Knowledge and conduct of undergraduate dental students regarding infective endocarditis

Abstract

The study proposed to evaluate the knowledge and conduct of final-year undergraduate dental students at a private university in Curitiba, PR, Brazil, regarding infective endocarditis (IE). Data collection occurred from April to June 2022, using a self-administered questionnaire that included student data, risk factors for IE development, risky dental procedures, and clinical conduct to prevent the condition. The data were analyzed descriptively using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 23.0. Forty-two students participated, including 28 (66%) women. The average age was 22.7 years, and 28 (68%) respondents studied in the morning shift. There were 38 (90.5%) correct answers regarding IE definition. The condition with the most indications for antibiotic prophylaxis was previous endocarditis (n = 38; 90.5%), and the most referenced procedure was tooth extraction (n = 39; 92.8%). As for medication protocols, the lack of knowledge of prescriptions for patients allergic to the prescribed drugs stood out among 25 (59.5%) respondents. Also, 31 (73.8%) participants did not know the instructions for patients who cannot take oral medication. In conclusion, knowledge regarding systemic conditions that require prophylaxis and protocol application was unsatisfactory. That highlights the need for more emphasis on this topic during undergraduate studies so that future dental surgeons are trained to manage the cases of patients at high risk for IE.