How oral surgeons learn: an epistemological investigation

The elements of knowledge required for the successful management of patients at high risk for bacterial endocarditis were used to construct a scale that was the dependent variable in a study designed to investigate factors influencing the knowledge level of oral surgeons. A telephone interview was used to collect data from a sample of New York State members of he AAOMS. Analyses of these data showed comparatively high knowledge levels among respondents. Variations in knowledge were accounted for by age, access to highly reviewed journals, career patterns that maximized the opportunity for continuous professional interaction with colleagues, and a predilection for being up-to-date. The latter, in turn, was correlated with additional opportunities for integration into a community of oral surgeons.