Table 1 Description of themes identifies in the thematic analysis of participants’ responses

Responsibility

1. Knowledge

2. Skills

Health education is regarded as the most important aspect of oral health promotion in dentistry. This focus on behavioural techniques and information dissemination could be linked to dental professionals’ believing they are more skilled in health education than in other health promotion strategies.

Barriers and challenges

1. Courses

2. Funding

3. Time

4. Health facility type

5. Personal

Due to the dental care funding scheme, clinical work takes precedence.

Governments do not provide enough resources to promote oral health.

Because they do not have enough money, dentists do not have much time to spend on health promotion.

In the regions, there is variability in OHP practice across hospitals and Primary Healthcare Center (PHC).

Patients and dental office managers place a low value on the necessity of health promotion.

Recommendations

1. Evidence-based training

2. Increase the number of providers

3. Tele dentistry

Awareness activities for dental professionals are needed to let them know how important it is for them to offer these services in their health settings.

Overcome the paucity of time and lack of awareness about O among practitioners by offering health educators or newly graduated dentistry students.

Tele-dentistry has been identified as essential in improving OHP among the region’s people.