Practice Of Dental Students Research Articles

Assessment of Dental Students' Knowledge and Attitudes About the Epidemiologic and Clinical Characteristics of Oral Cancer: Implications for Other Middle-income Countries.

The stage of detection of head and neck cancer and the time between detection and treatment are critical to prognosis. The importance of the dentist in primary diagnosis and treatment planning has been emphasized. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of dental students in the prevention and early diagnosis of oral cancer. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 199 students from different institutions. A self-administered questionnaire with 34 multiple-choice questions on clinical and epidemiologic knowledge and opinions about oral cancer was used. Descriptive analysis to show means and frequencies and the binomial logistic regression test were used to perform the statistical analysis. The confidence level used was 95%. The results showed that all students in the study had heard of the existence of oral cancer, but only 24.6% knew someone with the disease. The majority reported a lack of information in the population about prevention and self-examination, as well as a lack of information campaigns in institutions. Although the majority perform clinical examinations of the oral mucosa (73.4%) and refer patients with suspicious lesions to specialists, there is low confidence in performing biopsies (73.4%) and gaps in training during graduation (84.4%). The majority have never attended continuing education courses on oral cancer but show interest (97.5%). The study identifies deficiencies in the knowledge and practices of dental students and highlights the need for improved teaching and training to promote oral cancer prevention and early detection. Further research in this area and ongoing assessment of students' skills are suggested.

Assessing the Use of Radiation Protection Equipment: A Cross-Sectional Survey Among Dental Students

Background: Proper radiation protection is crucial for minimizing exposure risks in dental radiography. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, awareness, and practices of dental students regarding radiation protection equipment. Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted with 100 dental students, including third-year students, final-year students, interns, and postgraduates. The questionnaire assessed participants' understanding of radiation protection principles, use of protective equipment, and attitudes toward radiation safety. Data were analyzed using statistical methods, including chi-square tests. Results: The study found that 73% of participants had good knowledge and awareness of radiation protection equipment and radiation dosage. Despite this, adherence to recommended practices was poor. A significant association was observed between gender and the use of lead aprons during radiographs (p-value = 0.03), indicating a difference in practice based on gender. Conclusion: While dental students generally exhibit strong knowledge and awareness of radiation protection, there is a notable gap in the practical application of protective measures. The findings highlight the need for improved training and adherence to radiation safety practices to ensure the well-being of both patients and practitioners.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Dental Students, Interns and Practitioners Towards the Phase-Down of Dental Amalgam in A Dental Institution of Libya

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Dental Students, Interns and Practitioners Towards the Phase-Down of Dental Amalgam in A Dental Institution of Libya

Biomedical Waste Management Knowledge among Dental Students and Private Dental Practitioners of Alkharj, Saudi Arabia.

Improper handling of biomedical waste causes health hazards. Dental practitioners and students as health care professionals should know about biomedical waste management from its generation to disposal. This will prevent associated risk and cross-infection. To assess the awareness, attitude, and practice of dental students and dental practitioners at Alkharj, Saudi Arabia. Total of 100 dental students from a teaching institute and 100 private dental practitioners participated in the study. A closed-ended questionnaire was used containing 20 questions related to awareness, attitude, and practice of biomedical waste. Participation was voluntary. 98% of dental practitioners and 95% of dental students are aware that biomedical waste causes health hazards. 25% of dental students and 36% of dental practitioners are aware of guidelines laid by the government of Saudi Arabia for BMW. On average, 74% of dental students and 87% of dental practitioners correctly answered practice-related questions. The knowledge ḥof dental practitioners about biomedical waste management in the Alkharj region is good compared to dental students. Dental students must be given training related to handling and management of biomedical waste.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Dental Students from Romania Regarding Self-Perceived Risk and Prevention of Infectious Diseases.

