First: the demographic characteristics
In this study, 400 dentists agreed to participate, thus resulting in a 100% response rate. Female dentists consisted 51.5% and male dentists consisted 48.5% with ages > 35 years and most of them were single (67%) with bachelor's dentistry degree (83%) graduated in Yemen (83.5%) with low years of expert (1–5) years as shown in figures (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6)
Second: Analysis of the research objectives
-Regarding the knowledge of participants about prescribing antibiotics, the average knowledge was 57.5% as shown in Fig. 8. Moreover, Tables 1 and 2 show the smallest and largest number of patients referred to dental clinics and the number of systemic antibiotics prescribed per week. Table 3 shows low knowledge (43%) of participants about the best antibiotics prescribed to pregnant women, as well as the questions about the minimum number of days of antibiotics administration (95.8%) while showing high knowledge regarding the methods of antibiotics administration (95.7%)
However, the outcomes of the present study showed that the important sources of information for the most of participants are the internet (36.5%) as shown in Table 4. Additionally, the most antibiotic prescribed is amoxicillin (36.8%) as shown in table 5. Table 6 shows the good alternative antibiotic (36%) in the presence of penicillin-allergy.
Table (1): The number of patients per week
Number of patients per week | N | Average | Standard deviation |
The smallest number of patients per week | 400 | 15.67 | 11.8 |
The largest number of patients during a week | 400 | 25.85 | 18.9 |
Table (2): The number of antibiotic prescriptions per week
The number of systemic antibiotics prescribed per week | N | Average | Standard deviation |
The lowest number of antibiotics per week | 400 | 7.02 | 6.14 |
The largest number of antibiotics per week | 400 | 11.67 | 8.48 |
Table (3): Dentists ’knowledge about prescribing antibiotics
N | Paragraphs on the axis of doctors' knowledge | Wrong answer | Right answer |
N | % | N | % |
1 | What are the most common methods of administration | 19 | 4.3% | 381 | 95.7% |
2 | What is the minimum number of days to prescribe antibiotics | 383 | 95.8% | 19 | 4.2% |
3 | What is the most common determinant of prescribing antibiotics | 0 | 0.0% | 400 | 100.0% |
4 | What is the best antibiotic to prescribe to a pregnant woman | 228 | 57.0% | 172 | 43.0% |
Table (4): The percentage of basic sources of modern information for dentists
Table 4
shows that most of the participants (36.5%) depend on the internet as the main and basic source to get the modern information
The primary source of modern information | N | % |
Published Practical Papers | 44 | 11 |
Continuing dental education | 112 | 28 |
Books | 98 | 24.5 |
Internet | 146 | 36.5 |
Total | 400 | 100 |
Table (5): The percentage of the most common antibiotics
The most common antibiotics | N | % |
Amoxicillin | 147 | 36.8 |
Amoxiclav | 61 | 15.3 |
Amoxicillin + Metronidazole | 88 | 22.0 |
Ofloxacin + Ornidazole | 2 | 0.5 |
Clindamycin | 22 | 5.5 |
Spiramycin + Metronidazole | 80 | 20.0 |
Total | 400 | 100.0 |
Table (6): The alternative antibiotics for penicillin-allergy patients
Patients with penicillin allergy; What is the alternative antibiotic that is being dispensed | N | % |
Erythromycin | 140 | 35 |
Clindamycin | 107 | 26.8 |
Azithromycin | 58 | 14.5 |
Spiramycin + Metronidazole | 81 | 20.3 |
Clarithromycin | 2 | 0.5 |
Cephalosporin | 7 | 1.8 |
Ciprofloxacin | 5 | 1.3 |
Total | 400 | 100 |
-Most of the participants (85%) believe in antibiotic resistance as shown in table 7, but their opinion on the causes of resistance is varied, still incomplete the course of antibiotics by the patient is the major cause of the emergence of antibiotic resistance (42%) as shown in table 8.
Most of the participants (70%) are inquire whether the patient taking antibiotics before going to consultation as shown in table 9
Table (7): Dentist's beliefs about antibiotic resistance
Do you think antibiotic resistance is a growing concern? | N | % |
Yes | 340 | 85 |
No | 60 | 15 |
Total | 400 | 100 |
Table (8): Percentage of dentists’ opinion about causes related to antibiotic resistance
What do you think of the various causes associated with antibiotic resistance? | N | % |
Wrong prescription | 81 | 20.3 |
Substandard doses | 81 | 20.3 |
Weak monitoring | 26 | 6.5 |
Patients who have not completed the course of antibiotics | 168 | 42.0 |
Bad diagnostic methods | 44 | 11.0 |
Total | 400 | 100.0 |
Table (9) Shows the percentage of prescribers who inquire from the patient before moving to a consultation
Do you inquire whether the patient is currently taking an antibiotic before going to the consultation? | N | % |
Always | 283 | 70 |
Sometimes | 82 | 20.5 |
Never | 35 | 8. 88 |
Total | 400 | 100.0 |
-Regarding dentist's attitudes toward patients who are already taking antibiotics before consultations, most advise the patients to continue the antibiotic course (33%) as shown in table 10
Table (10): the percentage of dentist's attitudes toward patients who take antibiotics before the consultation
The attitude of dentists towards a patient who is already taking antibiotics before the consultation | N | % |
Continue the antibiotic course | 132 | 33 |
The procedure is based on an antibiotic | 120 | 30 |
Changing the antibiotic | 50 | 12.5 |
The procedure depends on the time | 43 | 10.8 |
Stop taking the antibiotic | 25 | 6.3 |
Continue the antibiotic course with the addition of vitamins | 23 | 5.8 |
Increase the dose | 7 | 1.8 |
Total | 400 | 100 |
-Regarding the factors affecting the behavior of dispensing antibiotics, most of the participants (42.3) referred this to the diseases as shown in table 11
Table (11): the percentage of factors affecting the behavior of dispensing antibiotics
What factor most affects antibiotic dispensing behavior | N | % |
Previous experience in antibiotics | 123 | 30.8 |
Diseases accompanying the patient | 169 | 42.3 |
The socioeconomic status of the patient | 31 | 7.8 |
The price of antibiotics | 34 | 8.5 |
Availability of samples | 38 | 9.5 |
Visits of the medical representative | 5 | 1.3 |
Total | 400 | 100 |