Iranian Dental Students’ Level of Knowledge Regarding the Interpretation of Radiographic Images of Oral Lesions: Is the Standard Training Sufficient?

Introdouction: Dentists need to be able to diagnose jaw lesions due to professional responsibilities to refer affected patients for expeditious treatment as needed. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge of senior dental students in Qazvin University of Medical Sciences regarding the interpretation of radiographic images of oral lesions. The study took place in 2011-2012. Materials and methods: This descriptive-analytical trial involved 36 dental students enrolled in the practical and theoretical radiology course and oral medicine during their final educational session. A questionnaire was designed, and students were asked to express their diagnoses following observation and interpretations of nine different diagnostic aspects in dental images in 3 questions and write the first probable diagnosis for 10 items in one question. The studentsʹ scores were calculated and statistically analyzed by one-sided analysis of variance and student t-tests. Results: The studentsʹ mean score was 14.32 (+-) 2.09, out of a maximum score of 20. The maximum and minimum scores of participants were 18.0 and 10.5, respectively. No significant differences were noted between the scores of male and female students. Conclusion: In total, participating students demonstrated an acceptable level of knowledge in the interpretation of radiographic images.