Preparedness for early detection of oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders among Saudi dental students: a multicenter cross-sectional survey
9 affiliations
- 1Department of Oral Maxillofacial Surgery and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University , ,
- 2Department of Dentistry, Vision Colleges , ,
- 3Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University , ,
- 4College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University , ,
- 5Faculty of Dentistry, King Saud, University , ,
- 6Department of Paediatric Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University , ,
- 7Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University , ,
- 8Department of Preventive Dentistry, College of Medicine and Dentistry, Riyadh Elm University , ,
- 9Department of Restorative and Prosthetic Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, Dar Al Uloom University , ,
Abstract
Background: Oral cancer remains a major global health challenge, with delayed diagnosis contributing to poor prognosis and reduced survival. Dental students play an important role in early detection; however, deficiencies in preparedness and diagnostic confidence have been reported. This study assessed oral cancer knowledge, oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) awareness, and diagnostic confidence among Saudi dental students.
Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 354 dental students and interns from governmental and private dental schools in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire assessed oral cancer knowledge, OPMD knowledge, and self-reported diagnostic confidence related to screening and biopsy procedures. Participants were classified as meeting or not meeting a study-defined minimum operational threshold of ≥60% of the maximum possible score in each domain; this cutoff was not interpreted as a definition of “good” performance or clinical competence. Associations between participant characteristics and study outcomes were examined using chi-square tests and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses.
Results: Overall, 81.9% of participants met the oral cancer knowledge threshold, 55.4% met the OPMD knowledge threshold, and 24.0% met the diagnostic confidence threshold. Most participants correctly identified major oral cancer risk factors, including tobacco smoking (97.2%), alcohol consumption (92.7%), and human papillomavirus infection (86.7%). However, clinically oriented response patterns highlighted areas for educational attention. 20.1% selected the prespecified specialist-referral response for management of a persistent suspicious lesion, while 35.6% recognized factors associated with increased malignant transformation risk in leukoplakia. Intern status remained independently associated with meeting the oral cancer knowledge and diagnostic confidence thresholds in multivariable analyses. The diagnostic-confidence outcome reflected self-perceived preparedness rather than observed screening, referral, or procedural competence.
Conclusion: A high proportion of Saudi dental students met the study-defined oral cancer knowledge threshold; however, self-reported diagnostic confidence and preparedness for early detection remained considerably lower. Strengthening competency-based oral cancer education and clinical training may improve early detection preparedness and referral practices among future dental practitioners. Because the domains assessed different constructs and had different effective cutoffs, their threshold proportions should not be compared directly; the diagnostic-confidence findings represent perceived preparedness only.
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BibTeX
@article{tarakji2026preparedness,
title = {{Preparedness for early detection of oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders among Saudi dental students: a multicenter cross-sectional survey}},
author = {Bassel Tarakji and Anas Alsalhani and Faisal Mehsen Alali and Nasser Raqe Alqhtani and Abdullah Saad Alqahtani and Abdullah bin nabhan and Abdullah Almansour and Abdulaziz Alrubayyi and Majed Kariri and Mohammed Said Alshahrei and Lina A. Alshahrani and Mohammed Alshammari and Rawda Omar Alghabban and Halah Thanoon and Deema Alshammery and Mohammad Zakaria Nassani and Faisal S. Alhedyan},
journal = {Frontiers in oncology},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3389/fonc.2026.1914773},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13661908},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Preparedness for early detection of oral cancer and oral potentially malignant disorders among Saudi dental students: a multicenter cross-sectional survey
AU - Bassel Tarakji
AU - Anas Alsalhani
AU - Faisal Mehsen Alali
AU - Nasser Raqe Alqhtani
AU - Abdullah Saad Alqahtani
AU - Abdullah bin nabhan
AU - Abdullah Almansour
AU - Abdulaziz Alrubayyi
AU - Majed Kariri
AU - Mohammed Said Alshahrei
AU - Lina A. Alshahrani
AU - Mohammed Alshammari
AU - Rawda Omar Alghabban
AU - Halah Thanoon
AU - Deema Alshammery
AU - Mohammad Zakaria Nassani
AU - Faisal S. Alhedyan
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Frontiers in oncology
DO - 10.3389/fonc.2026.1914773
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13661908
AB - Background: Oral cancer remains a major global health challenge, with delayed diagnosis contributing to poor prognosis and reduced survival. Dental students play an important role in early detection; however, deficiencies in preparedness and diagnostic confidence have been reported. This study assessed oral cancer knowledge, oral potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) awareness, and diagnostic confidence among Saudi dental students. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 354 dental students and interns from governmental and private dental schools in Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire assessed oral cancer knowledge, OPMD knowledge, and self-reported diagnostic confidence related to screening and biopsy procedures. Participants were classified as meeting or not meeting a study-defined minimum operational threshold of ≥60% of the maximum possible score in each domain; this cutoff was not interpreted as a definition of “good” performance or clinical competence. Associations between participant characteristics and study outcomes were examined using chi-square tests and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses. Results: Overall, 81.9% of participants met the oral cancer knowledge threshold, 55.4% met the OPMD knowledge threshold, and 24.0% met the diagnostic confidence threshold. Most participants correctly identified major oral cancer risk factors, including tobacco smoking (97.2%), alcohol consumption (92.7%), and human papillomavirus infection (86.7%). However, clinically oriented response patterns highlighted areas for educational attention. 20.1% selected the prespecified specialist-referral response for management of a persistent suspicious lesion, while 35.6% recognized factors associated with increased malignant transformation risk in leukoplakia. Intern status remained independently associated with meeting the oral cancer knowledge and diagnostic confidence thresholds in multivariable analyses. The diagnostic-confidence outcome reflected self-perceived preparedness rather than observed screening, referral, or procedural competence. Conclusion: A high proportion of Saudi dental students met the study-defined oral cancer knowledge threshold; however, self-reported diagnostic confidence and preparedness for early detection remained considerably lower. Strengthening competency-based oral cancer education and clinical training may improve early detection preparedness and referral practices among future dental practitioners. Because the domains assessed different constructs and had different effective cutoffs, their threshold proportions should not be compared directly; the diagnostic-confidence findings represent perceived preparedness only.
SN - 2234-943X
ER -