Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Dental Insurance among Dental Professionals in Bengaluru City: A Cross-sectional Survey
Syeda Rabiya Iqbal, Shweta Somasundara Yale, C. N. Aruna, R. V. PoojaAbstract
Background:
Oral healthcare expenditure in India is largely out-of-pocket, creating financial barriers to accessing dental services. Dental insurance has the potential to reduce this burden and improve utilization of oral healthcare services; however, its knowledge and implementation remain limited in India.
Aim:
The aim is to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding dental insurance among Dental professionals in Bengaluru city.
Materials and Methods:
A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 152 dental professionals in Bengaluru. A structured, pretested, self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics and inferential analysis using the Chi-square test were performed using IBM SPSS version 20.0.
Results:
Knowledge regarding dental insurance was reported by 93.5% of the participants. Adequate knowledge of the regulatory authority for health insurance was observed in 61.8% of dental professionals. Knowledge of government schemes covering dental care was significantly higher among postgraduate dental professionals (
Conclusion:
Dental professionals demonstrated high knowledge and favorable attitudes toward dental insurance; however, gaps in detailed knowledge and practical utilization were evident. Strengthening professional education and policy-level reforms are required to improve dental insurance integration in India.