Knowledge and attitudes of Saudi dental undergraduates on oral cancer.

Oral cancer awareness among future dental practitioners may have an impact on the early detection and prevention of oral cancer. A cross-sectional survey was undertaken to assess the current knowledge of future Saudi dentists on oral cancer and their opinions on oral cancer prevention. A pretested questionnaire was sent to 550 undergraduate dental students in the fourth, fifth, and sixth year of the Al-Farabi College for Dentistry and Nursing, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Questions relating to knowledge of oral cancer, risk factors, and opinions on oral cancer prevention and practices were posed. Four hundred seventy-nine students returned the questionnaire (87.1 %). Eighty-one percent of respondents correctly answered questions relating to oral cancer awareness. Eighty-seven percent of respondents felt confident in performing a systematic oral examination to detect changes consistent with oral malignancy. Interestingly, 57 % of respondents had seen the use of oral cancer diagnostics aids. Thirty-seven percent of respondents felt inadequately trained to provide tobacco and alcohol cessation advice. There is a need to reinforce the undergraduate dental curriculum with regards to oral cancer education; particularly in its prevention and early detection. Incorporating the use of oral cancer diagnostic aids should be made mandatory.

Spirometric reference values for healthy nonsmoking Saudi adults.

OBJECTIVES: To derive prediction equations of spirometric values of healthy Saudi adults and to compare the derived equations with equations reported in selected population. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of healthy nonsmoking men and women Saudi adults. The measured spirometric values were the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1 ), peak expiratory flow (PEF) and forced mid-expiratory flow (FEF 25%-75%). RESULTS: A total of 621 spirometric tests were done. The prediction equations were derived using the following formula: Predicted spirometric value = constant + (b1 × age) + (b2 × height (cm)), where b1 and b2 represent the regression coefficients for age and height, respectively. Variable Constant Age (years) Height (cm) Variable Constant Age (years) Height (cm) Males (n = 292) Females (n = 175) FVC -2.933 -0.018 0.046 FVC -3.470 -0.016 0.045 FEV1 -1.886 -0.019 0.036 FEV1 -2.482 -0.018 0.036 FEV1 /FVC (%) 98.41 -0.095 -0.068 FEV1 /FVC (%) 100.67 -0.142 -0.072 PEF 17.274 -1.243 3.471 PEF -226.648 -0.499 4.076 FEF25%-75% 0.100 -0.024 0.027 FEF25%-75% -1.337 -0.021 0.031 The means of the measured FVC and FEV1 were significantly lower than the predicted values derived by the American equations of -7.2% and -4.6% among males, respectively (P value < 0.00001), and -4.7%, and -5.26% among females, respectively (P value < 0.00001). CONCLUSION: The reference spirometric values derived in our study were significantly lower than the predicted values derived by the American equations.