J Canc Educ DOI 10.1007/s13187-014-0647-5
Knowledge and Attitudes of Saudi Dental Undergraduates on Oral Cancer Omar Kujan & Ibrahim Alzoghaibi & Saleh Azzeghaiby & Mohammed Alsakran Altamimi & Bassel Tarakji & Salah Hanouneh & Majdy Idress & Faris Q Alenzi & Mazhar Iqbal & Shahama Taifour
# Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014
Abstract Oral cancer awareness among future dental practitioners may have an impact on the early detection and prevention of oral cancer. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken to assess the current knowledge of future Saudi dentists on oral cancer and their opinions on oral cancer prevention. A pretested questionnaire was sent to 550 undergraduate dental students in the fourth, fifth, and sixth year of the Al-Farabi College for Dentistry and Nursing, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Questions relating to knowledge of oral cancer, risk factors, and opinions on oral cancer prevention and practices were posed. Four hundred seventy-nine students returned the questionnaire (87.1 %). Eighty-one percent of respondents correctly answered questions relating to oral cancer awareness. Eighty-seven percent of respondents felt confident in performing a systematic oral examination to detect changes consistent with oral malignancy. Interestingly, 57 % of respondents had seen the use of oral cancer diagnostics aids. Thirtyseven percent of respondents felt inadequately trained to O. Kujan : S. Azzeghaiby : B. Tarakji : S. Hanouneh : M. Idress : S. Taifour Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, School of Dentistry, Al-Farabi College, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia O. Kujan (*) Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Al-Baath University, Hama, Syria e-mail: [email protected] I. Alzoghaibi : M. A. Altamimi Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, School of Dentistry, Al-Farabi College, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia F. Q. Alenzi College of Applied Medical Sciences, Salman bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia M. Iqbal School of Dentistry, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, UK
provide tobacco and alcohol cessation advice. There is a need to reinforce the undergraduate dental curriculum with regards to oral cancer education; particularly in its prevention and early detection. Incorporating the use of oral cancer diagnostic aids should be made mandatory. Keywords Oral . Cancer . Knowledge . Opinions . Dental students
Introduction Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is the sixth commonest malignancy in men and accounts for approximately 5 % of all malignant tumors in developed countries [1, 2]. Incidence rates are much higher in developing regions like Southeast Asia, where they account for up to 50 % of all malignant tumors [1, 2]. Survival from head and neck malignancy is largely dependent upon stage of disease and extent of spread at presentation and diagnosis. A dental practitioner’s attitude and cancer specific-knowledge were the key factors that contributed to delays in diagnosis, according to some series [3–5]. Furthermore, inappropriate attitudes, where dentists felt it was not within their remit to offer cancer prevention advice, as well as a general lack of knowledge were considered principal barriers towards the prevention and early detection of oral cancer, respectively [6]. Alarmingly, clinical skills relating to the diagnosis, management, and counselling of patients with oral cancer was found to be severely deficient among general dental practitioners according to some studies. [7–9]. One may argue that this lack of knowledge is a key reason that prevents nonspecialist community dentists from performing adequate clinical examinations to detect suspicious oral lesions. The causes of this knowledge deficiency may be as a consequence of a lack of stringent postgraduate continuous
J Canc Educ
professional development standards, which are evident in some developing countries. It is also possible that the origin of this knowledge deficiency lies in the dental schools, where it may not be taught adequately. Numerous studies from predominantly western countries have reported on oral cancer awareness among undergraduate dental students [10–13]. However, knowledge among Saudi dental students remains relatively unreported. We aimed to assess oral cancer knowledge among dental undergraduates at one of the most prestigious dental schools in Saudi Arabia and aimed to seek their opinions regarding the usefulness and effectiveness of current teaching methods concerning the prevention and detection of oral cancer.
