Knowledge and Perception of Periodontal-Systemic Interactions Among Dental Professionals

This study aimed to investigate the awareness of dental practitioners about the association between periodontitis and systemic disorders in private dental hospitals in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan. This will help in determining the gaps in knowledge and adjusting the periodontology department's house officers' training accordingly, improving their future patient care. With the approval of each of the six dental facilities in the twin cities of Pakistan, a cross-sectional survey of 190 house officers was conducted. Participants completed a questionnaire and provided written consent. Each right response received a score of 1, and the level of awareness was divided into three categories: low (0–3), fair (4-6), and outstanding (7-8). SSPS version 23 was used for data entry and analysis. The percentages were determined for each question and level of awareness separately. The findings showed that 61 (32.1%) of the house officers had low understanding, 109 (57.2%) had fair awareness, and 20 (10.5%) had outstanding awareness of the association between systemic disease and periodontitis. Only 50 (26%) of the house officers knew the association between periodontitis and atherosclerosis, while 146 (76.8%) were aware of the bi-directional interactions. Regarding the association between systemic disease and periodontitis, more than 50% of the house officers had a fair level of awareness. Subsequent investigation showed that most people were unaware of the connection between atherosclerosis and periodontitis. There was also a dearth of information regarding the use of antibiotics to treat periodontitis in diabetic patients.