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E u r o S c i C o n C o n f e r e n c e o n
Dental & Dental
Hygiene
Dental & Dental Hygiene 2018
Journal of Dental and Craniofacial Research
ISSN 2576-392X
M a r c h 2 6 - 2 7 , 2 0 1 8
E d i n b u r g h , S c o t l a n d
Page 66
Access to and utilization of dental care services
among the Indian community in Hong Kong
Gayathri Balachandran
University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
T
he objectives of this study were to describe the dental
services utilization pattern of immigrant Indian adults in
Hong Kong, their perceived barriers, and their satisfactionwith
the dental care services they had received. A cross-sectional
survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire on a
sample of immigrants. Indian adults who had been residing
in Hong Kong for at least three years were recruited for this
study. The questionnaire was completed either by study
subjects on site or through an interview. The subjects were
recruited from various religious, cultural, and social centers
that served the Indian community. A total of 449 completed
questionnaires were collected. Half of the survey subjects
were aged 35 to 44 years and 49% were men. Their mean
duration of residence in Hong Kong was 6.1 years. Slightly
less than half (47%) of the subjects had visited a dentist in
Hong Kong. The dental services they received were mostly
curative treatments and preventive care was uncommon.
Over 85% of the subjects who had visited a dentist in Hong
Kong were satisfied with the various aspects of the service
they had received, except the treatment cost. Most (58%) of the
survey subjects had visited a dentist in India within three years
prior to this survey. Among the subjects who had not visited a
dentist in Hong Kong, the most commonly cited barriers which
affected their dental visit were communication problem (87%)
and high treatment cost (98%). The vast majority (87%) of the
subjects thought that a special dental service for minor ethnic
groups in Hong Kong was needed. It is concluded that immigrant
Indian adults seek dental care services both in Hong Kong and in
India. The main perceived barriers were communication problem
and high treatment cost. In general, they were satisfied with
dental services they received in Hong Kong.
iyer_drgaya@yahoo.co.inJ Den Craniofac Res 2018, Volume: 3
DOI: 10.21767/2576-392X-C1-003