Subjects and Methods A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey of undergraduate dental students at the School of Dentistry, Al-Farabi College, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was undertaken. All dental students in their fourth to sixth year, enrolled during the 2012– 2013 academic year, were eligible to participate (n=550). The study was approved by the Al-Farabi College Institutional Ethical Review Board (IRB No. 13-012). A pre-validated questionnaire, developed from a previous study, was given to all students during routine lectures [13]. The questionnaire was designed to assess the following: 1. Knowledge of oral cancer, including signs and symptoms, oral cancer examination technique, and diagnostic procedures. 2. Knowledge of risk factors relating to oral cancer. 3. Opinions concerning the roles of dentists in oral cancer prevention. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequencies and proportions. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and chi-squared tests were used to assess statistical significance. A p value
Knowledge and Attitudes of Saudi Dental Undergraduates on Oral Cancer Omar Kujan & Ibrahim Alzoghaibi & Saleh Azzeghaiby & Mohammed Alsakran Altamimi & Bassel Tarakji & Salah Hanouneh & Majdy Idress & Faris Q Alenzi & Mazhar Iqbal & Shahama Taifour
# Springer Science+Business Media New York 2014
Abstract Oral cancer awareness among future dental practitioners may have an impact on the early detection and prevention of oral cancer. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken to assess the current knowledge of future Saudi dentists on oral cancer and their opinions on oral cancer prevention. A pretested questionnaire was sent to 550 undergraduate dental students in the fourth, fifth, and sixth year of the Al-Farabi College for Dentistry and Nursing, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Questions relating to knowledge of oral cancer, risk factors, and opinions on oral cancer prevention and practices were posed. Four hundred seventy-nine students returned the questionnaire (87.1 %). Eighty-one percent of respondents correctly answered questions relating to oral cancer awareness. Eighty-seven percent of respondents felt confident in performing a systematic oral examination to detect changes consistent with oral malignancy. Interestingly, 57 % of respondents had seen the use of oral cancer diagnostics aids. Thirtyseven percent of respondents felt inadequately trained to O. Kujan : S. Azzeghaiby : B. Tarakji : S. Hanouneh : M. Idress : S. Taifour Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Sciences, School of Dentistry, Al-Farabi College, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia O. Kujan (*) Department of Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Al-Baath University, Hama, Syria e-mail: [email protected] I. Alzoghaibi : M. A. Altamimi Department of Restorative Dental Sciences, School of Dentistry, Al-Farabi College, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia F. Q. Alenzi College of Applied Medical Sciences, Salman bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia M. Iqbal School of Dentistry, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, UK
provide tobacco and alcohol cessation advice. There is a need to reinforce the undergraduate dental curriculum with regards to oral cancer education; particularly in its prevention and early detection. Incorporating the use of oral cancer diagnostic aids should be made mandatory. Keywords Oral . Cancer . Knowledge . Opinions . Dental students
Introduction Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck is the sixth commonest malignancy in men and accounts for approximately 5 % of all malignant tumors in developed countries [1, 2]. Incidence rates are much higher in developing regions like Southeast Asia, where they account for up to 50 % of all malignant tumors [1, 2]. Survival from head and neck malignancy is largely dependent upon stage of disease and extent of spread at presentation and diagnosis. A dental practitioner’s attitude and cancer specific-knowledge were the key factors that contributed to delays in diagnosis, according to some series [3–5]. Furthermore, inappropriate attitudes, where dentists felt it was not within their remit to offer cancer prevention advice, as well as a general lack of knowledge were considered principal barriers towards the prevention and early detection of oral cancer, respectively [6]. Alarmingly, clinical skills relating to the diagnosis, management, and counselling of patients with oral cancer was found to be severely deficient among general dental practitioners according to some studies. [7–9]. One may argue that this lack of knowledge is a key reason that prevents nonspecialist community dentists from performing adequate clinical examinations to detect suspicious oral lesions. The causes of this knowledge deficiency may be as a consequence of a lack of stringent postgraduate continuous
J Canc Educ
professional development standards, which are evident in some developing countries. It is also possible that the origin of this knowledge deficiency lies in the dental schools, where it may not be taught adequately. Numerous studies from predominantly western countries have reported on oral cancer awareness among undergraduate dental students [10–13]. However, knowledge among Saudi dental students remains relatively unreported. We aimed to assess oral cancer knowledge among dental undergraduates at one of the most prestigious dental schools in Saudi Arabia and aimed to seek their opinions regarding the usefulness and effectiveness of current teaching methods concerning the prevention and detection of oral cancer.
Subjects and Methods A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey of undergraduate dental students at the School of Dentistry, Al-Farabi College, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia was undertaken. All dental students in their fourth to sixth year, enrolled during the 2012– 2013 academic year, were eligible to participate (n=550). The study was approved by the Al-Farabi College Institutional Ethical Review Board (IRB No. 13-012). A pre-validated questionnaire, developed from a previous study, was given to all students during routine lectures [13]. The questionnaire was designed to assess the following: 1. Knowledge of oral cancer, including signs and symptoms, oral cancer examination technique, and diagnostic procedures. 2. Knowledge of risk factors relating to oral cancer. 3. Opinions concerning the roles of dentists in oral cancer prevention. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics including frequencies and proportions. Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and chi-squared tests were used to assess statistical significance. A p value
