Determination of knowledge of the final year dental students studying at Tehran Dental Schools about AIDS and related factors in 2010-2011

AIDS has been considered as a main concern for public health in different societies. To carry out effective clinical managements, dental students must be aware of the importance, transmission and prevention of HIV/AIDS. The aim of this study aimed to address the level of knowledge among the final year dental students studying at Tehran Dental Schools about the AIDS and related factors in the academic year 2010-2011. In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 121 final-year dental students were selected from Tehran, Shahid Beheshti, Shahed and Islamic Azad Dental Schools. The participants were assessed through a questionnaire including 18 HIV/AIDS-related questions. The correct answers received 1 score. The knowledge level was calculated according to as the total number of correctly answered questions. The effect of age, gender, university, sources of knowledge and the participants’ self-assessments of their knowledge was studied by means of linear regression analysis. Of the total score of 18 points, the students received the mean score of 7.2 (standard deviation of 2.97) which hasbeen lower than the half of the maximum scores. Age(P=0.63), gender (P=0.74), course of study (p=0.38), continued educational programs (p=0.64), media (p=0.1), books and journals (p=0.93) did not show significant effect on the knowledge scores towards AIDS. The level of knowledge of the final-year dental students studying at Tehran universities regarding HIV/AIDS was generally inadequate. Increases in the quality and quantity of educational programs as well as some improvements in the dental education curriculum are necessary.