Awareness, Knowledge, Attitude, and Acceptance of Dental Implants Among the Population of North Maharashtra: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire-Based Study

Introduction: Dental implants have revolutionized the rehabilitation of missing teeth by improving aesthetics, function, and long-term stability. Public awareness and acceptance of implant therapy are essential for a successful treatment. The present study aimed to assess the awareness, knowledge, attitude, and acceptance of dental implants among the population of North Maharashtra and to evaluate their association with demographic variables, such as gender, education, and monthly family income. Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted with 276 participants recruited from prosthodontics outpatient departments and community outreach programs at the Jawahar Medical Foundation’s Annasaheb Chudaman Patil Memorial Dental College, Dhule. A structured questionnaire, consisting of demographic details and 20 implant-related questions, was administered. The questionnaire evaluated four domains: basic awareness, specific knowledge, attitude, willingness, and barriers to information sources. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 26.0 (released 2018; IBM Corp., Armonk, USA). Independent t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey's post-hoc test, and Pearson's correlation analysis were used, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Of the participants, 152 (55.1%) were males, and 124 (44.9%) were females. Females demonstrated significantly higher total questionnaire scores (10.64 ± 4.10) than males (9.55 ± 4.35) (p = 0.037). Educational status had a strong positive association with implant awareness and acceptance. Participants with postgraduate education demonstrated significantly higher total scores (13.55 ± 3.80) compared to participants without formal education (6.40 ± 3.20) (p < 0.001). Similarly, participants belonging to the highest monthly income group (>₹50,000) exhibited greater total scores (13.20 ± 3.70) than the lowest income group (<₹10,000) (7.55 ± 3.50) (p < 0.001). Significant positive correlations were found between basic awareness and specific knowledge (r = 0.58), attitude and specific knowledge (r = 0.62), and attitude with basic awareness (r = 0.49). All p < 0.001, indicating that enhanced awareness improves knowledge and willingness for dental implants. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated moderate awareness of dental implants among the population of North Maharashtra. Higher educational and socioeconomic status was significantly associated with improved awareness, knowledge, and acceptance of implant therapy. Public education initiatives and enhanced patient counseling are essential to improve awareness and accessibility of dental implants.