Community pharmacists' knowledge, attitude and practice of oral health care in Asir region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Objectives To assess community pharmacists' knowledge, attitude and practice towards oral health care in Asir region, Saudi Arabia. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study was carried out using a self-administered structured questionnaire, targeting 254 community pharmacies across the Asir region. The questionnaire consisted of four domains: demographics, knowledge, attitudes and practice related to oral health care. Statistical analysis was performed using Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. Results Of the 254 pharmacists, 202 respondents completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 79.5%. Almost two-thirds (66%) of the community pharmacists exhibited good knowledge, 65% possessed a positive attitude, and 55% perceived a good practice towards oral health care. Pharmacists have shown a good understanding on dental care (p < 0.001) and oral conditions. Fifty-five per cent (n = 119) of pharmacists preferred to have dental-based subjects in Pharmacy curriculum. Conclusion Community Pharmacists possess overall good knowledge and attitude required for the provision of dental care counselling patients. They may participate in oral health development programmes to make a better practice.