Assessment of Knowledge and Attitude of Dental Students towards HIV and Its Oral Manifestations in Saudi Arabia—A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: It is essential for practicing dentists to have adequate knowledge of HIV/AIDS and its implications in the dental practice. Their attitudes should also be up to the professional expectations. This study aimed to assess knowledge of HIV/AIDS infection and attitudes towards its patients among dental students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A questionnaire was prepared and distributed among a sample of dental students in Saudi Arabia. Twenty questions related to knowledge, attitudes, and oral manifestation of HIV were presented. Results: A total of 405 questionnaires were completed (67% response rate). Participants showed low knowledge of safety regarding HIV (39.5%) and 44.2% indicated that they would take an HIV test after needle stick injury. The proportion of correct answers regarding transmission of HIV through saliva, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and aerosols by hand pieces was 41%, 37.5%, and 26.4%, respectively. Almost 50% of the surveyed dental students expressed unwillingness to treat HIV-positive patients. Poor knowledge was noted regarding oral manifestations of HIV (32.7%). Of the participants, 57.8% indicated that infection control procedures are very important for the treatment of HIV patients and 50.6% believed that a dentist can make a decision to reject the treatment of HIV patients. According to the participating dental students, the three major oral manifestations in HIV patients are hairy leukoplakia (47.4%), oral candidiasis (44.7%), and Kaposi’s sarcoma (43.5%). Conclusion: Inadequate knowledge and unprofessional attitude towards HIV/AIDS patients were identified among this group of dental students in Saudi Arabia. Dental educators and health care planners in Saudi Arabia should plan to promote the knowledge and attitudes of dental students in Saudi Arabia towards the treatment of HIV patients.

Dentists and dental hygienists’ comprehension of HIV infection associated periodontal implications and management

“…Nasir et al have also astutely highlighted the deficiency in students’ knowledge, which renders them unprepared to effectively treat HIV patients ( 26 ). Additionally, a Saudi Arabian study by Alali et al revealed unsatisfactory knowledge and a rather disappointing attitude by dental students toward matters pertaining to HIV ( 27 ). It comes as an enormous surprise that dental hygienists and dental hygiene students have such an alarming shortage of knowledge and comprehension about an assortment of facets of the periodontal and HIV relationship, including management and results.…”

Ageing People Living with HIV/AIDS, PLWHA; More Dental Challenges; the Romanian Dental Professional’s Point of View

“…Our findings were higher when compared to those of a recent study from Saudi Arabia in 2022. Participants in this study showed a low knowledge of safety regarding HIV (39.5%) and almost 50% of the responders expressed an unwillingness to treat HIV-positive patients, as well as inadequate knowledge about and an unprofessional attitude towards PLWHA [ 45 ].…”

Attitudes and practices of dentists treating HIV+ patients in the era of new antiretroviral therapy: A 12-year update

“…It should also be noted that recent reports in the literature on samples of dentists from Libya and India have shown much higher percentages (39.3% and 33%, respectively) [ 1 , 2 ]. The unprofessional attitude to HIV/AIDS patients, when connected to the inadequate knowledge of the virus, can led the percentage of discrimination increase to levels around 50% of interviewees, as reported in a cross-sectional study conducted on a population of Saudi Arabian dental students [ 27 ]. This diversity is believed to be associated with a generally poorer knowledge of the virus, how it is spread, and how it is treated.…”