Evaluation of the Knowledge, Practices, Attitudes and Barriers of Community Pharmacists toward Oral Health and Dental Care in North Cyprus

Background: Community pharmacists have an effective role in improving and promoting oral health and dental care. Patients could receive counselling from community pharmacists about oral health and dental care after dentists' examinations. Therefore, pharmacists need to develop competency in promoting oral health as part of their health promotion role. Methodology: This study was a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study carried out between December 2020 to January 2021 among community pharmacists to evaluate the knowledge, practices, attitudes, and barriers of community pharmacists for oral health and dental care in North Cyprus. Result: There were 128 of community pharmacies in Nicosia, North Cyprus. Only 104 (81.25%) of the community pharmacists accepted to participate in this study. Seventy-three of the participants agreed that they would like to play a more active role in promoting and improving oral health. Almost all; 102 (98.1%) agreed that oral health and dental care education should be included in the curriculum of pharmacy, while 78 (75%) and 61 (58.7%) of them feel unconfident when they were giving advice for oral cancer and oral ulcer, respectively. There was no association between demographic factors and the attitude of the community pharmacists toward oral health care. Conclusion: This study has shown that community pharmacists do not feel confident when they are giving oral health information about oral ulcers, oral cancer, and discoloured teeth. Most of the community pharmacists agreed that oral health and dental care education should be included in the curriculum of pharmacy.