Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Dental Insurance among Dental Professionals in Bengaluru City: A Cross-sectional Survey
Abstract
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. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Ethical clearance was obtained before the study. 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 (P = 0.022). A majority of respondents (90.8%) considered dental insurance essential for overall healthcare and believed that it could reduce out-of-pocket expenditure (P = 0.035). In addition, 74% of specialist dental professionals demonstrated knowledge that dental procedures related to accidents, trauma, and oral cancers are covered only in network hospitals. 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.
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BibTeX
@article{iqbal2026knowledge,
title = {{Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Dental Insurance among Dental Professionals in Bengaluru City: A Cross-sectional Survey}},
author = {Syeda Rabiya Iqbal and Shweta Somasundara Yale and C. N. Aruna and R. V. Pooja},
journal = {Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_26_26},
url = {https://doi.org/10.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_26_26},
note = {CC BY-NC-SA},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Dental Insurance among Dental Professionals in Bengaluru City: A Cross-sectional Survey
AU - Syeda Rabiya Iqbal
AU - Shweta Somasundara Yale
AU - C. N. Aruna
AU - R. V. Pooja
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry
DO - 10.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_26_26
UR - https://doi.org/10.4103/jiaphd.jiaphd_26_26
AB - 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. P <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Ethical clearance was obtained before the study. 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 (P = 0.022). A majority of respondents (90.8%) considered dental insurance essential for overall healthcare and believed that it could reduce out-of-pocket expenditure (P = 0.035). In addition, 74% of specialist dental professionals demonstrated knowledge that dental procedures related to accidents, trauma, and oral cancers are covered only in network hospitals. 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.
SN - 2319-5932
SN - 2350-0484
ER -