title: Physicians' knowledge of and adherence to improving oral health.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Integration of oral health promotion into general health care has been highly recommended by the World Health Organization. Primary-care physicians can as part of their general health care promote and contribute to improved oral health care. Our aim was to investigate primary-care physicians' knowledge of oral health, their attitudes toward delivering oral health care (OHC), and their willingness to obtain more education in this field.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional survey of all primary-care physicians working in the public health centers of Tehran city. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire queried their knowledge in pediatric- and general medicine-related areas of dentistry, providing knowledge scores to be calculated for three domains. The physicians' attitudes toward OHC and willingness to pursue continuous education underwent evaluation with statements utilizing a 5-point Likert scale. Totally, 220 physicians took part in the survey (response rate: 92%). Chi-square test, linear and logistic regression, and t-test served for statistical analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The physicians' knowledge score was significantly lower in the pediatric domain than in the dental and medical domains (p < 0.001). The number of physicians answering correctly to the pediatric questions was less than 40%. Almost all physicians (95%) reported it necessary for a physician to know about OHC and admitted (78%) that physicians' general knowledge in this field is inadequate. Further, 77% of the physicians expressed a will to implement preventive oral health activities in their practice, and almost two-thirds (62%) of them showed a willingness to pursue further education about OHC. Those with higher knowledge scores had a greater willingness to deliver oral health care to their patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians' lack of knowledge of OHC and their generally positive attitudes toward it revealed a great need for planning of a continuous medical education program in primary care.
authors.affiliation: Community Oral Health Department, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box 1439955991, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sepideh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rabiei
authors.forename: Simin Z
authors.initials: SZ
authors.lastname: Mohebbi
authors.forename: Kristiina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Patja
authors.forename: Jorma I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Virtanen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009909:Oral Health / Q000193:education; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D020377:Self Efficacy