title: Dentists' knowledge, attitudes and practices toward patients with epilepsy in Hyderabad city, India.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was designed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices about epilepsy among a group of dentists in Hyderabad city, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  All dentists registered with the local Dental Association branch were eligible to participate in this questionnaire study. Descriptive and Inferential Statistics were used. Multiple group analysis was done using Kruskal-Wallis, and Mann Whitney U Test was used for two-group comparison. The variables were taken as significant at a p value of 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 217 respondents with mean age of 33.16±10.4 years participated in the study. Most respondents possessed a post-graduate (Master of Dental Surgery - MDS) degree (59.4%). A convulsion or shaking was identified as the most familiar recognizable symptom of epilepsy. 84.3% of the dentists would not object to their children having association with patients with epilepsy, and 61.3% would not object to their relative marrying a person with a history of epilepsy. A large number of dentists (178; 82%) were confident to treat a person with epilepsy. 95.3% assumed that they have an ethical responsibility to treat this population. None of the practice-related questions showed any significant difference with respect to different age groups, gender or the education levels (BDS/MDS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study reflects that this group of Indian dentists has a fairly high knowledge and positive attitudes toward patients with epilepsy. This encouraging approach and confidence among dentists may positively influence patients with epilepsy to seek dental care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Dentistry, Panineeya Institute of Dental Sciences, Hyderabad, India. doshidolar@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Dolar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doshi
authors.forename: B Srikanth
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Suhas
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kulkarni
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Karunakar
authors.forename: Anup
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: N
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires