Perception of dental professionals regarding integration of dental auxiliary into dental health delivery system

BACKGROUND: The practical solution to handle increasing awareness toward dental treatment and cost of the dental treatment is integration of dental auxiliary into dental healthcare delivery system, and hence the objective of this study was to assess the perception of dental professionals regarding integration of dental auxiliaries into dental health delivery system in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study of Indian dentists was conducted using self-administered closed-ended questionnaire. Questions were asked to assess the opinions of the dentists on expanding the roles of dental auxiliaries and its consequences on dental services. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22.0. The level of significance was kept at P < 0.05. RESULTS: Of 230 dentists who participated in the study, 155 (67.39%) reported unfavorable opinion toward expanded duty dental auxiliaries. Among the studied consequences of expanding the functions of dental auxiliaries, cost-effectiveness of treatment had the highest mean score, followed by redundancy of dentists. Undergraduates reported that expanded function dental auxiliaries would lead to redundancy of dentists. CONCLUSION: It is recommended to train the auxiliaries to meet the expectations of patients, but this should be considered keeping in mind the existing situation of dental professionals in the country. Nonetheless, this study gives us information necessary to tailor health policies and improve the standards of the existing oral healthcare delivery in India.