Malaysian undergraduates' knowledge and opinions on early childhood oral health

Mani, S.A. and Burhanudin, N.A. and John, J. (2012) Malaysian undergraduates' knowledge and opinions on early childhood oral health. European Journal of Paediatric Dentistry, 13 (1). pp. 64-68. ISSN 1591996X,

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Abstract

Aim In Malaysia, Early Childhood Caries (ECC) was found to affect 76.2 of 5-year-olds (2005). General practitioners are more likely to encounter preschool children and are in a better position to educate parents and caretakers about ECC and make appropriate referrals. This study assessed the knowledge and opinions on early childhood oral health among medical and dental undergraduates. Methods This cross sectional study involved 245 students enrolled in the first year medical (M1) and dental (D1) course and fourth year medical (M4) and dental (D4) course. The students completed a self-administered questionnaire which included knowledge and opinions on early childhood oral health. Comparisons between the groups were done using chi-square test. Results Dental students showed significantly better knowledge than medical students. D1 students showed significantly better knowledge of age of first tooth eruption over M1. Knowledge of recommended age for bottle weaning was higher among D4 students but not significantly more than M4 students. Conclusion The majority of medical students showed inadequate knowledge indicating that medical curriculum should emphasise on oral health topics of public health relevance like ECC and its prevention. Dental students had better knowledge regarding early childhood oral health, but lacked knowledge on its preventive aspects.

Item Type: Article
Funders: UNSPECIFIED
Additional Information: Export Date: 9 October 2012 Source: Scopus Language of Original Document: English Correspondence Address: Mani, S.A.; Department of Children's Dentistry and Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; email: shanijacob@yahoo.co.in References: American Academy on Pediatric Dentistry Council on Clinical, Affairs., Policy on early childhood caries (ECC): classifications, consequences, and preventive, strategies. (2008) Pediatr Dent, 30, pp. 40-43; Azila, N.M., Rogayah, J., Zabidi-Hussin, Z.A., Curricular trends in Malaysian medical schools: innovations within (2006) Ann Acad Med Singapore, 35, pp. 647-654; Chung, M.H., Kaste, L.M., Koerber, A., Fadavi, S., Punwani, I., Dental and medical students' knowledge and opinions of infant oral health (2006) J Dent Educ, 70, pp. 511-517; dela Cruz, G.G., Rozier, R.G., Slade, G., Dental screening and referral of young children by pediatric primary care providers (2004) Pediatrics, 114, pp. e642-652; Douglass, J.M., Douglass, A.B., Silk, H.J., Infant oral health education for pediatric and family practice residents (2005) Pediatr Dent, 27, pp. 284-291; Graham, E., Negron, R., Domoto, P., Milgrom, P., Children's oral health in the medical curriculum: a collaborative intervention at a university-affiliated hospital (2003) J Dent Educ, 67, pp. 338-347; Hale, K.J., Oral health risk assessment timing and establishment of the dental home (2003) Pediatrics, 111, pp. 1113-1116; Harden, R.M., Sowden, S., Dunn, W.R., Educational strategies in curriculum development: the SPICES model (1984) Med Educ, 18, pp. 284-297; Kagihara, L.E., Niederhauser, V.P., Stark, M., Assessment, management, and prevention of early childhood caries (2009) J Am Acad Nurse Pract, 21, pp. 1-10; Krol, D.M., Educating pediatricians on children's oral health: past, present, and future (2004) Pediatrics, 113, pp. e487-492; Kumari, N.R., Sheela, S., Sarada, P.N., Knowledge and attitude on infant oral health among graduating medical students in Kerala (2006) J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent, 24, pp. 173-176; McCann, P.J., Sweeney, M.P., Gibson, J., Bagg, J., Training in oral disease, diagnosis and treatment for medical students and doctors in the United Kingdom (2005) Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg, 43, pp. 61-64; Misra, S., Tahmassebi, J.F., Brosnan, M., Early childhood caries--a review Dent Update, 34, pp. 556-558. , 561-552 2007 564; Mouradian, W.E., Berg, J.H., Somerman, M.J., Addressing disparities through dental-medical collaborations, part 1 The role of cultural competency in health disparities: training of primary care medical practitioners in children's oral health (2003) J Dent Educ, 67, pp. 860-868; Mouradian, W.E., Reeves, A., Kim, S., Evans, R., Schaad, D., Marshall, S.G., Slayton, R., An oral health curriculum for medical students at the University of Washington (2005) Acad Med, 80, pp. 434-442; Nowak, A.J., Warren, J.J., Infant oral health and oral habits (2000) Pediatr Clin North Am, 47, pp. 1043-1066. , vi; (2008), p. 1. , Oral Health Division Ministry of Health Malaysia. Early Childhood Oral HealthcareRong, W.S., Wang, W.J., Yip, H.K., Attitudes of dental and medical students in their first and final years of undergraduate study to oral health behaviour (2006) Eur J Dent Educ, 10, pp. 178-184; Sanchez, O.M., Childers, N.K., Fox, L., Bradley, E., Physicians' views on pediatric preventive dental care (1997) Pediatr Dent, 19, pp. 377-383; Shivaprakash, P.K., Elango, I., Baweja, D.K., Noorani, H.H., The state of infant oral healthcare knowledge and awareness: disparity among parents and healthcare professionals (2009) J Indian Soc Pedod Prev Dent, 27, pp. 39-43; Skelton, J., Smith, T.A., Betz, W.T., Heaton, L.J., Lillich, T.T., Improving the oral health knowledge of osteopathic medical students (2002) J Dent Educ, 66, pp. 1289-1296; (2003), SPSS Inc. SPSS 12.0 for Windows, SPSS Inc, ChicagoTickle, M., Milsom, K.M., Humphris, G.M., Blinkhorn, A.S., Parental attitudes to the care of the carious primary dentition (2003) Br Dent Jdiscussion, 449 (195), pp. 451-455; van Palenstein Helderman, W.H., Soe, W., van't Hof, M.A., Risk factors of early childhood caries in a Southeast Asian population (2006) J Dent Res, 85, pp. 85-88; Wylie, R.R., Heseltine, G.F., Oral health education for medical students (1997) World Health Forum, 18, pp. 28-30
Uncontrolled Keywords: Dental undergraduates Early childhood caries Early childhood oral health Medical Opinions Oral health knowledge adolescent adult article attitude to health bottle feeding comparative study cross-sectional study dental caries dental education dental procedure dental student female health health personnel attitude human Malaysia male medical education medical student physiology preschool child psychological aspect questionnaire self report tooth eruption weaning Attitude of Health Personnel Child, Preschool Cross-Sectional Studies Dental Care for Children Education, Dental Education, Medical Humans Oral Health Questionnaires Students, Dental Students, Medical Young Adult
Subjects: R Medicine > RK Dentistry
Divisions: Faculty of Dentistry > Dept of General Dental Practice And Oral & Maxillofacial Imaging
Depositing User: Ms Nursyafiqah Abd Malek
Date Deposited: 07 Nov 2012 02:42
Last Modified: 07 Nov 2012 02:42
URI: http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/3893

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