Level of Knowledge and Perception Public of Forensic Odontology

Abstract

Background: Awareness of the importance of forensic odontology and the need for national forensic odontology data collection is still lacking attention both in the community and at the government level. Aim: to determine the level of knowledge and public perceptions about forensic odontology. Method: This type of observational analytic study with cross sectional design with the population of Makassar City using snowball sampling technique. This research was conducted September 2020. This study has obtained ethics from the Health Research Ethics Committee of the Hasanuddin University Dental Hospital. This research tool was an online questionnaire. The knowledge domain consists of 10 questions and the perception domain consists of 10 questions. To assess knowledge, each indicator of knowledge is assessed using the Guttman scale. Total research sample is 213 respondent with the test equipment used chi-square and value p 0.05. Results: The average level of public knowledge was 6.15 ± 2.30 (moderate category), the perception level was 6.25 ± 2.13 (moderate category). Conclusion: The level of knowledge and perceptions about forensic odontology in Makassar City people aged ≥ 18 years is still around 60% who answered questions correctly and responded positively.