DETERMINATION OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT RATIONAL DRUG USE OF 4TH GRADE DENTISTRY STUDENTS

Authors : Sencer Yurtsever, R Nalan Tiftik

Pages : 57-66

View : 16 | Download : 41

Publication Date : 2024-12-23

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Purpose: Irrational drug use cause important problems in dentistry such as treatment failure, drug resistance, and an increase in adverse effects. Rational use of medicine (RUM) training in dentistry should be given effectively. Firstly, the knowledge of dentistry students related to RUM should be known. We aimed to determine the knowledge the students of a dental faculty on RUM. Method: In this cross-sectional/descriptive study, a 32-question online questionnaire was applied to students in 4th-grade at a University Faculty of Dentistry. Results: Almost all the students think that patients should be informed about their diseases/their treatments, while 28.6% are undecided regarding prescribing the drugs requested by patients, and 5.7% of them were indecisive about the prescribing to the patient without being examined. Almost all have sufficient knowledge regarding informing the patient about the use of the treatment. Nonetheless, 20% of students are undecided informing the patient about side-effects and possible food/drug interactions with the prescribed medications. Students have sufficient knowledge about the rational drug selection criteria of effectiveness, safety, and suitability. However, their knowledge about the importance of treatment costs is lower because 28.6% are undecided about taking the drug cost into consideration, and 5.7% stated that it should not be considered. 28.6% of the students are undecided about prescribing drugs, considering the purchasing power of the patients. Our findings show that dentistry students have sufficient knowledge about RUM. However, the importance of informing patients about the drugs and considering the cost of treatment should be emphasized more in the RUM training.
Keywords : rational use of medicine, rational drug use education, dentistry student