It is important to understand how people perceive the impact of oral diseases on 
their quality of life. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) is a 
relatively new but rapidly growing notion. The concept of OHRQOL is particularly 
significant to 3 areas - clinical practice of dentistry, dental research and 
dental education. There are different approaches to measure OHRQOL; the most 
popular one uses multiple item questionnaires. OHRQOL should be the basis for 
any oral health programme development. Moreover, research at the conceptual 
level is needed in countries where OHRQOL has not been previously assessed, 
including the Eastern Mediterranean countries.