University education is a leading source of information for dental practitioners. Particular emphasis should be given to determining the extent to which students acquire positive knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) and positive metacompetences beyond the scope of each studied dental discipline. We performed a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study among dentistry students from Romania to assess self-perceived risk of infectious diseases and their KAP on topics related to infectious disease prevention. The surveyed students presented good knowledge regarding personal protective equipment (PPE), and their PPE practices significantly correlated with the perceived usefulness of PPE. Only 45.1% correctly recognized all vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs), but knowledge regarding VPDs significantly improved with increasing year of study (τb = 0.298, p = 0.001), confirming a positive education effect. Awareness regarding the need for screening for bloodborne viruses is poor; the majority of students had never performed a test for hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) (59.4%) or for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (60.4%). Furthermore, most respondents incorrectly considered themselves at high or very high risk of acquiring BBV, and perceived risk was inversely correlated with willingness to treat patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (τb = -0.214, p = 0.018), HCV infection (τb = -0.234, p = 0.013), or HIV infection (τb = -0.242, p = 0.006). This led to 3.0% of respondents stating that they would hypothetically deny dental treatment to a patient with HBV infection, 5.0% for HCV infection, and 10.9% for HIV infection, the proportion being significantly higher for HIV (z = -2.2, p = 0.026). In conclusion, better knowledge is needed among dental students regarding their own vaccination history, screening for bloodborne viruses, accurate estimates for their risk of acquiring bloodborne viruses during routine dental practice, and the existence of post-exposure measures following occupational exposure. Improving student knowledge and awareness could translate into a higher willingness to treat patients with chronic viral infections and into a safer and more inclusive dental practice. We propose an adaptation to the university curriculum to cover these key areas for targeted focus to empower future dental practitioners and to facilitate the improvement of across-discipline metacompetences for infection prevention and control.

Patient-dental student provider communication in an academic dental clinic setting: A dyadic data analysis.

Patient-dentist communication is an inherently dyadic social process; however, it is rarely regarded as such in research and pedagogy. This study utilizes a dyadic data analysis approach to study patient-dental student provider communication in an academic dental clinic. Using pairwise data collected from patient-dental student provider dyads, we conducted unadjusted and adjusted actor-partner interdependence models to examine the association of intrapersonal (actor) and interpersonal (partner) effects of three communication skills on the assessment of appointment interaction among patient-dental student provider dyads in a pre-doctoral comprehensive care academic dental clinic setting. Actor effects were most evident among the associations in the study. Dental student providers' assessment of their own shared decision-making predicted positive changes in their overall interaction assessment in both unadjusted and fully adjusted models. Patients' ratings of their dental student provider's capability/confidence predicted positive changes in their overall interaction assessment in both unadjusted and adjusted models. This study suggests that dental students and their patients are primarily impacted by actor perspectives regarding dental student communication and its impact on the assessment of their respective overall appointment interaction. Findings suggest a need for the incorporation of interpersonal skill building in collaboration with patients to strengthen the communication skills and practice of dental students.

Knowledge and Practice of Dental Students and Dentists Regarding Infection Control Protocols in Isfahan, Iran

Knowledge and Practice of Dental Students and Dentists Regarding Infection Control Protocols in Isfahan, Iran

Impact of educational intervention regarding COVID-19 on knowledge, attitude, and practice of students before dental school re-opening

Background and AimLack of knowledge on COVID-19 among people and healthcare staff significantly impacts late management and its rapid transmission. Dental students must be aware of the exact preventive instructions due to their close contact with patients and clinical work in the dental setting during the pandemic. This interventional study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of designed educational content regarding COVID-19 on Iranian dental students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices at Alborz University of medical sciences.Materials and methodsA total of 88 dental students were investigated in this study. Educational content was designed based on the clinical guidelines regarding COVID-19 in dentistry. The content was presented to dental students as a three-hour webinar. In addition, the online, validated questionnaire was obtained from the students as pre, post, and follow-up surveys.ResultsA statistically significant difference between students’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices were obtained before and after the intervention and the follow-up survey. 48.58% improvement in knowledge score, 6.37% in attitudes, and 17% in practice scores were observed.ConclusionAlthough this educational intervention significantly improved the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dental students, additional education and clinical training are mandatory for effective and safe dental practice management in future crises.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice Related to Health Care Ethics among Dental Students in Davangere City - A Cross-sectional Study

Background Public awareness of the ethical treatment of emergency medical crisis has been increasing and complaints against doctors seem to be getting worse. It is a matter of immediate concern that lawsuits against doctors have risen recently. Objectives To assess the knowledge attitude and practices related to healthcare ethics among dental students in Davangere city.Study Design A descriptive cross-sectional study design was performed through the convenience sample method.Methodology The pre-validated questionnaires assessing the knowledge and practice of dental students regarding healthcare ethics were distributed to about 221 dental students in Davangere city and data were collected and analyzed using frequency distribution and Chi-square test with SPSS software version 22.0. Results A total of 221 questionnaires were distributed of which 205 participants responded recording a response rate of 93.18. About 50.2 participants were final year BDS students and 49.8 were pursuing internship. 66.3 had good knowledge about the Hippocratic oath and the Nuremberg code. 45.9 of participants said that they would refer their patients to another doctor who shares the patientrsquos belief when he she refuses treatment due to certain religious beliefs.Conclusion Though majority of the participants had a fair knowledge of healthcare ethics training regarding the practice of ethics should be the focus. Maintaining a specific level of service while in practice is the dentists responsibility. All dentists should uphold a set of professional conduct norms when performing their duties.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Dental Students Regarding Use of Rubber Dam during Clinical Procedures

