What is the level of knowledge of first year dentistry students about human papillomavirus? a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Epidemiological studies have shown increasing trends of HPV-associated oral cancers worldwide. HPV-related diseases are a new public health problem that negatively affects the field of dentistry. The aim of this study is to determine the knowledge levels of first-year dentistry students about HPV. Methods: The study population consisted of 130 students enrolled in the first year of the Faculty of Dentistry in the academic year of 2023 and 2024. The Human Papilloma Virus Knowledge Scale (HPV-KS) was used to determine students' HPV knowledge levels. In the analysis of the data, the t test, and Mann-Whitney U test were used. Results: 53.6% of the students were female and 96% were in the 18-21 age group. The HPV-KS score of the students was found to be 10.60±7.27 (0-33). 58.4% of the students stated that they had heard of HPV before, 57.6% had heard of the HPV test before, and 50.4% had heard of the HPV vaccine before. Furthermore, female students scored significantly higher than male students in the HPV vaccine knowledge questions sub-dimensions (p=0.037). Conclusions: Considering the knowledge levels of students in the first grade, it can guide the educational programs to be prepared. In order to protect public health, it is recommended to increase the knowledge of dentistry students about HPV and HPV-related diseases.