Dental students' knowledge of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw

The aim of this study was to evaluate and assess knowledge and attitude of dental students about medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), to optimize future training programs in this field.

A cross-sectional study was administrated. Ninety-eight participants agreed to complete an anonymous questionnaire. It was divided into two sections: the first section was about general information such as interviewer's gender and date of birth; the second section included questions about bisphosphonates (BPs), others medication associated to osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), risk factors, and prevention of osteonecrosis. Descriptive statistics were computed and the odds ratio was used to compare the odds for the groups.

Ninety-nine percent of participants declared to know BPs, but only 26.9% of 4^th year and 34.8% of 6^th year students knew the correct definition of MRONJ. Almost all of students identified the importance to report, in anamnesis, the use of BPs, as well as to check-up patients before the beginning of treatment; on the other hand, the knowledge about how invasive dental treatment might be carried out in patients under therapy was not adequate. In addition, half of the students did not recognize any active principle or commercial name of BPs. The situation was even worse regarding alternative drugs involved in ONJ.

These findings are alarming and the lack of knowledge about MRONJ suggests that greater educational efforts should be performed about this pathology at undergraduate level.