Perception, interest, and experience of dental students at a Brazilian public university in the care of people with disabilities: a cross-sectional study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.34019/1982-8047.2026.v52.52756Palavras-chave:
People with Disabilities, Perception, Students, DentalResumo
Introduction: Oral care for persons with disabilities (PwD) represents a growing challenge for healthcare systems, particularly due to inadequate professional training. Objective: This study aimed to assess the perception, interest, and experience of dental students at a Brazilian public university regarding the care of people with disabilities (PwD). Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with dental students from the 5th to 10th semesters (total of 149 eligible students). The study involved the development and expert validation of a questionnaire, followed by its remote application to participants. Descriptive statistics and Fisher's Exact Test were used for data analysis, with a significance level set at 5%. Results: A total of 133 students participated (response rate 89.26%); 78.9% were female, and 35.3% reported knowing someone with a disability. The majority (82.7%) had never provided care to a PwD, and 91% had not received any formal education on this topic during their dental training. Nearly all participants (98.5%) expressed the need for a specific discipline addressing this area and stated they would enroll if it were offered. Most students (63.9%) reported high interest in the subject, while 78.2% felt unprepared to care for PwD. A statistically significant association was found between prior personal contact with a PwD and higher interest in the topic (p=0.001). Conclusion: The findings, drawn from this institution and based on self-reported data, indicate that the dental curriculum offers limited practical exposure and reveal a deficiency in educational content focused on PwD. Students recognize the importance of this knowledge and express a desire to incorporate it into their undergraduate course.
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