Dentists' knowledge about medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw and its management

Abstract

Objectives To assess the knowledge of dentists regarding medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ). Methods In this cross-sectional study, 74 dentists from governmental hospitals in Riyadh (Dental University Hospital in King Saud University, Military Hospital, National Guard Hospital), Jeddah (King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Ministry of Health Hospital), and the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia (Ministry of Health Hospitals in Dammam and Al-Ahsa) completed a two-part questionnaire. The first part gathered demographic data, such as sex and specialty. The second part included questions about bisphosphonate drugs and their indications; the identification of patients at risk of MRONJ; other medications associated with jaw necrosis; as well as the definition of MRONJ and its clinical features, risk factors, and preventive methods. Results Of the participating dentists, 60.8% knew about MRONJ, but only 35.1% were able to define it correctly. Most (79.7%) had never encountered MRONJ patients. Only 18.9% knew of the relationship between the risk of MRONJ in osteoporotic patients and long-term (>4 years) use of oral bisphosphonates or intravenous zoledronate, while 68.9% were unaware, and others answered incorrectly. Most participants did not know of MRONJ-predisposing medications, and 59.5% cited radiotherapy as the cause. Most participants identified dentoalveolar surgery as a major local factor, and the mandible as a common anatomic location. Conclusion Dentists at the surveyed institutions had poor knowledge of MRONJ, although their knowledge of preventive measures was good. There is an urgent need for the optimization of educational programs pertaining to MRONJ, and its related dental management considerations. Clinical significance Dentists in the surveyed institutions in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have poor knowledge of MRONJ management; thus, greater effort should be taken to educate undergraduate and postgraduate students regarding this pathology.

Awareness of Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaws amongst Dental Professionals in Poland

“…To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study assessing MRONJ knowledge among dental practitioners and dentistry students from Poland. Comparing the obtained results with those from similar studies carried out in other countries, responses of participants in our study are on a satisfactory level and stand out positively compared to other surveys [13,15,19,20].…”

“…Current knowledge about this disease is essential in the work of a dentist. The literature on the awareness of dentists and students of dentistry is scarce [13][14][15][16][17][18][19]. The aim of this study was to assess the level of knowledge and awareness regarding MRONJ among Polish dentists and students of dentistry.…”

Conservative Management of Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaws (MRONJ): A Retrospective Cohort Study

“…MRONJ is a debilitating condition that more frequently affects females, the elderly, and persons treated for oncological reasons [ 18 , 20 , 28 ]. Although this complication has important clinical implications for dental practitioners—who need to know the correct management of a patient under anti-resorptive therapy—recent studies highlighted a lack of knowledge among dentists and dental students [ 29 , 30 , 31 ].…”

Choosing the Right Partner for Medication Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: What Central European Dentists Know

“…A study from Saudi Arabia [ 26 ] used questionnaire forms distributed in soft copies using Google forms. The final sample comprised 74 dentists of which 60.8% knew about MRONJ, and 79.7% had never seen an MRONJ patient.…”