Dental Students' Willingness To Treat HIV-infected Patients

Background: HIV-infected patients, with or without knowledge of their own serologic status, are seeking dental care in increasing numbers. Oral care in HIV infected individuals plays a vital role in improving nutritional intake, medication tolerance/effectiveness, treatment success rate and overall improvement of quality of life.

Objective: To assess the dental students' willingness to treat HIV-infected patients.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of the entire 76 final year dental students of University of Benin, Nigeria was conducted in December 2007. A self-administered questionnaire elicited information on demography, self-rated HIV/AIDS knowledge, attitudes towards homosexuals, infection control practices, occupational risk perception and willingness to care for HIV patients.

Results: Response rate was 76.3% (58/76). About four-fifty (77.5%) was in 25-30 years age group. Male: Female ratio was approximately 1:1.6. More than half (56.9%) of the respondents' HIV-related knowledge was rated as adequate. Four-fifth (81.0%) showed great interest in HIV-related information. Forty-eight (82.7%) respondents expressed their need for more knowledge on safety precautions during treatment of HIV infected patients. About half (53.4%) exhibited significant worry about occupational contagion.

Fifty (86.2%) respondents reported good infection control practices. About three quarters (74.2%) rated risk of HIV contagion from patients high while only one quarter of respondents (25.8%) reported unsympathetic attitude to homosexuals. Almost all respondents (98.3%) agreed that oral care in HIV patient improves their quality of life but only 58.8% expressed willingness to treat the HIV-infected patients. Only 46.5% will render volunteer dental services in HIV centers. HIV prevalence will determine the location of practice of about four-tenth (41.4%) of respondents.

Conclusion: Present data suggest the need to have a comprehensive educational/motivational program for the new generation of dentists, to ensure adequate care of the HIV-infected patients.