The need to educate future dental professionals on E-cigarette effects

Area of Science:

• Oral Health
• Public Health
• Tobacco Control

Background:

• E-cigarette use is increasing globally.
• Dental professionals require adequate knowledge regarding e-cigarettes to advise patients.
• Cross-cultural comparisons of dental student perceptions are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare knowledge and attitudes of dental students in the USA and Spain towards e-cigarettes and their long-term effects.
• To identify educational gaps in dental curricula concerning e-cigarette use.

Main Methods:

• Anonymous cross-sectional survey conducted among dental students at UCLA (USA) and Universidad Europea of Madrid (Spain).
• Self-administered questionnaires assessed knowledge, attitudes, and usage patterns of e-cigarettes and conventional tobacco products.
• Statistical analysis compared responses between the two student populations.

Main Results:

• Significant differences observed in e-cigarette knowledge and perceptions between US and Spanish dental students.
• Spanish students reported higher daily e-cigarette use (3%) and conventional cigarette use (56%) compared to US students (0% and 24%, respectively).
• Over 15% of students in both countries were unsure of e-cigarette harms; US students perceived e-cigarettes as less harmful than tobacco.

Conclusions:

• Dental students in both the USA and Spain demonstrate insufficient knowledge to address rising e-cigarette use and inform patients.
• Educational programs on e-cigarette hazards and health effects are crucial for dental curricula.
• Enhanced education is needed to equip future dentists to manage evolving tobacco use trends.