Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose levels, polyuria, polydipsia and weight loss. Diabetes is the eight leading cause of deaths among both the sexes and accounts for about 1.5million diabetes deaths and 2.2million deaths from associated complications worldwide. As DM is a preventable disease, dental students being a part of the health care team can raise public awareness which plays a vital role in diabetes management and reducing economic burden especially in developing countries like India. Aim:To assess diabetes related knowledge among dental students of Vinayaka Mission’s Sankarachariyar (VMS) Dental College in Salem, Tamilnadu, India.Materials and Methods: A cross sectional questionnaire based study was carried out for about two dayswhich encompassed first, second, third, fourth year dental students and interns. Knowledge of respondents regarding diabetes was measured using 15 item self-administered modified Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire (DKQ). Results: When knowledge regarding diabetes was considered, more than half (65.3%) of the participants believed that sweet consumption causes diabetes. Almost half (49.9%) of the students were unaware that HbA1c is accurate test to assess blood glucose level. Furthermore, 51% respondents perceived that diabetic patient should always take insulin injection and about 38.3% dental students consider that diabetes is a curable disease. Female dental students attending clinical sessions had a better knowledge compared to males and preclinical students. Conclusion: Some of the misconceptions among the students need to be addressed as academic dental institutions are considered safety nets for low-income populations.
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2022: 6.012
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