<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0029_s_006">
<h3>Objectives</h3>
<p>To compare the frequency of patients’ oral health problems and prevention needs among Slovenian and international dentists with the aim to validate the four oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) dimensions across six clinical dental fields in all World Health Organization (WHO) regions.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0029_s_007">
<h3>Methods</h3>
<p>An anonymous electronic survey in the English language was designed using Qualtrics software. A probability sampling for Slovenia and a convenience sampling strategy for dentist recruitment was applied for 31 countries. Dentists engaged in six dental fields were asked to categorize their patients’ oral health problems and prevention needs into the four OHRQoL dimensions (Oral Function, Orofacial Pain, Orofacial Appearance, and Psychosocial Impact). Proportions of patients’ problems and prevention needs were calculated together with the significance of Slovenian and international dentists’ differences based on dental fields and WHO regions.</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0029_s_008">
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>Dentists (n=1,580) from 32 countries completed the survey. There were 223 Slovenian dentists (females: 68%) with a mean age (SD) of 41 (10.6) years and 1,358 international dentists (females: 51%) with a mean age (SD) of 38 (10.4). Pain-related problems and prevention needs were the most prevalent among all six dental fields reported by dentists; Slovenian (37%) and 31 countries (45%). According to Cohen, differences between Slovenia, the broader European Region, and 31 countries were considered non-significant (&lt;0.1).</p></sec>
<sec id="j_sjph-2021-0029_s_009">
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>According to the dentists’ responses, the frequency of patients’ oral health problems and prevention needs are proportionate between Slovenia and 31 countries, regionally and globally. The four OHRQoL dimensions can be considered universal across all dental fields.</p></sec>
</abstract>

Objectives
To compare the frequency of patients’ oral health problems and prevention needs among Slovenian and international dentists with the aim to validate the four oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) dimensions across six clinical dental fields in all World Health Organization (WHO) regions.

Methods
An anonymous electronic survey in the English language was designed using Qualtrics software. A probability sampling for Slovenia and a convenience sampling strategy for dentist recruitment was applied for 31 countries. Dentists engaged in six dental fields were asked to categorize their patients’ oral health problems and prevention needs into the four OHRQoL dimensions (Oral Function, Orofacial Pain, Orofacial Appearance, and Psychosocial Impact). Proportions of patients’ problems and prevention needs were calculated together with the significance of Slovenian and international dentists’ differences based on dental fields and WHO regions.

Results
Dentists (n=1,580) from 32 countries completed the survey. There were 223 Slovenian dentists (females: 68%) with a mean age (SD) of 41 (10.6) years and 1,358 international dentists (females: 51%) with a mean age (SD) of 38 (10.4). Pain-related problems and prevention needs were the most prevalent among all six dental fields reported by dentists; Slovenian (37%) and 31 countries (45%). According to Cohen, differences between Slovenia, the broader European Region, and 31 countries were considered non-significant (<0.1).

Conclusion
According to the dentists’ responses, the frequency of patients’ oral health problems and prevention needs are proportionate between Slovenia and 31 countries, regionally and globally. The four OHRQoL dimensions can be considered universal across all dental fields.

Frequency of four-dimensional oral health problems across dental fields – A comparative survey of Slovenian and international dentists

Slovenian Journal of Public Health

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Pogostost štiridimenzionalnih zobozdravstvenih problemov po specialističnih področjih – Primerjava rezultatov ankete, opravljene med Slovenskimi in tujimi zobozdravniki

Objectives
To compare the frequency of patients’ oral health problems and prevention needs among Slovenian and international dentists with the aim to validate...

Frequency of four-dimensional oral health problems across dental fields – A comparative survey of Slovenian and international dentists

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Oct 20, 2021

Page range: 210 - 220

Received: Mar 12, 2021

Accepted: May 19, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2021-0029

Keywords
oral health, surveys, questionnaires, World Health Organization, Slovenia, oral health models, dentists, patients, dental specialties, dentistry

© 2021 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Frequency of four-dimensional oral health problems across dental fields – A comparative survey of Slovenian and international dentists

Article Category: Original scientific article

Published Online: Oct 20, 2021

Page range: 210 - 220

Received: Mar 12, 2021

Accepted: May 19, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/sjph-2021-0029

Keywordsoral health, surveys, questionnaires, World Health Organization, Slovenia, oral health models, dentists, patients, dental specialties, dentistry

© 2021 National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
oral health, surveys, questionnaires, World Health Organization, Slovenia, oral health models, dentists, patients, dental specialties, dentistry