Integrating oral health care into primary health care system

Introduction. Systematic evaluation is an integral part of the organization and delivery of community oral health care programmes, ensuring the effectiveness of these community-based interventions. This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of primary health care (PHC) personnel regarding their duties toward oral health. Methods and Material. A cross-sectional study was carried out among three groups of PHC personnel in the city of Kerman (Iran). Volunteer personnel completed a piloted questionnaire which included demographic data, some question regarding their knowledge about oral health, their duties and also their practice regarding public oral health. All data were analyzed using chi-square and Pearson correlation test. Results. One hundred and fifty-seven out of 225 eligible personnel participated in the study. Sixty percent were auxiliary health workers (Behvarz). All personnel had a good level of knowledge regarding oral health. Despite significant differences among the knowledge of the personnel toward oral health, there was no significant difference between their knowledge related to their duties regarding oral health. The auxiliary health worker group had a higher rate (45.6%) for better public oral health practice. Conclusion. The study showed the personnel have good knowledge of their duties regarding oral health. However, their practice is not in line with their knowledge and needs more attention.