There was a significant relationship between dental health communication with a picture of felt need of dental caries treatment. Well-created communication will give good felt need as well.