AU - Pratap, Rohan AU - Puranik, Manjunath AU - Uma, S TI - Caries experience and its relationship with oral health related quality of life among orphanage children in Bengaluru City: A cross-sectional study PT - ORIG DP - 2016 Oct 1 TA - Journal of Indian Association of Public Health Dentistry PG - 397-402 VI - 14 IP - 4 4099- https://journals.lww.com/aphd/pages/default.aspx/article.asp?issn=2319-5932;year=2016;volume=14;issue=4;spage=397;epage=402;aulast=Pratap;type=0 4100- https://journals.lww.com/aphd/pages/default.aspx/article.asp?issn=2319-5932;year=2016;volume=14;issue=4;spage=397;epage=402;aulast=Pratap AB - Introduction: Dental caries is a common disease of the childhood affecting the quality of life (QoL). Studies have focused on oral health including caries experience in underprivileged children. However, information concerning relationship between caries experience and QoL of orphanage children is scarce. Objective: To assess caries experience and its relationship with oral health-related QoL (OHRQoL) among orphanage children in Bengaluru city. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 orphanage children aged 7–18 years from six randomly selected orphanages in Bengaluru city. Demographic data were obtained through self-designed questionnaire while OHRQoL was assessed using prevalidated Child Oral Health Impact Profile-Short Form questionnaire (COHIP-SF). Caries experience was determined using decayed, missing, filled teeth/Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (dmft/DMFT) indices. Descriptive statistics and Spearman's correlation were performed using SPSS-16. P< 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Among study participants, caries experience in primary and permanent dentition was 40.5% and 38%, respectively, while mean dmft and DMFT were 1.26 ± 2.00 and 0.96 ± 1.49, respectively. Mean COHIP-SF was 56.83 ± 11.10. COHIP-SF positively correlated with DMFT (rho = 0.21, P = 0.002) and negatively correlated with dmft (rho = −0.26, P = 0.001). Conclusions: Dental caries experience was similar in primary and permanent dentition among orphanage children. Higher COHIP-SF scores indicate positive OHRQoL. Dental caries significantly correlated with their OHRQoL. Innovative oral health promotion program through the help of public–private partnership could enhance their OHRQoL.