Dental Caries among Patients Visiting the Dental Outpatient Department in a Tertiary Care Centre: A Descriptive Cross-sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: Dental caries is an alarming public health problem globally causing significant morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment help in the prevention of complications. The aim of this study was to find out the prevalence of dental caries among patients visiting the dental Outpatient Department in a tertiary care centre. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among patients visiting the dental Outpatient Department in a tertiary care centre. Data collection was done from 15 November 2022 to 15 February 2023 after taking ethical approval from the Institutional Review Committee (Reference number: 236/078/079). All patients visiting the dental Outpatient Department above 18 years of age who provided written informed consent were included in this study. Convenience sampling was done. Point estimate and 95% Confidence Interval were calculated. RESULTS: Among 270 patients, the prevalence of dental caries was 214 (79.26%) (74.42-84.10, 95% Confidence Interval). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of dental caries among patients was higher than other studies done in similar settings.