Evaluation of UiTM Dental Students’ Knowledge and Attitude on the 2017 Periodontal Classification
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24191/cos.v13i2.9801Keywords:
attitude, dental students, knowledge, periodontal classificationAbstract
Objectives: To evaluate the knowledge and attitudes towards the 2017 Classification of Periodontal and Peri-Implant Diseases and Conditions among clinical dental students at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sungai Buloh. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among Year 3 to Year 5 dental students at UiTM Sungai Buloh during the 2024/2025 academic session. A validated self-administered questionnaire consisting of demographic information, knowledge-based questions, and attitude-related items was distributed using Google Forms. The questionnaire was reviewed by periodontal specialists for content validation prior to distribution. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic characteristics and attitude scores. Welch’s one-way ANOVA followed by Games-Howell post-hoc analysis was used to compare knowledge scores among academic years. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 228 students participated in the study, comprising 79 (34.6%) Year 3 students, 77 (33.8%) Year 4 students, and 72 (31.6%) Year 5 students. The overall knowledge score was high, with students achieving approximately 79.4% of the cumulative total score. Year 5 students demonstrated significantly higher knowledge scores compared to Year 3 students (Mean Difference = -1.135, p = 0.016). Students generally showed positive attitudes toward the 2017 periodontal classification, particularly regarding satisfaction with educational resources (Mean = 4.04, SD = 0.688). However, lower confidence levels were observed in assessing the severity and complexity of periodontitis cases (Mean = 3.47, SD = 0.799). Conclusion: Clinical dental students demonstrated generally good knowledge and positive attitudes towards the 2017 periodontal classification. Knowledge improved with advancing academic year and clinical exposure. Nevertheless, students reported lower confidence in applying the classification system clinically, indicating the need for enhanced case-based learning and additional clinical training.
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