Knowledge of Antibiotic Management in Surgery, Periodontics and Endodontics Among Patients, Students and Dentistry Professors: A Cross-Sectional Study at the University of Barcelona (Spain)

TL;DR

This study explores how well patients, dental students, and professors understand antibiotic use in dentistry, revealing gaps in knowledge and the need for better education.

Contribution

The study is the first to compare antibiotic knowledge across patients, students, and professors in dentistry using a cross-sectional design.

Findings

Patients without higher education were more likely to self-medicate or be unaware of antibiotic side effects.

Amoxicillin was most commonly prescribed for non-Penicillin-allergic patients, while Clindamycin or Azithromycin was used for those allergic.

No significant differences in antibiotic prescription practices were found between students and professors.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: The main objective of this study was to analyze the knowledge on the use and management of antibiotics in dentistry within three different groups of interest: patients, fifth-year dental students at the University of Barcelona and professors of the faculty of dentistry of the University of Barcelona. Methods: A cross-sectional pilot study was carried out using questionnaires addressed to the three groups of interest: patients (n = 250), students (n = 79) and professors (n = 50). Sociodemographic questions were asked of all the groups. The professor and student questions were related to antibiotic therapy in relation to dental procedures. The patients were asked questions related to antibiotic management. Results: Regarding the patient group, there were statistically significant differences between the participants of the group; people without higher education were more likely to self-medicate (p = 0.043) or to be unaware of the adverse effects (p = 0.045). Regarding the student and professor groups, there were no significant differences in the prescription of antibiotics. Amoxicillin 750 mg was the most commonly used in patients without an allergy to Penicillin, but there were significant differences in the antibiotic of choice for those patients allergic to Penicillin, the most commonly prescribed being either Clindamycin or Azithromycin (p = 0.002). Conclusions: The study revealed a lack of uniformity in the knowledge and management of antibiotics among both students and professors, which highlights the need to improve university training in pharmacology and for professors to continue education throughout their working lives. It also indicates the need for patient health education regarding antibiotics.

Figures