Background The dental home concept (DHC) refers to an approach in oral healthcare that emphasizes establishing a long-term, comprehensive, and family-centered relationship between a patient and their primary dental care. This study determined the awareness and incorporation of the DHC among general dentists and dental therapists in Malaysia. Methodology A total of 154 general dentists and 137 dental therapists providing oral healthcare services at the Ministry of Health (MOH) primary care facilities throughout Malaysia participated in this cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure the respondents' awareness of the DHC and incorporation of the DHC characteristics into their practice. Results Most dentists and dental therapists (61.7% and 67.2%, respectively) had not heard of the term DHC and were unaware of the concept. The respondents' awareness was not associated with their age, sex, years of service, facility location, and percentage of treatment given to children aged five years and below. However, most dentists and dental therapists responded positively about incorporating most DHC characteristics into their current practice. Conclusions Most dentists and dental therapists serving the MOH primary oral healthcare facilities were unaware of the DHC, although most DHC characteristics have already been incorporated into their practice. This study provides evidence of the incorporation of the DHC into the MOH primary oral healthcare services and suggests an effort to increase the awareness of the workforce regarding the concept and its implementation.
Keywords: child oral health; dental care; dental home; dental nurses; general dentists.
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