Knowledge, attitude, and practice of general dental practitioners on aggressive periodontitis in Qazvin

Background: The effects of aggressive periodontal disease in several clinical studies are shown. Knowledge, attitude and practice of dentists in this regard can lead to better diagnosis and timely treatment of patients. Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practice of dentists on aggressive periodontal disease in Qazvin. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out on 140 general dental practitioners in the province of Qazvin (Iran) in 2010. A questionnaire was the data gathering tool of the study and prepared according to the reliable sources. After completing the questionnaire, the data was analyzed by SPSS software using the Pearson correlation test, t-test, and ANOVA. Findings: The average knowledge score (p=0.004 F=5.89), attitude (p=0.018 F=4.18), and practice (p=0.468 F=0.765) of individuals decreased with increased experience. The highest mean attitude score (1.3±5.19) and function (1.16±3.44) were found in dentists under 30 years and the lowest average score (1.03±2.64) in individuals older than 41 years. The average score of knowledge, attitude, and performance was higher in women than men (1.76±5 versus 1.5±3.48 p=0.003 T=-3.04). Conclusion: Based on results found in the present study, the inclusion of topics regarding the aggressive periodontal disease through retraining courses seems to be necessary in promoting the professional knowledge of dentists.