Evaluation of Dental Students Knowledge in Dijlah University about the Chemical Components of Saliva

Abstract

          This cross-section study was conducted in dental hospital at dijlah university college during period extended for three months (1jun – 1april 2023) where 250 dental students from second stage (122) and fifth stage (128) students were asked to answer pretested questioner designed by the researcher to measure the level of knowledge of dental students about chemical composition of saliva. The questioner includes two parts, the first part asked about gender, age, and stage of study. The second part includes twenty questions asked about chemical composition of saliva. The results indicated that older students had significantly better knowledge than younger students (p = 0.007). Specifically, 66.7% of students aged 22 and older had good knowledge, compared to only 33.3% of younger students. Male students had significantly better knowledge than female students (p = 0.01), with 69.4% of male students having good knowledge compared to only 30.6% of female students. Additionally, fifth-year students had significantly better knowledge than second-year students (p = 0.001), with 66.7% of fifth-year students having good knowledge compared to only 33.3% of second-year students. The findings of the present study suggest that age, gender, and academic experience are significant predictors of knowledge acquisition among students. Therefore, educational institutions should consider these factors while designing academic programs and activities to ensure that all students receive equal opportunities to acquire knowledge.