Evaluation of Awareness of General Practitioners Working in Yazd, Iran, Concerning Oral Diseases in 2015

Background: The incorporation of oral health promotion into general healthcare has been proposed by the World Health Organization. General practitioners (GPs) could play a vital role in the promotion of oral healthcare. Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the awareness of oral and maxillofacial medicine specialty and its scope of practice among Iranian GPs. Methods: The present cross-sectional study was conducted in Yazd, Iran. A total of 95 GPs randomly filled out a close-ended questionnaire. Responses to the questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics. The self-administered questionnaire comprised 35 items and covered the demographical details and characteristics of participants, in addition to their awareness of oral and maxillofacial medicine and its scope of practice. Finally, awareness scores were classified as weak, intermediate, and good. The data were analyzed using a t-test and Pearson correlation. A P-value ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant for all statistical analyses. Results: Only 24.2% of GPs had enough awareness. The mean score of total awareness about oral diseases was 11.82 ± 3. The mean scores of total awareness for the oral manifestations of systemic diseases, medical considerations in dentistry, and oral lesions were 3.59 ± 1.17, 3.96 ± 1.62, and 4.27 ± 1.65, respectively. Conclusions: According to this study, the awareness of GPs playing a key role regarding oral medicine and oral manifestations of systemic diseases was weak. It is recommended to revise the medical curriculum to incorporate related courses about common oral diseases into the medical curriculum. The aim will only be achieved by improving the coordination between dentists and GPs.