Evaluation of knowledge, attitude and practices of oral health and hygiene among the future health care providers

Background: Oral health is crucial for overall well-being, as it helps prevent dental diseases and reduces the risk of conditions like cavities, gum disease, and infections that can lead to more serious health issues.Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of Oral Health among the future health care providers from different medical institutes from Lahore, Pakistan.Methods: A cross-sectional, multi-centered observational study was performed at multiple medical institutes.A structured, self-made questionnaire was designed to have knowledge, attitude, and practice-related questions.The study sample included 140 undergraduate students from the medical, dentistry, physiotherapy, and pharmacy departments.Data was collected from the respondents after getting informed consent.The study period of the research project was 12 weeks.The collected data was analyzed through SPSS, utilizing descriptive and inferential statistics to summarize the results.Results: The study involved 140 future healthcare providers from various universities in Lahore, Pakistan.The majority of participants were female (67.9%) and under 30 years old, primarily in their pre-final and final years of medical, dental, physiotherapy, and pharmacy programs.Conclusion: According to the study's findings, dental students possess the maximum basic knowledge, attitude, and oral health practices when compared to the students in medical, pharmacy, and physiotherapy departments.Students studying physiotherapy and pharmacy also adopt improved oral hygiene practices.On the other hand, medical and pharmacy students exhibit positive attitudes.