Evaluation of the awareness, knowledge, attitude levels and their educational needs of undergraduate 4th and 5th year students of karadeniz technical university faculty of dentistry regarding the management of oral and dental health status of special care need patients

Individuals with special care needs are at a disadvantage compared to other segments of society in terms of benefiting from oral and dental health services. This study aims to evaluate the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of fourth and fifth-year dental students in the 2023-2024 academic years regarding the management of oral and dental health processes of patients with special care needs, as well as their educational needs on this subject. To obtain the necessary data for the study's objective, a survey was conducted among fourth and fifth-year dental students (n=163) in the 2023-2024 academic years to assess their awareness, knowledge level, attitude, and educational needs regarding the management of oral and dental health conditions of patients with special care needs. Descriptive statistics and the chi-square test were used during the statistical analyses. In all analyses, a p-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. According to the survey results, it was found that students had an idea about the concept of dentistry for patients with special care needs (75.5%) and considered this field as a specialty (58.9%), with female students more likely to view this field as a specialty compared to male students (p=0.049). Students indicated that academic staff (18.4%) were mostly influential in forming their opinions about this field. It was found that the highest proportion of students defined individuals with physical and mental disabilities (28.8%) as individuals with special care needs among disadvantaged groups. In the knowledge level section of the survey, statistically significant differences were found between genders in the questions about 'preventive and restorative procedures in individuals with special care needs' (first question, p=0.004), 'care recommendations for individuals with special care needs' (fifth question, p=0.025), and 'preoperative evaluation in individuals with special care needs' (ninth question, p=0.010), with female students performing better than male students. Additionally, statistically significant differences were found between classes in the questions about 'oral health protection strategies for individuals with special care needs' (second question, p=0.001), 'indications for protective stabilization' (fourth question, p<0.001), 'diet recommendations for individuals with special care needs' (fifth question, p=0.001), 'oral and dental health practices in individuals with special care needs' (sixth question, p=0.001), 'preoperative evaluation in individuals with special care needs' (ninth question, p<0.001), and 'dental treatments under general anesthesia in individuals with special care needs' (tenth question, p=0.006), with fifth-year students performing better than fourth-year students. It was found that the students had a high rate of clinical experience in treating elderly patients (28.8%) during their education and that there was a statistically significant difference between classes in the responses to this question (p<0.001). Fifth-year students reported being more experienced in treating elderly patients and patients with infectious diseases, while fourth-year students reported having experience only with elderly patients. Students indicated that they found the education they received at the faculty insufficient and needed both theoretical and practical training (45.4%), with statistically significant differences found between genders (p=0.047) and classes (p=0.030). Female students were more likely than male students, and fifth-year students were more likely than fourth-year students, to report a need for further education. It was found that students were willing to participate in training on this subject (84.7%), with fourth-year students showing more interest than fifth-year students (p=0.046). It was found that students generally preferred practical training (32.5%), with male students tending to prefer online training and female students tending to prefer practical training (p=0.041). Students preferred to receive education on this subject in the fifth year (46%). When asked about their opinions on providing treatment to individuals with special care needs in their future clinics, the majority (58.9%) indicated that they would perform simple treatments and then refer to a specialist, with similar rates of agreement between fifth and fourth-year students (p=0.002). In conclusion, it was found that students have educational needs regarding the management of oral and dental health for individuals with special care needs, as well as a high desire to obtain knowledge and experience on this subject. It is recommended to renew the curriculum standards of dental schools by promoting education programs focused on individuals with special care needs.