Knowledge and Attitudes of Tehran Dentists about HIV/AIDS

Statement of problem: As HIV/AIDS transmits through direct contact and via blood (possibly also saliva), the risk of cross-infection in a dental practice has become important. Dentists play an important role in detecting and treating oral manifestations of HIV. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge and attitudes among general dentists working in Tehran towards HIV/AIDS. In a cross – sectional descriptive study, knowledge and attitude among 370 dentists towards HIV/AIDS were evaluated by a questionnaire consisting of 29 questions. Three hundred and seventy dentists, consisting of 262 males (70.8%) and 108 females (29.2%), participated in this study. The mean age was 38.6 (range 25-57 years). The mean years of work experiences after graduating was 12.9±8.3 years (range 0-29 years). In this study, the total maximum score was 72 (4 scores for each correct answer). In general, level of dentists’ knowledge about HIV/AIDS was low. An educational program about AIDS is highly recommended.