Assessment of Indonesian Dental Clinical Students’ Knowledge of Pharmacological Considerations for Geriatric Patients
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Abstract
Background: Indonesia is experiencing an aging population, leading to an increasing number of geriatric patients who often present with multiple comorbidities and require special pharmacological considerations during dental treatment. Insufficient knowledge in this area may increase the risk of medical complications and affect treatment outcomes.
Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge of dental clinical students regarding pharmacological considerations in geriatric patient care.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 86 dental clinical students at a faculty of dentistry of a private university in Jakarta, Indonesia. Data were collected using a questionnaire and analyzed using univariate analysis.
Results: Most respondents demonstrated a good level of knowledge (48.84%). The highest percentage of correct responses was found in questions related to the definition and characteristics of geriatric patients, while the lowest was observed in questions regarding polypharmacy.
Conclusion: Dental clinical students generally demonstrated good knowledge of pharmacological considerations in geriatric patient care. However, knowledge gaps between question categories, particularly concerning polypharmacy, indicate the need for further educational improvement.
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