Knowledge of dentists as regards oral cancer

Objective: To verify the knowledge of dentists from Feira de Santana, Bahia, with regard to oral cancer in 2006. Method: An exploratory study was conducted in which a questionnaire was applied to a random sample of 240 dentists in Feira de Santana, Bahia, in 2006. Results: Among those interviewed, it was found that 62.9% were women and 62.9% were between the ages of 20 and 37 years. Of the professionals interviewed, 21.1% reported not investigating the presence of oral lesions in the first consultation, and 69.5% of professionals considered their level of confidence low for performing diagnostic procedures for oral cancer. Only 3.7% of the interviewees obtained an excellent grade with regard to their knowledge. Conclusion: The dentists from Feira de Santana, Bahia, did not show minimum necessary knowledge with regard to the disease. This situation suggests the need to reformulate education in order to qualify professionals to diagnose the disease early, and investments in public health policies that enable the adoption of strategies to reduce morbidity and mortality of the disease.