title: Antibiotic Prescription Knowledge of Dentists in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: An Online, Country-wide Survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Dentists are probably contributing to the development of bacterial resistance to certain antibiotics. Campaigns to promote prudent use of antibiotics in dentistry are, thus, needed but require proper identification of dentists' knowledge gaps. The objective here was to comprehensively evaluate antibiotic prescription knowledge of dentists in Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A link to an online, previously validated questionnaire was emailed to 5199 dentists registered with the Saudi Dental Society. The questionnaire comprised 42 scorable items measuring antibiotics prescription knowledge in five different domains in addition to nonscorable questions regarding first-choice antibiotics and previous attendance of a course/workshop about antibiotic prescription. Each correct answer was given one mark. Mean scores were calculated as percentages and categorized as good (> 80%), intermediate (60-80%), or poor (< 60%).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The response rate was 9.4%; however, only 373 (7.2%) fully completed the questionnaire. Around half of the participants (52%) reported prescribing amoxicillin/clavulanate as the first-choice antibiotic; 62% reported attending a course/workshop in the last 5 years. The average knowledge score was 69%, being highest for nonclinical indications (79%) and lowest for prophylactic use (56%). The worst per-item scores were noted for rheumatic heart disease (19%), trismus (28%), surgical extraction (30%), apicectomy (31%), and periodontal abscess (33%). Female dentists, dentists in governmental sector, and those with higher qualifications had significantly better knowledge.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The level of knowledge was hardly intermediate and several deficits were identified, indicating an urgent need for educational campaigns and provision of guidelines promoting rational use of antibiotics by dentists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Irrational use of antibiotics by dentists can contribute to the problem of antibacterial resistance.
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor, Department of Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences College of Dentistry, Jazan University, PO Box: 114, Jazan 45142, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Phone: +00966 536293564 e-mail: mhelboub@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Esam
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Halboub
authors.affiliation: Jazan Dental Center, Ministry of Health, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulaziz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alzaili
authors.affiliation: Division of Dental Public Health, College of Dentistry, Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mir Faeq Ali
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Quadri
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Dentistry, Faculty of Health Sciences UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Haroni
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Restorative Dental Sceinces, College of Dentistry King Saud University, P.O. Box: 60169, Riyadh 11545, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Phone: +00966 504496211, e-mail: malobaida@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ibrahim
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Al-Obaida
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Dentistry, College of Dentistry Jazan University, Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nezar Noor
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Al-Hebshi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003815:Dentists; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019359:Knowledge; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009862:Online Systems; D019239:Practice Patterns, Dentists'; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents
keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Antimicrobial agents; Dentistry; Drug prescription; Knowledge.