Comparing dentists' attitudes and knowledge concerning AIDS: differences and similarities by locale.

A stratified random sample of 1,351 general practitioners in the continental United States was surveyed to determine dentists' attitudes relevant to treating AIDS/HIV+ patients and knowledge regarding the transmission of HIV infection. Survey results were analyzed nationally and by practice locale: high HIV+ prevalence urban areas, other urban areas, rural areas. While there are differences in fear-related HIV attitudes among GPs in the three locales, they are not present in attitude toward willingness to treat and knowledge of AIDS transmission. For dentistry, such findings in large part refute the National Commission on AIDS charges regarding the treatment of AIDS in rural America.