Awareness Of Dental Professionals Research Articles

A Cross-sectional Survey on Knowledge and Awareness of Dental Professionals Towards Medicolegal Issues in Teledentistry in Sharad Pawar Dental College

Background: Many dental professionals are not familiar with medicolegal issues in teledentistry. Through our survey, many dental professionals will be aware of medicolegal issues in teledentistry. 
 Objectives: To evaluate the knowledge and awareness regarding medicolegal issues in teledentistry among dental staff and postgraduates and assess the correlation of demographic information with knowledge and awareness regarding medicolegal issues in teledentistry among dental staff and postgraduates.
 Methodology: The dental professionals and postgraduates of Sharad Pawar Dental College will be chosen.
 Expected Results: Evaluating the knowledge and awareness of medicolegal issues in teledentistry among dental students. A more significant number of dental professionals are not familiar with medicolegal issues in teledentistry.
 Conclusion: It is beneficial in long-distance clinical training and preserving with education, screening, and dentist laboratory communication. In rural regions in which there may be a scarcity of specialists, loss of complete and complicated health care teledentistry can amplify care to remote patient populations at an affordable value as well as ease the hassle of a scarcity of specialized dental consultants, with few drawbacks and steady efforts to fight them, teledentistry has promising future and an extended manner to go.

Assessment of level of knowledge, awareness, and attitude toward “Basic Life Support” and “Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation” among dental students, interns, and dental practitioners

Background: Being healthcare professionals, the dentists should be aware of the basic and practical aspects of basic life support (BLS) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This study helps assess the knowledge and awareness of dental professionals toward it. Aim: The aim of the study is to assess the level of knowledge, awareness, and attitude toward “BLS” among dental students, interns, and dental practitioners. Materials and Methods: This survey-based study enrolled 70 students from 3rd-year BDS, 70 students from final-year BDS, 80 interns, and 45 dental academicians/practitioners of the dental college. A semi-structured, validated, peer-reviewed questionnaire was used with three sections – demographic data, qualification, and experience; knowledge of participants regarding BLS (26 multiple-choice questions); and awareness and attitude toward BLS (7 close-ended questions). Results: Surprisingly, none of the 265 participants had complete knowledge of BLS and CPR. They lacked in basic knowledge of this important lifesaving protocol. The students and interns also were unaware of basic and applied knowledge of BLS, which shows the necessity of its inclusion in BDS curriculum. Conclusion: The understanding of lack of knowledge and awareness about BLS and CPR is alarming. Its inclusion in curriculum, training, and periodic re-training of dental undergraduates, interns, postgraduates, academicians, and practitioners is necessary.

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND REPORTED PRACTICES REGARDING MANAGEMENT OF PATIENTS WITH BLEEDING DISORDERS AMONG ALEXANDRIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH DENTISTS A CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYTICAL STUDY

Introduction: Bleeding disorders and their complications are considered a significant health hazard worldwide. Research reports on the awareness of dental professionals regarding bleeding disorders were few and the researcher could not obtain any from Egypt. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes and reported practices of Ministry of Health (MOH) dentists regarding bleeding disorders and their management. Materials and methods: This was an analytical, cross sectional study that was carried out in Alexandria during a period of 6 months from August 2018 to January 2019. The participants were asked to complete a comprehensive, close-ended self- administered questionnaire regarding patients with bleeding disorder. The questionnaire was previously pilot tested and validated by 4 professors at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Dental Public Health and 6 professors in the Department of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine-Alexandria University before releasing the final version of the questionnaire. It consisted of 33 items arranged in four sections. The first section was concerned with the demographic variables of the participating dentists. The second and third sections enquired about the participants’ knowledge and attitudes regarding bleeding disorders symptoms and management, while the forth section of the questionnaire assessed the respondents’ reported practices concerning bleeding disorders patients and actions taken to manage patients with the disease. Results:Dentists participating in the study (n= 340 from 400 with a response rate of 85%) showed that Ministry of Health dentists had a fair knowledge, good attitudes and excellent reported practices toward bleeding disorders patients visiting the Ministry of Health clinics. Conclusions: The present study showed a need to increase awareness of dental practitioners regarding bleeding disorders. Therefore, designing appropriate training programs for oral health care providers in order to enhance their practices towards the diagnosis and management of patients with bleeding disorders is mandatory.

