# A Cross-Sectional Study Assessing Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Eating Disorders in a Dental Institution in Sangli City

## TL;DR

This study finds that dental students in Sangli City have limited knowledge and clinical experience in handling eating disorders, suggesting a need for better education and training.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the knowledge gaps and attitudes of dental students regarding eating disorders in a specific regional context.

## Key findings

- 87% of participants were familiar with the term 'eating disorder', but many lacked accurate clinical understanding.
- Only 36% correctly identified bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder as eating disorders.
- Most students lacked the expertise to guide patients with eating disorders, highlighting a need for education.

## Abstract

Background and aim: Dentists and dental hygienists often lack knowledge about eating disorders (ED) and are reluctant to inform patients. This highlights the need for improved education to encourage their involvement in ED prevention and management. Hence, this study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and clinical experience related to ED among undergraduate students in a dental institute in Sangli city.

Material and methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among 250 third- and final-year students and interns in a dental institute in Sangli city. A self-designed questionnaire consisting of 20 questions was used to assess the knowledge, attitude, and clinical experience of students about ED. The questionnaire was tested for reliability and validity and was distributed through Google Forms (Mountain View, CA: Google LLC). SPSS (Chicago, IL: IBM Corp.) software was used for statistical analysis of data and a chi-squared test was performed.

Result: This study reveals that undergraduate dental students lacked the knowledge and experience to effectively communicate with patients who have eating disorders. Despite being familiar with the term, most participants lacked the clinical expertise to identify and guide patients with ED. The study found that 87% (n=146) of participants were familiar with the term "eating disorder" (p=0.039) with 44% (n=88) believing only hypovitaminosis was an eating disorder, 36% (n=72) believing bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder were eating disorders (p=0.024), and 83% (n=166) believing there is a clear association between erosion and bulimia (p=0.055).

Conclusion: This study found that while most participants are aware of eating disorders, they lack clinical exposure and proper guidance, indicating the need for appropriate seminars and skill development workshops.