Evaluation of knowledge and attitudes of dentists and dental students about oral cancer
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and negative attitudes of dentists and 4th-grade and 5th-grade students of dentistry towards oral cancer (OC). Methods: The study was conducted on 417 individuals consisting of 100 dentists, 186 5th-grade, and 131 4th-grade students. The question...
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| Language: | English |
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Atatürk University
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Current Research in Dental Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/3753786 |
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| author | Dicle Altındal Filiz Acun Kaya |
| author_facet | Dicle Altındal Filiz Acun Kaya |
| author_sort | Dicle Altındal |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and negative attitudes of dentists and 4th-grade and 5th-grade students of dentistry towards oral cancer (OC). Methods: The study was conducted on 417 individuals consisting of 100 dentists, 186 5th-grade, and 131 4th-grade students. The questionnaire included questions on demographic characteristics, 10 questions measuring their knowledge about OC risk factors (knowledge-risk factors), 5 questions measuring their knowledge regarding the diagnosis of OC (knowledge-diagnostic procedures), and 11 questions assessing their attitudes towards OC (negative attitudes). Results: While there is no significant difference between dentists and 5th-grade students in knowledge-risk factors and knowledge-diagnostic procedures total scores, the total score of the 4th-grade students was statistically significantly different from these groups (P =.001). Looking at the negative attitudes total score, there is no significant difference between 5th and 4th-grade students, while total score of dentists was observed a statistically significant difference (P=.001). While knowledge-risk factors and knowledge-diagnostic procedures total scores were significantly and positively correlated (r=.287, P<.05), negative attitudes total score showed a significant negative correlation with knowledge-risk factors total score (r=.103, P<.05). Deficiencies were observed regarding the clinical characteristics of the prior oral lesion among participants. The group who considered leukoplakia and erythroplakia most likely to become precancerous lesions were 5th-grade students by 81.7%. Most participants indicated their need for further training, especially on OC and screening.Conclusion: In the study, deficiencies were observed in the groups about OC. Therefore, deficiencies should be assessed comprehensively at regional and national levels, and it should be addressed.Keywords: Dental student, dentists, knowledge, mouth neoplasms, risk factors, squamous cell carcinoma |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1a24159ff2d04b21a8b77cfe79274e96 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2822-2555 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Atatürk University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Current Research in Dental Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-1a24159ff2d04b21a8b77cfe79274e962025-02-03T10:38:10ZengAtatürk UniversityCurrent Research in Dental Sciences2822-25552025-01-01351758210.17567/currresdentsci.144287555Evaluation of knowledge and attitudes of dentists and dental students about oral cancerDicle Altındal0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6127-373XFiliz Acun Kaya1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8334-9301Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği FakültesiDICLE UNIVERSITYObjective: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and negative attitudes of dentists and 4th-grade and 5th-grade students of dentistry towards oral cancer (OC). Methods: The study was conducted on 417 individuals consisting of 100 dentists, 186 5th-grade, and 131 4th-grade students. The questionnaire included questions on demographic characteristics, 10 questions measuring their knowledge about OC risk factors (knowledge-risk factors), 5 questions measuring their knowledge regarding the diagnosis of OC (knowledge-diagnostic procedures), and 11 questions assessing their attitudes towards OC (negative attitudes). Results: While there is no significant difference between dentists and 5th-grade students in knowledge-risk factors and knowledge-diagnostic procedures total scores, the total score of the 4th-grade students was statistically significantly different from these groups (P =.001). Looking at the negative attitudes total score, there is no significant difference between 5th and 4th-grade students, while total score of dentists was observed a statistically significant difference (P=.001). While knowledge-risk factors and knowledge-diagnostic procedures total scores were significantly and positively correlated (r=.287, P<.05), negative attitudes total score showed a significant negative correlation with knowledge-risk factors total score (r=.103, P<.05). Deficiencies were observed regarding the clinical characteristics of the prior oral lesion among participants. The group who considered leukoplakia and erythroplakia most likely to become precancerous lesions were 5th-grade students by 81.7%. Most participants indicated their need for further training, especially on OC and screening.Conclusion: In the study, deficiencies were observed in the groups about OC. Therefore, deficiencies should be assessed comprehensively at regional and national levels, and it should be addressed.Keywords: Dental student, dentists, knowledge, mouth neoplasms, risk factors, squamous cell carcinomahttps://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/3753786dental studentdentistsknowledgemouth neoplasmsrisk factorssquamous cell carcinomadiş hekimliği öğrencisidiş hekimibilgiağız neoplazmalarırisk faktörleriyassı hücreli karsinom |
| spellingShingle | Dicle Altındal Filiz Acun Kaya Evaluation of knowledge and attitudes of dentists and dental students about oral cancer Current Research in Dental Sciences dental student dentists knowledge mouth neoplasms risk factors squamous cell carcinoma diş hekimliği öğrencisi diş hekimi bilgi ağız neoplazmaları risk faktörleri yassı hücreli karsinom |
| title | Evaluation of knowledge and attitudes of dentists and dental students about oral cancer |
| title_full | Evaluation of knowledge and attitudes of dentists and dental students about oral cancer |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of knowledge and attitudes of dentists and dental students about oral cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of knowledge and attitudes of dentists and dental students about oral cancer |
| title_short | Evaluation of knowledge and attitudes of dentists and dental students about oral cancer |
| title_sort | evaluation of knowledge and attitudes of dentists and dental students about oral cancer |
| topic | dental student dentists knowledge mouth neoplasms risk factors squamous cell carcinoma diş hekimliği öğrencisi diş hekimi bilgi ağız neoplazmaları risk faktörleri yassı hücreli karsinom |
| url | https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/3753786 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT diclealtındal evaluationofknowledgeandattitudesofdentistsanddentalstudentsaboutoralcancer AT filizacunkaya evaluationofknowledgeandattitudesofdentistsanddentalstudentsaboutoralcancer |