Objectives: Competency based clinical training in most of the dental schools in Saudi Arabia incorporates a clear rubrics for evaluation of clinical procedure where use of rubber dam is one of the criteria to be effectively fulfilled by the students. The present study aims to determine the knowledge, attitude and practice towards the use of rubber dam by dental students and interns of various dental schools in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the dental students of various Saudi university through google form during January 2022 to March 2022. A pretested questionnaire in a 5 point Likert scale ranging from strongly agree (score 5) to strongly disagree (score 1) containing three sections (each containing 10 questions) to measure knowledge, attitude and practice towards use of rubber dam was used. The questionnaire for barriers for rubber dam use included 5 items. The Chi-square test and One-way ANOVA followed by Tukey post hoc was used to compare the responses between the male and female students and dental students of difference academic levels. Results: Total of 273 valid responses were received (189 (69.23%) male and 84 (30.77%) female). The overall average Likert score for knowledge about rubber dam among dental students was 3.45 (± 1.2). The overall average Likert score for questionnaire items assessing attitude of dental students about rubber dam was 3.81 (± 0.9). The respective overall average score for male and female dental students for their attitude towards rubber dam was 3.32 (±0.8) and 4.30 (±0.11) with p = 0.04. The overall average Likert score for practice items was 3.73 (±0.8)(Table 4,Fig-2). The respective overall average score for male and female dental students for practice of rubber dam was 3.13 (±1.1) and 4.33 (±0.8) with p = 0.03. For the questionnaire items assessing the barriers for using rubber dam, the average score for unavailability of suitable rubber dam clamp and patient refuse both scored 4.3. Conclusion: The finding suggest that the dental students have adequate knowledge and training for rubber dam use. The attitude and practice towards consistent use of rubber dam should be reinforced through proper motivation. A future research with a larger sample size and patients feedback on rubber dam will be helpful.

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PRACTICE REGARDING OCULAR COMPLICATIONS DUE TO DENTAL INFECTIONS AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS IN QASSIM, SAUDI ARABIA

Objectives:The study aims to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of dental students regarding the ocular complications that occur due to dental infection. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted with a questionnaire consisting of 11 questions (six knowledge items and five attitude and practice items) was distributed among first-, second-, third-, fourth- and fifth year dental students via email. Of 120 questionnaires distribution, 102 questionnaires were filled by the students, hence the response rate of this study was 85%. All the items were in the format of multiple-choice questions. Based on the responses from 102 questionnaires, the frequencies and percentages for each item of the survey were analyzed. Results:Nearly 63% of participants were aware of ocular complications resulting from dental infection. Discussion with colleagues and peers are the main source of information (56%) among the dental students. Three-fourths of the participants (75%) reported that these complications were under-reported in textbooks, curriculum and literature. More than 80% of the participants indicated that ocular complications should be considered seriously if not considered it may result in irreversible ocular damage, and 83% advocated research on ocular complications due to dental infections. Conclusion: Even though the awareness of ocular complications due to dental infections was found to be adequate among our undergraduate dental students, there is a need of education and training about prevention and initial management of these sorts of complications associated with dental infections and post tooth extraction. Moreover, this awareness and early diagnosis of ocular complications and appropriate referral to ophthalmologists will improve the patient outcomes.

The Ergonomic Knowledge and Practice of Dental Students in a Tertiary Institution in South Africa.

Proper ergonomic practices are crucial practices to be considered when working on dental patients, and are often neglected during the dental students' training. We aimed to assess the dental students' knowledge of ergonomics as well the prevalence of their musculoskeletal pain. Methods. A cross sectional analytical study was conducted at a dental school in South Africa. The sample included all senior dental, and dental hygiene students registered in the 2021 academic year. A modified questionnaire using an online platform assessed the student's level of practical and theoretical knowledge of ergonomics; their personal assessment of their competency in implementing ergonomics; and their prevalence of musculoskeletal pain. The knowledge scores were calculated to determine the overall scores. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Ethical clearance was obtained from the Faculty Ethical Committee and all information was anonymous. Results. The response rate was 52% (n = 106), the mean knowledge score was 68%, and 53% reported to be able to successfully implement their ergonomic knowledge practically. The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain increased from 32% prior to entering dental school to 78% during dental school. Pain was most commonly reported to be on the back (77%), neck (51%), and shoulders (51%). Conclusion. The majority of students had an average level of knowledge regarding ergonomic principles, however, the practical application was poor. Many students reported to have suffered from back pain which seemed to have started since treating patients. The supervisors should educate and assist students to practice healthy ergonomic postures during clinical and pre-clinical sessions.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices towards Drug Prescription for Oral Mucosal Lesions in Saudi Arabia

