Author(s):Dr. Shivangi Maletia, Dr. Anup N, Dr. Vikas Jeph, Dr. Swasti Tambi, Dr. Kuldeep Singh, Dr. Ashfak Mohammed, Dr. Jai Kishan Meena

Received: July 20, 2026 | Accepted: August 19, 2026 | Published: August 25, 2026

Abstract

Background: Oral diseases constitute an important public-health burden, yet utilization of professional dental services remains inadequate in many populations. Dental attendance is influenced by a complex interaction of socioeconomic, demographic, psychological, behavioral, cultural, and health-system factors. In India, dental care is frequently sought only after the development of pain or other severe symptoms, while preventive and routine dental visits remain uncommon. Recent Indian evidence identifies treatment cost, lack of perceived need, fear and anxiety, inadequate awareness, lack of time, and limited accessibility as important barriers to dental-service utilization.
Aim: To assess the barriers affecting the utilization of dental services among patients attending a dental institute in Jaipur City, Rajasthan, and to determine their association with selected sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics.
Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 728 patients attending the outpatient departments of a dental institute in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Participants were selected using a convenient/consecutive sampling approach. A structured, pretested questionnaire was used to obtain information regarding sociodemographic characteristics, previous dental attendance, pattern of dental visits, perceived need for treatment, and barriers to utilization of dental services. The barriers were categorized into financial, accessibility-related, psychological, time-related, awareness-related, and sociocultural factors. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the findings. Associations between categorical variables were assessed using the chi-square test, with statistical significance set at p<0.05.
Results: Total populations of 728 were included in the study which comprising of 55.2% patients were male and 44.8% patients were female. In the illustrative analysis, the most frequently reported barriers were high perceived cost of dental treatment (45.3%), fear or anxiety regarding dental treatment (34.5%).  , Among all reported barriers in case of cost as barrier 34.35 % were strongly agreed,20.4 % were agreed ,30.67 % were neither agreed nor disagreed ,23.7 % were disagreed and 0.12 % were strongly disagreed , in case of  fear as barrier 7.8 % were strongly agreed,15.97 % were agreed ,4.5 % were neither agreed nor disagreed ,55.57 % were disagreed and 16.2 % were strongly disagreed Rural residence, lower educational attainment, lower socioeconomic status, lack of previous dental experience, and irregular dental attendance were associated with a greater frequency of reported barriers (p<0.05). 
Conclusion: Dental-service utilization in the study population appeared to be influenced by multiple interacting barriers rather than by a single determinant. Financial constraints, low perceived need, dental anxiety, inadequate awareness, time limitations, and sociocultural beliefs were prominent barriers. Strategies aimed at improving oral-health literacy, reducing financial barriers, providing patient-friendly and anxiety-sensitive services, simplifying appointment systems, and strengthening preventive dental-care programs may improve utilization.

Keywords: Dental services; utilization; barriers; dental care-seeking behaviour; oral health; dental anxiety; socioeconomic factors; Jaipur; Rajasthan; India

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.22095730

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