Assessing knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder children among dentists in Gujarat – An electronic cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Introduction: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex neurobiological disorder that affects children and is characterized by lack of attention, impulsive behavior, and hyperactivity. Through this study, we measured the level of perception of dentists to ADHD. Methodology: A survey questionnaire was sent to 380 IDA members in the Gujarat branch as part of a cross-sectional study. The first part of the survey includes demographic data about the participants, then questions about ADHD knowledge and management. The data were uploaded into a computer and evaluated with SPSS software. The level of significance was set at P = 0.05, and any value below or equal to 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. Results: The participants had a good knowledge of ADHD; however, dental practitioners need to be more aware of dealing with such patients. The majority of participants lacked the necessary expertise to treat them, but they were still ready to provide dental treatment to people with ADHD as part of their dental practice. There was a significant correlation between work experience and years of practice. Conclusion: Appropriate training should be provided to dentists so they can treat patients with ADHD. To raise dentists' understanding of ADHD, well-planned programs and explicit policies should be developed using the current findings.