Khami Mohammad R, Murtomaa Heikki, Jafarian Mohammad, Virtanen Jorma I
Department of Oral Public Health, Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Oral Health Prev Dent. 2007;5(3):181-6.
To investigate knowledge of and attitudes towards prevention of dental caries among Iranian dental educators in relation to their personal and academic background.
Of the 15 Iranian state dental schools, 7 were selected by stratified random sampling to serve as clusters. All the present educators (n = 363) were individually asked to voluntarily complete a pre-tested anonymous questionnaire. A total of 291 educators completed the questionnaire (response rate of 80%). The questionnaire requested information on educators' knowledge of caries prevention and attitudes towards preventive dentistry. The educator's age, gender, highest academic degree, department of teaching, and familiarity with the discipline of dental public health (DPH) served as background factors. Chi-square test and a logistic regression model served in statistical analyses.
Educators working in paedodontics, operative dentistry or periodontology departments had more extensive knowledge of caries prevention than did the others (p < 0.05). Women, as well as those familiar with DPH, reported more positive attitudes towards prevention than did the others (p = 0.05). In the regression model, having a more positive attitude towards prevention was associated with female gender (OR = 2.2, 95% CI: 1.2-4.1), more extensive knowledge of caries prevention (OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.1-5.6), and greater familiarity with DPH (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.1-4.1).
Dental educators seem to have different knowledge of and attitudes towards prevention based on their disciplines. This may reflect negatively in preventive practice among both the educators and students. Continuing education activities and placing emphasis and support on prevention-related research are recommended.
调查伊朗牙科教育工作者对龋齿预防的知识和态度，并探究其与个人及学术背景的关系。
在伊朗15所国立牙科学院中，通过分层随机抽样选取7所作为群组。要求所有在职教育工作者（n = 363）自愿单独填写一份经过预测试的匿名问卷。共有291名教育工作者完成了问卷（回复率为80%）。问卷询问了教育工作者对龋齿预防的知识以及对预防牙科的态度。教育工作者的年龄、性别、最高学历、教学部门以及对牙科公共卫生（DPH）学科的熟悉程度作为背景因素。采用卡方检验和逻辑回归模型进行统计分析。
在儿童牙科、牙体牙髓病学或牙周病学部门工作的教育工作者对龋齿预防的知识比其他部门的更广泛（p < 0.05）。女性以及熟悉DPH的人对预防的态度比其他人更积极（p = 0.05）。在回归模型中，对预防态度更积极与女性性别（OR = 2.2，95% CI：1.2 - 4.1）、对龋齿预防知识更广泛（OR = 2.4，95% CI：1.1 - 5.6）以及对DPH更熟悉（OR = 2.0，95% CI：1.1 - 4.1）相关。
牙科教育工作者似乎因其学科不同而对预防有不同的知识和态度。这可能对教育工作者和学生的预防实践产生负面影响。建议开展继续教育活动，并重视和支持与预防相关的研究。