Knowledge and Awareness of Forensic Odontology among Dental Professionals of Karachi, Pakistan.

Introduction: Forensic dentistry is a challenging and fascinating branch of forensic science that involves the application of dental sciences in the identification of deceased individuals through the comparison of ante and postmortem records. (1)
 Objective: The research will not only highlight the need of implementing Forensic Odontology training in undergraduate and postgraduate curriculum in the country by investigating knowledge and awareness of dental professionals towards Forensic Odontology specially related to identification, age, mass disasters and child abuse
 Methods:A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 8 private and public dental colleges after approval from institutional authorities to assess knowledge and awareness of forensic Odontology among dental professionals in Karachi
 Results: Most of the research participants (84.9%) denied having any experience related to medico-legal cases. For both genders of respondents, 69% thought their knowledge was not sufficient to give medico-legal opinion. In addition, approximately 79.3% of them did not receive any formal training for collecting and preserving dental evidence. However, a vast majority of respondents (75 %) dentists want Forensic Odontology to be included as a separate subject in the undergraduate curriculum
 Conclusion:By including Forensic Odontology as a separate subject in the undergraduate curriculum and as a speciality in postgraduate curriculum, dentists will gain knowledge of theoretical and practical aspects of analysis and preservation of dental evidence.
 Key words: Forensic Odontology, Medicolegal, Under & Postgraduate Studies

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND REPORTED PRACTICES OF A GROUP OF MINISTRY OF HEALTH DENTISTS TOWARDS PATIENTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes and its acute complications have become a significant health hazard worldwide. To date, there are no data on the awareness of dental professionals regarding the management of diabetic patients. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and reported practices of Ministry of Health dentists (MOH) regarding the oral complications associated with Diabetes Mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a cross sectional descriptive survey of a sample of dentists working in the Egyptian Ministry of Health facilities, in Alexandria. The 349 participants were asked to complete a comprehensive, close-ended questionnaire, to assess the knowledge, attitude, and reported practices regarding diabetic patients. The first section was concerned with the demographic variables of the participating dentists. The second and third sections enquired about the participants’ knowledge and attitudes regarding diabetic symptoms, while the forth section of the questionnaire assessed the respondents’ reported practices concerning diabetic patients and actions taken toward the disease. RESULTS: Dentists participated in the study (n= 349 from 400 with a response rate of 87.25%) showed that Ministry of Health dentists had a good knowledge and favorable attitude toward diabetic patients visiting the Ministry of Health clinics, however, they had inadequate reported practices toward the same issue. CONCLUSIONS: THE present study showed relatively high level of awareness of dental practitioners regarding diabetes. Therefore, designing appropriate training programs for oral health care providers in order to enhance their practices towards the diagnosis and management of oral complications of Diabetes is mandatory

Shared learning for oral health therapy and dental students: enhanced understanding of roles and responsibilities through interprofessional education

To enhance interprofessional learning outcomes, The School of Dentistry at The University of Queensland redesigned first-year curricula. Courses for Bachelor of Oral Health (OHT) and Bachelor of Dental Science (DS) students were combined, and learning content created to support the development of skills, knowledge and attitudes required for the oral healthcare team to work effectively in providing the best possible care for patients. Over a 2-year period, all commencing OHT and DS students were invited to participate in this study. One cohort (n = 93) was enrolled into a traditional, discipline-specific programme (TRAD), whereas the other cohort (n = 93) experienced an integrated learning programme (INT) with combined courses for OHT and DS students. The Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) and a modified dental and dental care professional roles and responsibilities (DRR) survey were completed to determine students' awareness of dental professionals' roles and responsibilities, and their attitudes to interprofessional education and teamwork. Following completion of 1 year of learning, both INT and TRAD cohorts showed similar levels of readiness for shared learning. At the commencement of the second year of the study programme, however, there was a significantly better understanding of shared care amongst INT students. This study provides initial support for the integrated learning approach adopted by this university. The INT cohort had significantly improved understandings of the roles and responsibilities of dentists and oral health therapists. The results of this study have been used to refine ongoing curriculum developments.