Knowledge of oral health among family medicine physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2020

BACKGROUND: Preventive oral health care (OHC) is an important part of preventive health care and needs to be started early in life. Family physicians are in a position where they can help to initiate preventive OHC. From previous literature, oral health has an impact on the general health and quality of life of individuals with a large burden on the health care system. In addition, pediatricians and family physicians lack knowledge in oral health and can be unwilling to participate in preventive OHC. We aim to increase family physicians’ knowledge of oral health. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to measure the level of knowledge about oral health and identify some of its determinants among family physicians working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study that included 187 family physicians to measure the knowledge of family doctors about oral health using a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The total mean score was 119.28 ± 11.26 out of 175, indicating a poor level of knowledge level about oral health. CONCLUSION: Family physicians in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia lack knowledge of oral health. These findings make it necessary to include oral health topics during residency and continuing medical education programs.