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Published on: October 12, 2018
Dental students' knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus
1Department of Restorative Dentistry, School of Dental Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, P.M.B. 12003, Lagos, Nigeria. yet_busk@yahoo.com
Final year dental students in Nigeria demonstrate adequate knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission routes. However, their understanding of HIV virology and risk group recognition requires enhancement for improved clinical practice.
Area of Science:
- Oral health
- Infectious diseases
- Medical education
Background:
- Dental students require comprehensive knowledge of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) for patient care.
- Understanding HIV transmission, associated oral lesions, and infection control is crucial in dental practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess final year dental students' knowledge of HIV, its oral manifestations, and transmission routes.
- To evaluate students' perceptions of their education on infection control, virology, and risk group recognition.
Main Methods:
- A structured questionnaire was administered to final year dental students at the University of Lagos, Nigeria.
- A high response rate of 94.6% (35 out of 37) was achieved.
Main Results:
- Students possessed adequate knowledge of HIV transmission routes and recognized common oral lesions like Kaposi sarcoma and candidiasis.
- A significant portion (28.5%) found teaching on virology and blood-borne virus risk groups to be less than adequate.
- Knowledge regarding oral melanotic hyperpigmentation and idiopathic thrombocytopaenic purpura was notably lower.
Conclusions:
- Final year dental students in Nigeria have a solid grasp of HIV transmission routes in clinical settings.
- There is a clear need to strengthen the curriculum concerning HIV virology and the identification of blood-borne virus risk groups.
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