Evaluation of Oral Cancer Awareness Level of Faculty of Dentistry Students and Academicians

Abstract

Aim: Oral cancers are neoplasms that occur in the lips or oral cavity. The knowledge and awareness of dentists is very important in its prevention and early diagnosis. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the awareness and to measure knowledge level about oral cancers among the intern dentists, research assistants and academicians in Atatürk University Faculty of Dentistry in Erzurum Materials and Methods: Participants were directed to closed-ended questions developed using questionnaires that previously evaluated oral cancers awareness. The questionnaire consists of 32 questions to evaluate oral cancer awareness. Results: 80 females and 60 males, totally 140 participants of which 53 are intern dentists, 51 research assistants and 36 academicians from 8 different departments at the Faculty of Dentistry, were included in the study. When asked about the competence of knowledge and skills in the evaluation of oral lesions, 30% of the participants stated themselves as sufficient. The academicians in the Departments of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Diagnosis and Radiology and Periodontology, respectively, stated that they consider themselves competent in awareness of oral cancer in a statistically significant way. Candida albicans, ultraviolet rays, thermal irritation, chronic oral traumas, viral infections such as HPV, white and red mouth lesions were evaluated as risk factors by more than 90% of the participants. Conclusion:Only one third of the participants think that they are adequately trained in oral cancer examination. This situation should be evaluated and efforts should be made to raise awareness.