Knowledge, Awareness, and Attitude in Using Dental Implants as an Option in Replacing Missing Teeth Among Dental Patients: Survey-Based Research in a Dental Teaching Hospital in Derabassi, Punjab

Background Among many options that are available to replace missing teeth, dental implants are very popular. Information about patient awareness of dental implants is an important parameter for planning health care services and marketing. Knowledge of the treatment method minimizes any negative image that can be caused by a lack of proper communication. Aim and objective The objective of this study is to assess and obtain information about the knowledge, awareness, and attitude in using dental implants as an option for replacing missing teeth among dental patients. Materials and methods A questionnaire survey was conducted on 5000 subjects. This was a self-administered two-part questionnaire consisting of 18 questions. The percentage response for each question from all participants was obtained and the data collected was calculated and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 21.0 (IBM Inc., Armonk, New York). Results Out of 5000 patients, 75% were already aware of dental implants from various means (dentist, family friends, social media such as television, radio, newspaper, or magazine). Based on the survey results, a significant number of patients had knowledge and awareness as well as a positive attitude towards using dental implants as an option for missing teeth. Conclusion People have a decent to fair level of understanding and awareness of dental implants, which are used to replace lost teeth. The dentist plays the most important role in this regard, and this can be accomplished by implementing patient education programs and counseling centers on the usage and benefits of dental implants.