Avaliação do conhecimento e conduta do estudante de odontologia e cirurgiões-dentistas sobre Endocardite Infecciosa.

Abstract

The objective of the current research study is to both evaluate the preparation of dental professionals and students, as well as their self-perception during the start of clinicals related to infective endocarditis (IE). This is a cross-sectional study based on an online questionnaire, which evaluated the aforementioned target group's knowledge on IE and its clinical conducts in at-risk or patients with this condition. The participants were selected based on convenience sampling. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, namely, Student's t-test and the chi-square test, using a significance level (p-value) set at 0.05. There were 205 participants in total, comprised of 101 dentists and 104 students. Analysis showed that surgical dentists self-declared that they had better knowledge than students. The majority of participants (87%) correctly defined IE. Heart valve disease was identified as the most high-risk condition for IE (80%), with heart failure (75%) and general infection (68%) being recognized the most as consequences of IE. In addition, 68% correctly marked the definition of antibiotic prophylaxis for IE and among the procedures that require antibiotic therapy for IE, periodontal surgery (93%) was the most chosen option. Regarding drugs and their dosages, 86% chose the correct option, and 45% indicated the correct minimum interval between consultations to avoid the emergence of resistant microorganisms. In conclusion, although dentists and dental students know the definition of IE, and the concept of antibiotic prophylaxis, details on high- risk conditions, disease consequences, the necessary day-interval to avoid the selection of resistant microorganisms and procedures that require antibiotic prophylaxis for IE, are still areas that present reasonable doubt in the participants knowledge. It is then necessary, that the subject be more widespread in educational institutions and that dentists keep up to date on such topics in the literature.