Influencing the Utilization of Dental Health Services at Rengas Pulau Public Health Center

<p><em>Dental health is one of the factors supporting the healthy paradigm and is a national development strategy to achieve health development. </em><em>U</em><em>tilization of dental and oral </em><em>public </em><em>health services is crucial to maintaining dental and oral health. However, the low utilization of these health services remains a problem. This study aims to analyze the factors influencing the utilization of dental health services at Rengas Pulau </em><em>Public</em><em> Health Center. This type of research is an observational analytic study using a cross-sectional design. The study was conducted at Rengas Pulau </em><em>Public</em><em> Health Center from September 2023 to December 2023. The study population included all patients who visited Rengas Pulau </em><em>Public</em><em> Health Center more than once in 2023, totaling 151 patients.</em><em> The research sample consisted of 60 people</em><em>. The sampling technique used was accidental sampling. Data collection procedures were conducted through questionnaire interviews. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software</em><em>, b</em><em>ivariate analysis using the chi</em><em>-</em><em>square test and multivariate analysis using multiple logistic regression with a significance level of 95% (α=0.05). The results showed that the factors influencing the utilization of dental health services at Rengas Pulau </em><em>Public</em><em> Health Center were distance from residence (ExpB= 3.527; p-value=0.003)</em><em>, </em><em>the distance from the residence to the healthcare facility results in underutilization of dental health services; k</em><em>nowledge (ExpB= 3.158; p-value=0.005</em><em>),</em><em> people with good knowledge are more likely to utilize dental and oral health services because they understand that maintaining dental and oral health contributes to overall quality of life;</em><em> and attitude (ExpB= 15.619; p-value=0.001</em><em>), </em><em>patients with a positive attitude will believe that undergoing an examination will significantly improve their dental and oral health</em><em>, with the most dominant factor being patient attitude. It is recommended that </em><em>Public</em><em> Health Center improve health services by conducting socialization or outreach related to the available health services at the center.</em><em></em></p><p> </p><p><strong><em>Keyword:  Dental, Services, Utilization</em></strong></p>