A Comparative Study of Perception, Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Patient Safety Among Dental Residents With and...

Patient safety is a critical yet underemphasized aspect of dental education. This study compared the perception, knowledge and attitudes toward patient safety among postgraduate dental residents at Tehran University of Medical Sciences who had completed the Infection Control and Patient Safety course and those who had not.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 62 s and third-year postgraduate dental residents during the 2021-2022 academic year. A validated questionnaire, adapted from previous studies, was used to assess participants' perceptions, knowledge and attitudes. Data were analysed using SPSS version 21, with the Mann-Whitney U test employed for comparisons.

Significant differences were observed between the two groups. Residents who completed the course demonstrated higher levels of knowledge, more accurate perceptions and more positive attitudes toward patient safety. Key findings included greater awareness of error reporting systems, stronger support for transparency in error management, and a deeper understanding of the importance of patient safety education. However, both groups showed limited knowledge of national and international statistics on preventable adverse events.

The Infection Control and Patient Safety course positively influenced residents' understanding and attitudes toward patient safety, highlighting the importance of formal education. These findings suggest that integrating patient safety training into dental curricula, particularly at the undergraduate level, could significantly improve the quality of dental care. Further studies with expanded and more diverse populations are recommended to validate these results and explore broader implications.