Abstract
Objective: To explore the attitudes of Chinese people regarding dentists and toward obtaining dental care in the UK.
Introduction: Injudicious use of general health services has been reported among Chinese people in the UK. In relation to oral healthcare, the extent to which cultural beliefs and values affect use remains uncertain.
Setting: Chinese communities in the north east of England.
Subjects and methods: A quota sample of 156 Chinese people was recruited in 1996. 50 elderly people, 56 adults, 50 teenagers were interviewed by 5 trained and standardised multilingual Chinese interviewers using a validated structured questionnaire.
Results: Access varied substantially according to age, with the younger generations more likely to obtain dental care without difficulty. Overall, the sample perceived that dentists possessed adequate technical competence, but their patient management skills lacked sensitivity. Older Chinese people placed less trust in dentists. Many elderly people reported problems in finding a UK dentist and would have preferred one of Chinese origin. Potential problems in follow-up prosthetic dental care were also apparent among this age group. Cost, communication problems, anxiety and cultural beliefs were identified as major barriers to dental care.
Conclusions: There is a clear need to raise cultural awareness among dental professionals as well as to help Chinese people's positive attitudes toward dentists and dental care
Similar content being viewed by others
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kwan, S., Williams, S. Attitudes of Chinese people toward obtaining dental care in the UK. Br Dent J 185, 188–191 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4809768
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bdj.4809768
This article is cited by
-
A rapid review of barriers to oral healthcare for people with protected characteristics
British Dental Journal (2020)
-
The Influence of Culture on the Oral Health-Related Beliefs and Behaviours of Elderly Chinese Immigrants: A Meta-Synthesis of the Literature
Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology (2013)
-
Factors associated with dental and medical care attendance in UK resident Yemeni khat chewers: a cross sectional study
BMC Public Health (2012)
-
Oral health-related cultural beliefs for four racial/ethnic groups: Assessment of the literature
BMC Oral Health (2008)
-
Physiognomy and teeth: An ethnographic study among young and middle-aged Hong Kong adults
British Dental Journal (2002)