Mapping accessibility to oral health care in coastal India - A geospatial approach using a geographic information system (GIS).

It is imperative to have a thorough assessment of the existing distribution of oral healthcare facilities and understand potential accessibility when planning for expansion of oral health services. In the present study, an attempt to measure geographic accessibility to oral healthcare, by locating the availability of dental practitioners in the coastal districts of Karnataka state, India using a geographical information system (GIS), has been made. For the study, data on public and private oral health centres were collected for the three coastal districts of Karnataka state, India.

Geographic Information Systems in Spatial Epidemiology: Unveiling New Horizons in Dental Public Health.

Objectives: Research on the role of environment and place in various aspects of dental public health using geographic information systems (GIS) is escalating rapidly. Yet, the understanding of GIS and the analytical tools that it offers are still vaguely understood. This narrative review therefore draws from the utilization of GIS in the dental public health research.