Utilization of dental services among secondary school students in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of dental visits among secondary school students in Lagos State and to identify factors influencing the use of these services.

Materials and Method: The study was a cross- sectional one comprising of secondary school students aged 10-19 years in Lagos State. They were selected by a multistage sampling method from 4 secondary schools in 2 (1 Urban and 1 Rural) Local Government Areas of the state. After obtaining an informed consent, a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire was filled after by each student. Data were collected on their demographic characteristics, visit(s) to the dentist in the previous 12 months, reasons for these dental visits, factors preventing subsequent dental visit and barriers to visiting the dentist for those who made no previous visit. The data collected were analyzed with an SPSS version 11.5 using Chi square statistics to test for association and differences.

Results: Five hundred and two students aged 10-19 years (mean 14.1 ± 0.22) participated in the study. The students had a dental visit prevalence of 14.9% in the previous 12 months, with 69.3% of the visits prompted by pain. The dental visit prevalence varied significantly with age (p = 0.019), being higher (18.1%) in the younger age group (10-14 years) than 10.5% in the older age group (15-19 years). Reasons for no previous visits ranged from “No dental problem” to “fear of the dentist. Eighteen out of the 75 who made previous dental visits were dissatisfied with the treatment received hence refused to visit again.

Conclusion: The level of utilization of dental services was very low and the standard measure of one visit per year to the dentist was not met. There is need for a “School oral health program” which will promote oral health awareness and encourage routine dental checkups among these students.