Table 2.
Oral health competencies of primary healthcare physicians, N = 107
| Competency | No experience N (%) |
Limited experience N (%) |
Intermediate experience N (%) |
Advanced experience N (%) |
Expert level N (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Take oral health history and perform an oral examination | 38 (35.5) | 47 (43.9) | 19 (17.8) | 3 (2.8) | 0 (0) |
| 2. Diagnose dental caries | 26 (24.3) | 41 (38.3) | 32 (29.9) | 6 (5.6) | 2 (1.87) |
| 3. Determine the patient’s risk for dental caries | 32 (29.9) | 40 (37.4) | 27 (25.2) | 7 (6.5) | 1 (0.9) |
| 4. Diagnose oral manifestations of systemic diseases | 15 (14.0) | 31 (29.0) | 44 (41.1) | 13 (12.2) | 4 (3.7) |
| 5. Answer patient’s questions about oral health | 11 (10.3) | 48 (44.9) | 40 (37.4) | 7 (6.5) | 1 (0.9) |
| 6. Advise patients against consuming a diet that causes dental caries | 8 (7.5) | 34 (31.8) | 37 (34.6) | 21 (19.6) | 7 (6.5) |
| 7. Advise patients on oral hygiene practices | 7 (6.5) | 27 (25.2) | 44 (41.1) | 24 (22.4) | 5 (4.7) |
| 8. Counseling patients about adverse oral health effects of tobacco | 8 (7.5) | 28 (26.2) | 30 (28.0) | 28 (26.2) | 13 (12.2) |
| 9. Apply intraoral Fluoride varnish for preventing dental caries | 57 (53.3) | 25 (23.4) | 19 (17.8) | 5 (4.7) | 1 (0.9) |
| 10. Evaluate and manage dental emergencies as needed | 25 (23.4) | 42 (39.3) | 33 (30.8) | 5 (4.7) | 2 (1.9) |