"Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Health Legislation and Regulations by Dentists and Stomatologists in the Valencian Community: A KAP Analysis".

Abstract

Background: The main objective of this study is to analyse the background and knowledge, attitudes and practices of Spanish dentists and stomatologists registered in Alicante, Castellón and Valencia, the three provinces that make up the Valencian Community, with regard to current Spanish health legislation and regulations, and to try to quantify the relationship between level of training, specialisation, work experience, position and workplace, and degree of knowledge. Methods: An anonymous survey was designed, consisting of thirty-three multiple-choice questions, checked beforehand by a statistician and validated by nine dentists and stomatologists from different specialisations, via an online platform called SurveyMonkey®. The validated survey included questions regarding their professional background and key questions regarding current dental law and expertise. The link and QR code (Quick Response) for taking the survey was sent via the official email address of each province's College of Dentists and Stomatologists, so that members could take the survey online for a limited period of time. Results: Members' level of knowledge of health legislation and regulations in the Valencian Community is moderate, with only 63% of the questions answered correctly. Neither their level of education nor work experience correlates significantly with their degree of knowledge. Dentists specialising in General and Aesthetics Dentistry were found to be more knowledgeable about ethical issues. Regarding the workplace, those working as university teachers tended to stand out from the other professionals in terms of legal and ethical knowledge whilst self-employed and employee dentists show a lower level of knowledge than the rest of the sample. Conclusions: The conclusions obtained from this study highlight the need for dentists to complete and update their knowledge of current health legislation, as having proper knowledge is a means of avoiding possible legal problems, which not only means better legal protection for the dentist but is also a means of guaranteeing adequate patient care.