title: Oral cancer knowledge of senior dental students in Zahedan, South-East of Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral carcinoma is one of the common types of cancer and one of the 10 leading causes of death around the world. This study was conducted to evaluate senior dental student knowledge about oral cancerous lesions in Zahedan Dental School.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional research, all the students in the last academic year at the School of Dentistry were studied during year of 2013. The study questionnaire covered demographic data as well as 12 questions concerning the knowledge of oral cancer. Data were collected and analyzed with SPSS18 using independent t-test, one way ANOVA. Significance level was considered as p≤0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 104 senior dental students, with an average age of 27.34± 7.79 years, who participated in this study, 32 (30.8%) were female and 72 (69.2%) were male. The mean score of the students regarding the knowledge of oral cancer was 7.24±2.61. 20 students (19.2%) had a weak knowledge, 45 students (43.3%) had a moderate knowledge, and 39 students (37.5%) had a good knowledge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The student knowledge of oral cancer is not satisfactory and they need to receive additional information and education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine, Dental Research Center, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, 2Statistical Consultant, Department of Mathematics, Zahedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, 3Dental Office, Zahedan, Iran E-mail : honarmand56@ yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Marieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Honarmand
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hajihosseini
authors.forename: Forugh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akbari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms; D009909:Oral Health; D013335:Students, Dental; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult