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KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND REPORTED PRACTICES OF A GROUP OF MINISTRY OF HEALTH DENTISTS TOWARDS PATIENTS WITH DIABETES MELLITUS IN ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT

INTRODUCTION: Diabetes and its acute complications have become a significant health hazard worldwide. To date, there are no data on the awareness of dental professionals regarding the management of diabetic patients. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and reported practices of Ministry of Health dentists (MOH) regarding the oral complications associated with Diabetes Mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was a cross sectional descriptive survey of a sample of dentists working in the Egyptian Ministry of Health facilities, in Alexandria. The 349 participants were asked to complete a comprehensive, close-ended questionnaire, to assess the knowledge, attitude, and reported practices regarding diabetic patients. The first section was concerned with the demographic variables of the participating dentists. The second and third sections enquired about the participants’ knowledge and attitudes regarding diabetic symptoms, while the forth section of the questionnaire assessed the respondents’ reported practices concerning diabetic patients and actions taken toward the disease. RESULTS: Dentists participated in the study (n= 349 from 400 with a response rate of 87.25%) showed that Ministry of Health dentists had a good knowledge and favorable attitude toward diabetic patients visiting the Ministry of Health clinics, however, they had inadequate reported practices toward the same issue. CONCLUSIONS: THE present study showed relatively high level of awareness of dental practitioners regarding diabetes. Therefore, designing appropriate training programs for oral health care providers in order to enhance their practices towards the diagnosis and management of oral complications of Diabetes is mandatory