Evaluating dental students' understanding of oral complications and care management for head and neck cancer patients.

BACKGROUND

Advancements in head and neck cancer treatments have improved survival rates, but complications in the mouth's soft and hard tissues can hinder treatment effectiveness or cause interruptions. Dentists play a critical role in managing these oral complications, helping to enhance the overall success of cancer treatments. The aim of this study is to serve as a foundation to assess the knowledge base of senior dental students and dental interns in Saudi Arabi regarding their preparedness to manage oral health challenges in cancer patients.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted through an online Google Forms questionnaire targeting a sample of dental students of the fourth and fifth year as well as dental interns (n = 506), from both private and public universities in Saudi Arabia.

RESULTS

Among the 506 participants, 53.6% demonstrated good knowledge of oral care and health management for cancer patients. Predictors of good knowledge included higher levels of awareness, with females showing greater knowledge of oral care/health management for cancer patients and dental interns having better knowledge of oral complications from cancer therapy (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were found between students from public and private universities regarding their knowledge of oral complications and care management for head and neck cancer patients.

CONCLUSION

Interns demonstrated better knowledge than senior dental students regarding oral complications in cancer therapy. This study revealed a lack of sufficient knowledge among participants about oral care management for cancer patients, emphasizing the clear need to develop more effective theoretical and practical educational curricula to address these gaps.