Oral mucosal diseases are common in routine dental practices and significantly influence patients’ quality of life. Dental students should be aware about the management of oral mucosal diseases as well as the major oral diseases such as dental caries, gingivitis and periodontitis. This study aimed to evaluate, attitudes and practices of dental students regarding management of certain oral mucosal conditions. This is a cross sectional KAP study conducted among dental students in Saudi Arabia. Inclusion criteria were students in 4th academic year or higher, since these students should study the pharmacological courses starting from the 4th academic year. The sample included 300 students to whom questionnaires were distributed. Chi-square test of homogeneity was used to detect significant differences in students’ knowledge, attitudes and practices based on students’ characteristics. The level of knowledge about the studied oral mucosal diseases was high in 62.7% of dental students, while only 2% had low level of knowledge. The attitude of the students was good in 48%, however 11.7% had poor attitude towards drug prescription of the medications for theses oral mucosal diseases. The practices of the dental students in prescription of medications during their clinical training were good in 16%, while it was poor in 31% of dental students. The knowledge regarding drug prescription for oral mucosal drugs were high among the majority of dental students, however the prescription practices were poor when compare to the level of knowledge.

Assessment Of Knowledge, Attitude & Practice of Dental Students Towards Ergonomics in Dentistry

Assessment Of Knowledge, Attitude & Practice of Dental Students Towards Ergonomics in Dentistry

Evaluation of Dental Student’s Knowledge among Diabetes: A Cross Sectional Study

Patients with uncontrolled diabetes are at greater risk for several oral health complications, particularly periodontal disease. Moreover, there is evidence to support a bidirectional relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease. As the prevalence of diabetes continues to rise, it is expected that dental practitioners will be seeing and treating greater numbers of diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practice of dental students towards diabetic patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted by means of a questionnaire among dental students in a private dental university in Morocco. Qualitative variables were described in terms of numbers and percentages and were compared using a Chi-square test. A p-value of less than 0.005 was considered significant. A total of 268 students participated in the assessment, corresponding to a response rate of 83.7%. The results showed that 80.6% of the students believed that knowing the type of diabetes was important. 14.2% knew the risks that the diabetic patient incurred in dental treatments. For analytical results, 3 groups corresponding to the final 3 years of their 6-year dental curriculum were compared. When asking about the knowledge of the risks incurred by the diabetic patient, there was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) between the 3 groups. On the other hand, a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) was observed between students in 4th, 5th and 6th year concerning the prescription of antibiotics for endodontic procedures if HbA1c < 7. There was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) between the 3 groups concerning the knowledge of antibiotics and analgesics prescribed in odontology for diabetic patients. To overcome the lack of knowledge relevant to dental students, it is essential that clinical internship of students must consider the management of patients with diabetes. Finally, continuing educational programs should be followed by dentists to improve their knowledge of the management of diabetic patients.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of dental students regarding treatment of pregnant women in Daman

Knowledge, attitude, and practice of dental students regarding treatment of pregnant women in Daman

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Dental Students and Practitioners towards Virtual Reality Based Technologies in Central India: A Cross Sectional Survey

Background: Virtual reality based technologies, which are broadly used in aviation and telecommunication, is now emerging rapidly in the field of dentistry. This technology has progressed tremendously and is simultaneously being refined according to the requirements of the healthcare sector. Such technologies aid in better understanding in an educational setting and provide efficient learning ways which can reduce harm and help to improve patient treatment outcomes.&#x0D; Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of dental students and practitioners towards Virtual reality based technologies in Central India.&#x0D; Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study a total of 270 dental students and practitioners across Central India were included. A questionnaire consisting of 26 Questions with regard to VRBT’s was designed and the questionnaire was circulated through a web designed program. The responses were collected, and data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS Statistics for Windows version 24.0.&#x0D; Results: 90.37 % agreed that VRBT’s could offer many advantages in comparison to conventional technologies used in dental education and practice. 91.1% had not used dental simulators but 35.93% of them believed that dental simulators can be used as a reliable evaluation tool in developing preclinical skills. 75.93 % estimated that VRBT’s will gain popularity in dental practice within 5-10 years.&#x0D; Conclusion: Learning and including these VRBT’s as a part of undergraduate and continued education programmes could affect the willingness and utilization of these trends in future dental practice.

