Dental Students' Knowledge, Awareness and Perception of Silver Diamine Fluoride in Treating Young Children

Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) is increasingly utilised for managing dental problems, including early childhood caries (ECC), especially in children with behavioural challenges. This study aims to assess the knowledge, awareness, and perceptions of dental students regarding the use of SDF in ECC management, after undergoing a series of teaching activities across academic years.

An online survey was conducted among all dental students (Years 1 to 5; N = 396) in a Malaysian public university, using a validated and pre-tested questionnaire comprising 25 items. The questionnaire was divided into four sections, gathering demographic data and evaluating students' knowledge, awareness, and perceptions regarding SDF as a treatment option for ECC. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were performed with a significance level set at p < 0.05.

A total of 364 responses were gathered, achieving a 91.9% response rate. Final-year students demonstrated significantly better knowledge, awareness and perception regarding the use of SDF in managing ECC (p < 0.001). Furthermore, clinical students (Years 3 to 5) exhibited better knowledge of its effectiveness in caries arrest and prevention compared to preclinical students (Years 1 and 2) (p < 0.001). Most students expressed willingness to incorporate SDF into their future practice (98.9%).

Knowledge, awareness, and perception of SDF use for young children varied among academic years, demonstrating a progressive increase with advancing academic levels. These findings highlight the importance of integrating SDF into the curriculum with clinical experience to better equip undergraduate students for utilising SDF in managing ECC.