title: Dentists' attitudes toward discussing Internet health information with their patients--does professional self-efficacy matter?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study explored the relation between professional self-efficacy and the attitudes of dentists toward discussing Internet dental health information with their patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-seven dentists answered a questionnaire examining professional self-efficacy and attitudes toward patients wishing to discuss dental health information obtained through the Internet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A correlation was found between professional experience (in years) and professional self-efficacy [r point by serial (rpb) = 0.27, P < 0.05]. No statistically significant correlation was found between specialty and professional self-efficacy (rpb = 0.11, P < 0.4), and between professional self-efficacy and attitudes toward patients who wish to discuss dental health information (rpb = 0.22, P > 0.1). Specialists were more willing to converse with their patients than nonspecialists. Most participants did not find discussing information from the Internet to be time-consuming.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This pilot study's results indicate that (a) Specialists in dentistry were more willing to discuss Internet dental health information with their patients than nonspecialists; (b) Dentists with high professional self-efficacy had a positive attitude toward patients who wish to discuss Internet dental health information with them; and (c) Further studies are needed to investigate and validate the results of the present study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High professional self-efficacy may improve general dentists' attitudes toward patients who wish to discuss Internet dental health information. The dental community should seek to expand the professional self-efficacy of its members in order to enable them to adequately deal with patients' needs.
authors.forename: Tickotsky
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nili
authors.forename: Moskovitz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moti
authors.forename: Caspi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D054626:Consumer Health Information; D003812:Dentist-Patient Relations; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011361:Professional Competence; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013039:Specialties, Dental; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires