The Need for Protocol-Based Training in Delivering Bad News in Dentistry: A Cross-Sectional Survey Among Dental Professionals in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

This study aimed toexplore the awareness and utilization of protocols (e.g., the SPIKES protocol) for delivering bad news among dental professionalsand the perceived need for such training. This study employeda cross-sectional design. A web-based self-administered questionnaire was distributed among dental students, general dentists, and dental specialists/consultants in Jeddah City through social media groups. The questionnaire included questions regardingthe knowledge, attitudes, and practices of delivering bad news in dentistry and the use of the SPIKES protocol. Descriptive statistics and bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the research objectives. Two hundred and twelveparticipants responded to the questionnaire,withan almost equal distribution between genders. Specialists/consultants and dental students comprised 87.8% of the respondents.Most respondents (70%) were unaware of any protocols for delivering bad news, and approximately 89% were unaware of the SPIKES protocol. Only 7% reported using the SPIKES protocol to deliver bad news. The bivariate analysis revealed two significant associations. The first association indicatedavariation in awareness based on professional status,and the second suggested that experience in delivering bad news affected perceptions of the importance of protocol-based training. Logistic regression models revealed that specialist/consultant status was significantly associated with decreased awareness of protocols (OR = 0.287, 95% CI 0.091-0.903) as compared to general dentists and that other variables, including sex and experience in delivering bad news, did not indicate a statistically significant effect. Most dentists in Jeddah reported the need to be familiar with and practice delivering bad news in dentistry. They agreed that it would improve patients'acceptance of bad news if it were performed in a systematic and organized manner (e.g., the SPIKES protocol).