Assessment of Awareness, Knowledge, and Education Needs Regarding Community Oral Health Services among Dental Students in Lucknow, India: A Convergent Mixed-methods Approach

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Introduction: Community Oral Health Services (COHS) play a crucial role in improving access to oral healthcare in India. Despite the growing emphasis on COHS integration in national health policy, there is a notable lack of evidence on awareness and knowledge of COHS among dental students, the future primary workforce for its implementation. Existing studies have largely assessed practising dental surgeons or medical graduates, leaving a critical evidence gap at the training level. Understanding these gaps early, during dental training, is essential to inform timely and targeted curricular reforms. Aim: To assess the awareness, knowledge, and educational needs regarding COHS among dental students in Lucknow, India. Materials and Methods: A convergent mixed-methods study was conducted at the Department of Public Health Dentistry, among dental students enrolled at the Faculty of Dental Sciences, King George's Medical University, and affiliated private dental colleges in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, from October 2024 to March 2025. A total of 195 dental interns, postinterns and postgraduates gave voluntary informed consent. A validated structured questionnaire assessed awareness (8 items) and knowledge (11 items) of COHS. The qualitative component involved two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with 22 purposively selected dental interns, analysed by thematic analysis. Demographic parameters, including age, gender, place of residence, study level, specialisation, and Institution type, were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U tests, Spearman's correlation, and multivariate regression were applied; p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Awareness of general national health initiatives was high- Ayushman Bharat: 170/195 (87.2%), National Health Mission (NHM): 158/195 (81.0%), Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PM-JAY): 154/195 (79.0%); however, dental-specific initiatives were lower; e-Dant Seva: 85/195 (43.6%) and dental care units at Primary Health Centres (PHCs): 74/195 (37.9%). Median knowledge score was 54.55% {Interquartile Range (IQR):27.27-63.64%}, significantly lower than the median awareness score of 75.00% (IQR: 50.00-87.50%). Postgraduates scored highest in both awareness and knowledge (p<0.001). Government Institution students showed significantly better awareness than private Institution students (p=0.043). FGDs revealed a disconnect between theoretical knowledge and practical exposure, with three themes: Academic knowledge, practical knowledge, and learning and training needs. Conclusion: The study highlights gaps in dental students’ awareness and knowledge of COHS, with limited field exposure and insufficient curriculum emphasis being key barriers. Integrating community-based training, COHS-focused modules, and structured rural postings into dental curricula could enhance preparedness for public health roles. These findings emphasised the need for revisions in dental education to align with national oral health priorities and improve workforce readiness for COHS implementation.

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