A Detailed Comparison regarding the of Knowledge Level of Final Year Dental Students of Isfahan Azad University with Other Statistical Communities in Other Studies, in Relation to Squamous Cell Cancer of the Oral Cavity

Oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) constitutes 90% of oral cancers, the most important factors of which are smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol. Early detection of cancerous and precancerous lesions and subsequent referrals are the most important factors in reducing OSCC mortality. The purpose of this study is to compare the knowledge level of senior dental students of Isfahan Azad University regarding etiology, prognosis and treatment of OSCC lesions with three other statistical communities in other statistical populations( dental students in different years of studying, the graduates , and the doctors).

The present study was conducted in the academic year 2021-2022 on 82 senior students of the Faculty of Dentistry in Islamic Azad University, Isfahan Branch (Khorasgan) using census sampling method. The type of study was cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical. A researcher-made questionnaire, whose validity and reliability was calculated was distributed to the students by the researcher in person. Data analyses were done and statistical tests were examined at a significance level of 0.05. Finally, other studies with the same statistical communities were also examined through Google scholar, Scopus, Sid, Proquest and PubMed databases and the results (general and detailed) were compared with the present study.

Of 82 students participating in the study, 47/9% were females, 80/5% were unmarried, and 74/4% were native people. The average score of awareness regarding the etiology dimension was 2/5 out of 3, while in the prognosis and treatment level, it was estimated as 3/44 out of 7. In addition, a significant difference was not observed between the average knowledge of students in both etiology and treatment dimensions, and the variables of gender, marital status, and residence status .

The results of the present study showed that the knowledge level of senior students in the Faculty of Dentistry in Islamic Azad University, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, as in many statistical communities in other studies, is far from the ideal level. In order to improve these conditions, it is suggested that students have more contact with patients and oral lesions during the course of their studies.  Moreover, more retraining courses (virtual or face-to-face) are recommended in the field of malignant and premalignant oral lesions.