AN ASSESSMENT OF AWARENESS, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICE REGARDING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DIABETES MELLITUS & PERIODONTITIS AMONG GENERAL DENTAL & MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS IN 3 MAJOR CITIES OF MADHYA PRADESH, INDIA- A SURVEY.

Background: Diabetes mellitus and periodontal diseases evidently have a bidirectional relationship. To apply this into daily practise, an awareness among dentists and physicians of the same is imperative. Thus, a KAP (knowledge, attitude and practice) survey was conducted among dental and medical practitioners about the association between diabetes mellitus and periodontitis.Methodology: A survey was conducted among 563 dental & medical practitioners (263 physicians and 300 dentists) in 3 cities of Madhya Pradesh. Information on knowledge about complications related to periodontal conditions, attitude regarding diabetes and periodontal disease and the relation between the two was collected. Association between categorical was computed using Chi square test, with the α-level set at 0.05.Results: Dentists were more aware about impact of diabetes complications on periodontal health as compared to physicians (p<0.05). Majority of dentists referred their patients to physicians for medical evaluation and were more interested in learning about bidirectional relationship between diabetes mellitus & periodontal health, while fewer physicians referred their patients to dentists. The preferred mode of learning for dental practitioners was through conferences or CDEs, while medical practitioners preferred professional journals.Conclusion: The knowledge, awareness and practice regarding bidirectional association between diabetes and periodontitis of dentists fared better than the physicians.