The incidence of oral cancer is rising in the Sudan. Detecting oral cancer at an early
stage is the most effective means of improving survival and reducing morbidity from
disease.
Aim: The aim of the present study was to determine the knowledge, attitude and
practice of dentists related to oral cancer prevention and early detection in public
dental clinics in Khartoum State, Sudan.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey using an administered structured
questionnaire was carried out. The questionnaire consisted of 28 questions that
included the key areas of oral cancer prevention and early detection. A sample of 130
dental practitioners was requested to participate in the study.
Results: The response rate was 86.92%. The majority were female (68.1%) between
the ages of 20 -40 years old. The majority were aware of the major risk factors and the
most common presentations of oral cancer. About two thirds (63.7%) perceived that
their knowledge on oral cancer was current. However, almost a third (35.4.6%)
reported that they had sufficient knowledge concerning oral cancer prevention. More
than half (54 percent) reported that they do not carry out any special examination to
detect oral cancer in asymptomatic patients. Two thirds (66.3%) believed that their
undergraduate training in the diagnosis of oral cancer was inadequate. The vast
majority (95.6%) were interested in further oral cancer continuing education and
88.5% that development of referral guidelines can improve the quality of referrals to
specialists.
Conclusions: The findings of the present study indicate that there is a need for further
training in the early detection and prevention of oral cancer, as well as an increased
emphasis on oral cancer diagnosis and prevention in the dental training curriculum.