title: Level of awareness of oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders among medical and dental undergraduates.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the awareness of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) and oral cancer among medical and dental students of the University of Peradeniya. A pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire was used among 1006 students. Majority were medical students (74.3%), females (60.5%), and in the second year (25.2%). About 54% of respondents had poor knowledge. Dental students had a significantly higher knowledge and female students showed greater awareness. About 90% of medical students had never examined a patient with OPMD, and 79.5% of them had not examined one with oral cancer. Medical undergraduates must receive adequate education about OPMD and cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. ruwanja@pdn.ac.lk.
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Jayasinghe
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Sherminie
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Amarasinghe
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sitheeque
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004497:Education, Dental; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000523:psychology*; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult