Sleep medicine education and knowledge among undergraduate dental students in Middle East universities.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to assess the undergraduate dental education in sleep medicine in Middle East universities as well as the students' knowledge in this field.


METHODS
A cross-sectional observational study was carried out during the period from September 2013 to April 2014.Two different questionnaires were used. A self-administered questionnaire and a cover letter were emailed and distributed to 51 randomly selected Middle East dental schools to gather information about their undergraduate sleep medicine education offered in the academic year 2012-2013.The second questionnaire was distributed to the fifth-year dental students in the 2nd Sharjah International Dental Student Conference in April 2014, to assess their knowledge on sleep medicine. A survey to assess knowledge of sleep medicine in medical education (Modified ASKME Survey) was used.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine out of 51 (76%) responded to the first questionnaire. Out of the responding schools, only nine schools (23%) reported the inclusion of sleep medicine in their undergraduate curriculum. The total average hours dedicated to teaching sleep medicine in the responding dental schools was 1.2 hours. In the second questionnaire, 29.2% of the respondents were in the high score group, whereas 70.8% scored low in knowledge of sleep-related breathing disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
Dental students in Middle East universities receive a weak level of sleep medicine education resulting in poor knowledge in this field.
a College of Dental Medicine, University of Sharjah , UAE.|b College of Dentistry, Suez Canal University , Ismailia , Egypt.
Wael
W
Talaat
a College of Dental Medicine, University of Sharjah , UAE.
Balsam
B
AlRozzi
a College of Dental Medicine, University of Sharjah , UAE.
Sausan Al
SA
Kawas
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003479:Curriculum; D004497:Education, Dental; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008877:Middle East; D056508:Sleep Medicine Specialty / Q000193:education*; D013335:Students, Dental; D055815:Young Adult
Dental education; Middle East universities; Obstructive sleep apnea; Sleep medicine education