Publication

Abstract : Introduction: Resistance to antimicrobials poses a global threat. Dentists are frequent prescribers of antibiotics, and irrational prescribing can contribute to the burden. Educational interventions are most effective during the early years of training. This study aimed to assess improvement in knowledge, attitude and practice of antimicrobial resistance among dental interns following an educational intervention. Methods: A quasi-experimental study (before and after study) was conducted in a dental teaching institution in Kerala, India. The module was adapted from Antimicrobial Stewardship: A competency-based approach, A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) by the World Health Organization. A post-test was conducted three months after baseline evaluation using previously validated questionnaires consisting of four domains (knowledge, attitude, practice, and clinical scenarios). Results: A total of 43 dental interns participated in the study. The mean pre-test and post-test scores for the knowledge domain were 7.11 ± 1.00 and 7.39 ± 1.39 (p=0.262). Mean attitude scores showed a statistically significant increase from 6.23 ± 0.78 to 7.04 ± 0.92 (p<0.001). In the practice domain, there was a marginal decrease in the mean scores from 6.18 ± 1.13 to 5.95 ± 1.55 (p=0.390). Response to questions in the mock clinical scenarios showed an improvement in scores from 1.23 ± 1.08 to 1.74 ± 1.51 after the intervention, but the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.102). Conclusions: Implementing an educational module showed an improved attitude towards antimicrobial resistance. No significant changes were observed with knowledge scores, while practice-related questions showed a marginal decline. Clinical trial registration: The study protocol was registered with the Clinical Trial Registry of India.