Assessment of Expressed Needs and Normative Needs of the Patients Attending Dental Outreach Programs

Background: The most commonly employed method of assessing health needs is clinical assessment by professionals; however health care needs may be assessed by other methods also. This study attempts to identify the expressed needs and the normative needs of the subjects attending dental outreach program. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the expressed and the normative needs of the patients attending outreach programs and to compare these two needs. Settings and design: This cross-sectional study was conducted at different outreach program location. Materials and methods: The subjects who were 18 years and above attending dental outreach programs were included in the study. The chief complaints for which the subjects were visiting the outreach program were referred to as expressed needs. Oral health status of the subjects was assessed using clinical indices and was referred to as normative needs. Results: Out of the 394 subjects examined, decayed tooth/ teeth were the most frequent complaint (26%), followed by toothache (25%). According to the normative needs determined by the investigator 81% of the subjects required restoration. Conclusion: The normative needs were higher in magnitude compared to the expressed needs among these subjects. A level has to be reached where with limited resources these both needs can be satisfied.