Knowledge and perception about dental implants among undergraduate dental students

INTRODUCTION: Awareness about dental implants is increasing among dental patients, which demands a higher level of competence for dental students. So, the objective of this study was to assess the knowledge and perception of undergraduate dental students about dental implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted after taking ethical clearance and approval from the Institutional Review Committee of B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences and informed consent from each dental college of Nepal. The sample included all those students who were present at the time of survey. Data collection were carried out during the academic schedules of the colleges, supervised, and monitored by the investigators themselves. Collected data were coded, entered in Microsoft excel 2013 and descriptive analysis was carried out. RESULTS: A majority of the total (54.6%) and 59.2% of 5(th) year respondents perceived to be moderately well-informed about dental implants. The main advantage of dental implants was thought to be longevity by 53.1% of total and 48.4% of 5(th) year students; only 27.6% of the total and 42.2% of 5(th) year students said the main advantage of dental implants is they are more conservative than other tooth-replacement modalities. Highest percentage of the total respondents (31.9%) said most important factor for implant success to be implant type and material, whereas 59.8% of 5(th) year students said case selection. Those who felt dental implants require additional oral hygiene maintenance and care by the patient and dentist were 58.4% of total and 75.1% of 5(th) year students. Over two-thirds (67.5%) of total thought that economic feasibility will limit use of dental implants in Nepal. The difficulty encountered to place implants was perceived to be average by 56.8% of total and 58.1% of 5(th) year. There were differences in the perception and knowledge at different academic levels, but not as expected. CONCLUSIONS: It could not be concluded that knowledge about dental implants increased with increase in academic level. Even at the late-clinical year a majority of students gave unsatisfactory responses.