Periodontal awareness in different healthcare professionals: A questionnaire survey

Abstract

Aim:To assess the awareness of oral hygiene, periodontal disease and availability of treatment techniques among medical professionals. Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty medical professionals were interviewed through a questionnaire. Those interviewed included an equal number of medical interns, postgraduates, and consultants. Results and Conclusion: A positive attitude towards dental and periodontal check and the treatment needs was observed among those questioned. The difference was statistically significant among the groups. However, inputs from this survey can be used to organize periodontal health programs and for planning of joint ventures.

Awareness of periodontal disease and its management among medical faculty in Guntur district: A questionnaire-based study

“…Considering the aforementioned effects of poor oral health in general and periodontal health in specific on the general health of an individual and the consequent impact on the quality of life of that individual, medical professionals need to develop a deeper understanding of the etiopathogenesis of the periodontal disease and various options available in the treatment of the condition. [ 7 15 17 ] This need becomes much more significant in the Indian context, given the cultural and economical situations that prevail in the nation. Despite sincere efforts from the government, Dental Council of India, by encouraging every dental institution in the country to setup rural satellite clinics[ 18 ] with an intention to increase the utilization of dental services in these populations and campaigning about the importance of oral health, there has not been any improvement in the oral health status of the country's population.…”

“…88.7% of the professionals responded that diabetes is a risk factor for periodontal disease which is in accordance with a study conducted by Pralhad and Thomas among medical professionals in Karnataka. [ 15 ] This awareness was found to be low among medical doctors and interns in Pakistan. [ 7 18 ]…”

“…among gynecologists in Karnataka produced similar results with 61.29% of the participants being aware. [ 23 ] However, 82% of the medical professionals were aware of this association in another study conducted among medical professionals in Karnataka,[ 15 ] while the awareness was as low as 3% among medical interns in a study conducted by Gur and Majra. [ 17 ] 75.3% of the participants in the present study reported that they insist pregnant women to have oral health checkup, while only 17.74% of gynecologists reported insisting pregnant women to have oral health checkup.…”

“…Questionnaires employed in the previous studies[ 7 15 ] were taken as a reference for mounting the current questionnaire. However, the present questionnaire differs from the previous questionnaires in that the questionnaire has been tested for content validity ensuring inclusion of all relevant domains together with emphasis on item relevance in each domain where the experts in the field involved in rating the relevance of each item on a modified 4-point Likert scale ranging from “not relevant” to “highly relevant”.…”

Periodontal Disease and Its Bi-Directional Relationship with Systemic Disease: A Survey among Medical Interns and Graduates

“…Physicians receiving oral health related training will be capable of providing not only emergency care but also able to provide comprehensive counselling related to the cause of dental problems, methods of prevention, treatment and general health related issues. [12]…”