Knowledge, attitudes, and practices in Oral Medicine: a cross-sectional study among laypeople, health professionals, and students
TL;DR
The findings indicate that greater exposure to the specialty does not necessarily translate into adequate knowledge or clinical confidence, and highlight the need for strategies that strengthen Oral Medicine education, promote interdisciplinary training, and support its integration into health sciences curricula, including both dental and non-dental education.
Abstract
Oral Medicine is a dental specialty focused on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of lesions in the maxillomandibular complex, oral manifestations of systemic diseases, and oral sequelae of antineoplastic treatments. Despite its importance, it is not widely known among the population and health professionals, with potential implications for health professions education and clinical practice. The objective of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of laypeople, students, and healthcare professionals (excluding dentists) regarding the specialty of Oral Medicine. This is a crosssectional, exploratory, and quantitative study, using a KAP survey design with convenience sampling. An online questionnaire covering the domains was applied. A total of 261 participants were included. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Chisquare test (significance level of 5%). The sample consisted mainly of women (76.25%), residents of Paraná (98%), and individuals with a high level of education (86.6% with higher education completed or in progress). Healthcare professionals showed greater knowledge of Oral Medicine compared to laypeople (p = 0.002). Only 15.1% of laypeople and 34.8% of professionals reported knowing the specialty. There was a significant association between education level and having heard of the term (p = 0.019), but no significant association between education or professional field and knowing its meaning (p = 0.113; p = 0.796). A mismatch between self-reported knowledge and clinical practice was observed. These findings indicate that greater exposure to the specialty does not necessarily translate into adequate knowledge or clinical confidence. From an educational perspective, they highlight the need for strategies that strengthen Oral Medicine education, promote interdisciplinary training, and support its integration into health sciences curricula, including both dental and non-dental education.