TY - JOUR
T1 - The Impact of Educational Intervention on Junior Dentists' Capacity to Detect Oral Mucosal Lesions and Suspect Malignant Potential
AU - Gaballah, Kamis
AU - Kujan, Omar
PY - 2022/11/1
Y1 - 2022/11/1
N2 - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the impact of Continuing Education (CE) activity on junior dentists' competency to identify oral mucosal abnormalities those suggestive of oral cancer or potentially malignant disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multiphase study administered a pre-validated quiz to dental interns and junior dentists. The quiz was designed to assess the respondent's competency to recognize different oral lesions and stratify their potential for malignancy. Invited candidates attempted the quiz and then attended an informative half-day workshop focused on identifying oral mucosal changes, diagnosing various oral lesions, and recognizing the risk factors and features that suggest the malignant potential of oral lesions. The post-intervention survey was sent to the workshop attendees by 7 months. RESULTS: 67 out of 110 invitees attended the workshop, with an overall response rate of 60.1%. In the initial quiz, the overall accuracy of diagnosis was 55.1±9.04%. The participants correctly identified most normal variations (80.60±5.05), but less than half of the benign lesions (40.96±8.30) and potentially malignant lesions (43.62±6.02). The malignant lesions were correctly diagnosed by 55.22±3.98% of the participants. The CE intervention has improved the overall diagnostic accuracy (74.81±5.84% (p,0.015); benign to 70.18±6.68% (p,0.02), the potentially malignant lesions to 62.99±4.63% (p,0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of CE activity in improving the role of dentists in the detection of oral cancer. CE activity has remarkably enhanced the junior dentists' ability to accurately diagnose various oral lesions and effectively stratify their malignant potential.
AB - OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the impact of Continuing Education (CE) activity on junior dentists' competency to identify oral mucosal abnormalities those suggestive of oral cancer or potentially malignant disorders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multiphase study administered a pre-validated quiz to dental interns and junior dentists. The quiz was designed to assess the respondent's competency to recognize different oral lesions and stratify their potential for malignancy. Invited candidates attempted the quiz and then attended an informative half-day workshop focused on identifying oral mucosal changes, diagnosing various oral lesions, and recognizing the risk factors and features that suggest the malignant potential of oral lesions. The post-intervention survey was sent to the workshop attendees by 7 months. RESULTS: 67 out of 110 invitees attended the workshop, with an overall response rate of 60.1%. In the initial quiz, the overall accuracy of diagnosis was 55.1±9.04%. The participants correctly identified most normal variations (80.60±5.05), but less than half of the benign lesions (40.96±8.30) and potentially malignant lesions (43.62±6.02). The malignant lesions were correctly diagnosed by 55.22±3.98% of the participants. The CE intervention has improved the overall diagnostic accuracy (74.81±5.84% (p,0.015); benign to 70.18±6.68% (p,0.02), the potentially malignant lesions to 62.99±4.63% (p,0.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of CE activity in improving the role of dentists in the detection of oral cancer. CE activity has remarkably enhanced the junior dentists' ability to accurately diagnose various oral lesions and effectively stratify their malignant potential.
KW - continuing professional development
KW - dentists
KW - Education
KW - oral cancer
KW - Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85142877957&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.31557/APJCP.2022.23.11.3673
DO - 10.31557/APJCP.2022.23.11.3673
M3 - Article
C2 - 36444579
AN - SCOPUS:85142877957
SN - 1513-7368
VL - 23
SP - 3673
EP - 3676
JO - Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
JF - Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
IS - 11
ER -