Knowledge and Practice of COVID-19 Infection Control Among Dental Students and Interns: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

IntroductionTo assess the knowledge and practice of dental students and interns regarding coronavirus disease (COVID-19) based on academic level and university.Materials and MethodsA cross-sectional survey was carried out among interns and dental students using self-administered, structured questionnaire regarding knowledge and clinical practice with respect to COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsA total of 126 completed questionnaires were received. A majority of the study participants (98.4%) stated they were aware of the COVID-19 infection control policies. Most participants (83.3%) had attended training or lectures about COVID-19. Most of them stated that the N59 mask is the best mask against the disease (81.7%). Significant variations between academic years and genders were revealed regarding the clinical practice. Uncertainty existed regarding quarantining, preprocedural mouth wash, and handwashing versus desensitizing.ConclusionThe level of knowledge of the participants was reasonable. Areas of deficiency in knowledge were observed among junior dental students. Further training in infection control measures and formulation of new guidelines are recommended to increase the knowledge and preparation of dental students regarding COVID-19 in dental settings, as well as reduce the transmission of infection.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Tobacco Cessation Methods among the Dental Professionals of Bareilly International University: A Cross-sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: In India, the percentage of deaths caused by tobacco smoking is anticipated to rise from 1.4 percent in 1990 to 13.3 percent by 2020.Health care experts have done their best to persuade and counsel users to quit the habit through their collaborative efforts. AIM AND OBJECTIVES: Assessment of dentistry students' attitudes and practices concerning tobacco cessation strategies, as well as the role of information in their promotion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was carried out at the Institute of Dental Sciences, Bareilly among the dental professionals, i.e. final year, interns, postgraduates students. The questionnaire was designed to test the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dental students regarding tobacco use. The self-administered survey included a set of questions. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test had been used to test associations between their responses among age, qualification, and academic year using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 22. RESULTS: A total of 300 surveys were sent out, with a 96.39 percent response rate. There were 54 percent females and 46 percent males among the 250 participants. Approximately 68 percent of people were between the ages of 20 and 23. In the current study, 32.4 percent were seeking MDS and 67.6 percent were pursuing BDS. Nearly half of those prefer to prescribe nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) as a cigarette cessation recommendation to patients, followed by self-quitting at 48% and pharmaceutical approaches at 1.2 percent. DISCUSSION: More than half of the respondents had an average level of awareness of smoking cessation therapies, and the majority of them had a favorable attitude toward their provision. As a result, it is important to persuade students to develop an interest in learning about tobacco quitting strategies.

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF DENTAL STUDENTS AND PRACTITIONERS TOWARDS CONSCIOUS SEDATION - A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

BACKGROUND: Dental professionals work effectively and efficiently to impart a positive behavioral attitude towards dental treatment in children with oral health care needs. The main objective of sedation in pediatric dentistry is to reduce fear, minimize physical discomfort and control behavior for dental procedures. The present study was carried out to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices of dental students and practitioners towards conscious sedation. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 384 dental professionals that included undergraduate, postgraduate dental students and dental practitioners across Tamil Nadu, India. The data was collected through self-constructed questionnaires consisting of 28 questions in English and circulated via online platform on account of COVID-19 pandemic. Every respondent was informed of the purpose of the study and participation was purely voluntary. RESULTS: The mean age of the study participants was found to be 25.99 ± 12.34 years (mean ± S.D) comprising of 184 (48%) males and 200 (52%) females. Majority of the study participants acquired knowledge about conscious sedation through dental curriculum only. About 46.1% considered conscious sedation over general anesthesia for all dental procedures like restoration, scaling, minor bone fractures and minor surgeries, 40.1% preferred midazolam and 78.4% recommend Nitrous oxide sedation as effective technique. Most of the study participants believed oral sedation was easier to administer, required less expertise and skill with minimal or no complication. CONCLUSION: This study reveals lacunae in adequate knowledge and understanding among the practitioners. The result of this study thus provides an insight on need for strategies like incorporating guidelines in dental curriculum, organizing continuing dental education programs and workshops to provide knowledge and incorporate positive attitude among the dental professionals to offer effective conscious sedation in children necessitating oral health care. KEYWORDS: Dental anxiety, Midazolam, Pediatric dentistry, general