Dentist Knowledge Attitudes, and Practices regarding the Use of Antibiotics and their Resistance in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Antibiotics are thus considered essential tools in the therapeutic armamentarium of the dental practice, and their proper use is fundamental in ensuring an effective use in the clinical setting. However, if not used appropriately, antibiotics can cause harm by contributing to the development of antimicrobial resistance, an issue of growing concern that threatens our ability to treat common infectious diseases. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to evaluate Dentists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the use of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance in dental clinics in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. METHODS This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The data was collected by Google forms, link of our online questionnaire distributed among all the licensed practicing dentists working in public, private and semi-governmental dental clinics in the Al-Ahsa Governorate and the response rate was 78.5% with 424 responses from the 540 dentists. Collected data was analyzed by using SPSS 29.0. The study protocol was approved by the institutional Review Board of College of Dentistry, Research ethical committee of king Faisal University and also from the Ministry of Health in Al-Ahsa. RESULTS There was a distinctive gender breakdown in the sample: 66.75% of male dentists and 33.25% of female dentists. The largest group of dentists was Saudi nationals (65.33% of dentists), while 47.41% of the total worked in the private sector. The most common specialization remained General Practice (G.P.) dentistry (62.50%) having a wide range of clinical experience (most often between 1 to 5 years). Dentists examined different numbers of patients on the daily basis, with the majority (55.19%) examined fewer than 10. Dentists are, on average, 35.1 years old, with a large spread. The antibiotic prescription pattern shows that a significant proportion prescribes antibiotics to 10 to 15 people weekly, 41.51%, and then 62.26% affirm that they have not been involved in any CDE programs on the use of antibiotics. A significant proportion (59.73%) identified Clindamycin or Erythromycin as the frontline alternative in patients allergic to penicillin and fewer ones appeared uncertain (5.42%) or false (3.30%). CONCLUSIONS In general, the results indicate a diverse range of approaches among dentists, highlighting the need for ongoing education and professional growth to promote responsible antibiotic use and address the risks of antibiotic resistance in dental practice.