ABSTRACT
Background: Regular use of dental services has been associated with optimal oral health. Reports in some parts of Nigeria have shown the poor utilization of dental services, but there is a paucity of information relating to oral health care seeking behavior in the South-South region of Nigeria.
Objective: To determine the pattern of utilization and identify barriers to utilization of dental services among children.
Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study done among children in secondary schools in Benin, Nigeria. Information was elicited by means of a self-administered structured questionnaire. These included sociodemographic characteristics, views on dental visits, reported visits during the previous year, pattern of dental visits, and the barriers to utilization.
Results: There were 190 secondary school children; 102(53.7%) males and 88 (46.3%) females with a mean age of 14.6 (±1.1) years.Less than half (74, 38.9%) of the pupils had visited the dentist in the past, of while 31 (16.3%) of them did so within the past 1 year. About a sixth (34, 17.9%) of the students had oral health complaints; majority (20, 58.8%) of which planned to see a dentist. The barriers to utilization of dental services majorly included no perceived needs (26.8%).
Conclusion: Utilization of dental services among these school children was low and the major barrier was no perceived need. Oral health awareness needs to be improved on the importance of a regular checkup.
Keywords: Dental services, dental visits, Benin City, school children
