Geospatial Analysis of Dental Services in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India: A Retrospective Observational Study

Introduction: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are tools used to integrate spatial and non spatial attribute information, providing a foundation for mapping and understanding geographic context and aiding the allocation and redistribution of dental services, thereby making dental services accessible to underserved populations. Aim: To analyse the distribution of dental services in Jaipur district using geospatial analysis, an evidence-based reorganisation tool. Materials and Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted over nine months from October 2019 to July 2020 in the Department of Public Health Dentistry of NIMS Dental College and Hospital, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India. Data collection was carried out from October 2019 to February 2020 and data analysis was performed from March 2020 to July 2020. GIS applications used included QGIS, ArcGIS Desktop, ArcGIS Online, Google Earth Pro and Google Maps to perform geospatial analyses. All public and private dental services in Jaipur district were mapped using GIS software and overlaid with population data from the 2011 Census. Results: Jaipur district comprises 13 subdivisions with a total population of 9,847,662. The majority of dental services 1,117 (95.14%) were in the private sector, with relatively few 57 (4.85%) in the public sector. Accessibility analysis showed that dental services located in Jamwa Ramgarh, Shahpura and Bassi were highly inaccessible within 5, 10 and 15 km, respectively. The average nearest-neighbour analysis indicated a clustered distribution of dental services in Jaipur district (z=- 35.28), suggesting less than a 1% probability that the observed clustering occurred by chance. Conclusion: Geospatial analysis provides insights into the population and dental services, highlighting underserved areas and guiding policymakers. A spatial join analysis of the entire Jaipur district indicated that the concentration of dental services is highest in the Jaipur subdivision compared with other subdivisions. Therefore, local health planners in Jaipur should allocate dental services to the less-served districts identified by the present study.