Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Document Type

Thesis - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Dentistry

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

Department

College of Dental Medicine

First Advisor

Jennifer Chung

Date of original Performance / Presentation

January 2024

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1-1-2024

Abstract

Introduction: Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted virus affecting around 13 million people yearly in the United States. HPV is a causative factor for various types of cancers, including oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. HPV vaccination prevents these related cancers by preventing the infections that cause them. The purpose of this study is to determine if increased knowledge about HPV impacts dental students’ willingness to discuss HPV and HPV vaccination with patients in the dental setting. Methods: This quasi-experimental study recruited participants from second year predoctoral dental students at Nova Southeastern University, College of Dental Medicine. Participants received a pre-intervention assessment of their knowledge and attitudes about HPV. The participants then received an educational intervention about HPV and HPV prevention, after which they completed a post-intervention assessment to examine changes in knowledge level and attitudes about HPV. Lastly, participants completed a one-month follow-up knowledge assessment to evaluate the level of knowledge retention. Descriptive statistics were calculated, t-tests were used to assess changes in knowledge level, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to assess changes in attitudes related to HPV. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between HPV knowledge and willingness of dental students to discuss HPV and HPV vaccination with patients in the dental setting. Results: Results indicate a significant, 11.4% increase in mean knowledge between pre-lecture (15.68, SD = 2.03) and post-lecture (17.47, SD = 2.51) scores; p < .001. Attitude items, “I am able to provide accurate and compelling information about HPV and the HPV vaccine to patients to aid in making the decision to vaccinate” and “I believe my patients will be comfortable discussing HPV and HPV vaccination with their dentist” showed a significant increase in levels of agreement; p < .001. The remaining items from the Attitude Assessment showed no significant changes in levels of agreement. Additionally, no significant association was found between knowledge level and scores for the four items related to willingness to discuss HPV and HPV vaccination, time spent discussing HPV, or referral of patients for vaccination before and after the intervention. There was no significant difference between the mean post-intervention knowledge score immediately following the intervention (18.17, SD = 2.94) and the mean knowledge score at 1-month follow-up (18.17, SD = 3.03); p = 1.00. Conclusions: This study highlights the successes and challenges in improving dental students' knowledge and attitudes regarding HPV and HPV vaccination. While the intervention increased knowledge and certain attitudes, willingness to discuss HPV or HPV vaccination with patients did not change significantly as a result of the intervention. As evidenced by the pre-lecture assessment, second-year students demonstrated a predisposition to discuss HPV with patients, likely attributed to their level of education and altruistic tendencies towards patient care. Gaps in HPV understanding persist, highlighting a need for targeted education. Addressing stigma and providing communication training can likely enhance discussions about HPV in dental settings, fostering better overall understanding.

Disciplines

Dentistry

Keywords

dentistry; human papillomavirus; immunization; oropharyngeal cancer; pediatric dentistry; vaccine

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