# Healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the management of temporomandibular joint disorders: a multicenter, cross-sectional study

## TL;DR

This study assesses healthcare professionals' knowledge, attitudes, and practices in managing temporomandibular joint disorders and finds gaps in knowledge despite positive attitudes and practices.

## Contribution

The study provides empirical insights into KAP gaps among healthcare professionals in TMD management in Zhejiang Province.

## Key findings

- Healthcare professionals showed insufficient knowledge but generally positive attitudes and practices toward TMD management.
- Significant positive correlations were found between knowledge, attitudes, and practices in TMD management.
- Targeted educational interventions could improve knowledge and clinical practices in managing TMD.

## Abstract

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) are common yet often underdiagnosed conditions requiring appropriate management by healthcare professionals. Assessing their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) is crucial for improving patient care. This study aims to evaluate healthcare professionals’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) and their management strategies.

This multicenter, cross-sectional survey was conducted on healthcare professionals across hospitals and clinics in Zhejiang Province between November and December 2024. A structured, validated questionnaire was designed to assess demographic characteristics and KAP scores.

Of the 532 valid questionnaires obtained (valid rate: 96.73%), 417 participants (78.38%) were medical doctors. Among respondents, 287 (53.95%) reported prior experience managing temporomandibular joint (TMJ) cases. Mean KAP scores were as follows: knowledge, 22.64 ± 10.11 (possible range: 0–38); attitude, 26.92 ± 3.09 (possible range: 6–30); and practice, 36.97 ± 6.15 (possible range: 9–45). Significant positive correlations were found between knowledge and attitude (r = 0.327, P < 0.001), knowledge and practice (r = 0.455, P < 0.001), and attitude and practice (r = 0.622, P < 0.001). Mediation analysis revealed knowledge directly influenced attitude (β = 0.113, P = 0.018) and practice (β = 0.164, P = 0.019), while attitude also directly influenced practice (β = 1.064, P = 0.007). Additionally, knowledge indirectly affected practice through attitude (β = 0.120, P = 0.015).

Healthcare professionals exhibited insufficient knowledge but generally positive attitudes and practices toward TMD management. Targeted educational interventions could significantly improve their knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practices in managing these disorders.

not applicable.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-025-08424-9.