Dental practitioners' knowledge, attitudes, practices, and perceived barriers regarding oral health care of women during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers to service (KAPB) among dental practitioners regarding oral health care during pregnancy.

METHODS

An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among dental practitioners in 14 cities in Guangxi, China, selected by convenience sampling between November 2024 and January 2025, using a self-designed questionnaire with confirmed reliability and validity to assess KAPB. KAPB scores were calculated by summing item points. The Mann–Whitney U test or Kruskal–Wallis test was applied to compare score distributions across different demographic and professional characteristics. Multiple linear regression and correlation analyses were performed to identify factors associated with KAPB scores.

RESULTS

A total of 765 valid questionnaires were collected, among which 355 (46.4%) participants reported having received pregnancy-related oral healthcare training. The mean scores were as follows: knowledge, 10.41 ± 3.37 (range: 0–16); attitude, 34.36 ± 7.02 (range: 8–40); practice, 21.82 ± 4.29 (range: 6–30); and service barriers, 29.10 ± 4.56 (range: 8–40). Educational level, professional title, geographic location, hospital type, and hospital tiers were identified as significant factors influencing KAPB scores (P<0.05). Knowledge scores were positively correlated with attitude, practice, and service barrier scores (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Dental practitioners generally exhibited positive attitudes toward providing oral health care during pregnancy in Guangxi. However, their knowledge and practical competencies remain suboptimal, with several barriers hindering service delivery. Enhanced continuing education is recommended to bridge these gaps, particularly for dental practitioners with lower educational backgrounds or professional titles, and those working in private, primary-tier, or institutions in economically underdeveloped areas.