Comparison of knowledge and esthetic perception regarding gingival pigmentation between students from different non-dentistry health profession programs

Abstract

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge of non-dental health profession students regarding the etiology and management of gingival pigmentation, and determine the ability of health professions students in different disciplines to assess levels of gingival pigmentation when they viewed intraoral clinical photographs of patients. Methods: A cross-sectional, pre-tested, and validated survey was conducted among non-dental health professional students to assess knowledge. Visual perception was evaluated using a collection of intraoral clinical images classified according to the Dummett-Gupta Oral Pigmentation index (DOPI) and a visual analog scale. Statistical significance was set at the 5% level. Results: There were no significant differences based on nationality or sex in knowledge of the causes and treatment of gingival pigmentation. However, significant differences were observed among students from different health professions educational programs. Moreover, students’ visual assessment of clinical cases varied in comparison to the actual DOPI scores assigned by experienced clinicians, possibly because of their subjective visual perception of esthetics. Conclusions: Although the students demonstrated reasonable comprehension of the etiology of gingival pigmentation, their knowledge of treatment options was limited. Visual pigmentation assessment saw individual variations depending on cultural background and societal acceptance. The findings of this study provide insights into the subjectivity of perception of gingival pigmentation, which varies among individuals in reference to a validated categorical classification.