The Awareness Of Dentists Regarding Antibiotic Resistance In Dental Teaching Hospitals Of Peshawar, Pakistan

Objectives: Antibiotic resistance is one of the biggest threats to global health and development today. Study was to assess the awareness of dentists regarding antibiotic resistance in the dental teaching hospitals of Peshawar, Pakistan.

Methodology: Questionnaires were distributed to 250 dental practitioners working in the dental hospitals in Peshawar. Questionnaire evaluated awareness of dental clinicians regarding antimicrobial resistance. It sought answers to parameters influencing their decisions towards the need to prescribe antibiotics.

Results: 219 (88%) out of the 250 questionnaires were returned. 109 (49.8%) of the respondents were males. Analyses revealed around 55% of the dental practitioners were unaware of the concept of antimicrobial resistance. 31% of the participants considered prescribing adjunctive antibiotics despite conventional dental treatment being adequate. Before prescribing antibiotics, 14% of the practitioners did not deliberate taking a thorough history of self-medication from their patients. And a percentage like 25% did not consider the possibility of propagating antimicrobial resistance when prescribing antibiotics in their routine clinical practice. Penicillin was reported to be the most frequently prescribed antibiotic at 76%.

The questionnaire also revealed 27% lacked confidence in their asepsis practice during clinical procedures resorting to the prescription of antibiotics in order to prevent any risk of postoperative infections.

Conclusion: The participants were found to have mediocre knowledge in the area of antimicrobial prescribing and resistance. Coordinated efforts to implement new policies, renew research efforts, and pursue steps to manage this global crisis of antimicrobial resistance are greatly needed.