Knowledge and awareness of dental considerations in diabetic patients: A questionnaire survey

Diabetes Mellitus (DM) has become a worldwide concern, with several systemic and oral complications. Dental students must be aware of the condition. Hence, the study aimed to assess and compare the levels of knowledge and awareness regarding oral considerations in diabetic patients among interns and postgraduate (PG) dental students. The survey was conducted among interns (119) and PGs (92) from dental colleges in Mangalore, using a web-based questionnaire form consisting of 14 questions. A chi-square test analyzed the categorical variables, and an independent sample t-test was used to compare the two groups’ mean knowledge and awareness scores. PGs exhibited significantly higher knowledge (p-value 0.000) about the average plasma glucose test (65.2%) than interns (39.5%). Whereas interns (45.4%) showed superior knowledge about the glycemic goal when compared to PGs (40.2%) (p≤0.05). However, the two groups had no statistically significant difference in the mean knowledge and awareness scores (p-values 0.156 and 0.618, respectively). Although the study groups exhibited similar levels of knowledge and awareness, the dental students’ accurate response rate about the risk factors of diabetes, prophylactic antibiotic coverage, hypoglycemic state, and its symptoms were limited. Establishing effective educational resources for dental students is necessary to address this issue.