Evaluation of awareness of dentists about semiotics of systemic diseases in oral and maxillofacial region with a new measuring scale with assessment of its validity and reliability: a cross-sectional study

Especially designed scale-based criteria had been used to evaluate whether dentists at the Rostov region (Russia) are well known about internal diseases of an oral and maxillofacial area symptoms. Validity and reliability of the scale had been estimated too. Materials and methods. There were 111 dentists included to survey with randomized cross-sectional anonymous questionnaire at cities of Azov, Rostov-on-Don, Krasny Sulin and Taganrog. Reliability of the scale was assessed using the coefficient of internal consistency Cronbach’s alpha. We compared the data obtained with the hypothesis and data obtained in other studies to determine validity. We used the Student’s t-test for relative values to compare the data. We used one-factor variance analysis with Bonferroni correction to assess the relationship between the Average General Awareness (AGA) and specialization. Results. Our sample is representative. AGA was 3.09 (95% CI 2.5—3.5). In this case according to our scale awareness was insufficient (AGA F-critical (8,11711 > 3,08039)]. Conclusions. The knowledge of dentists in this problem was insufficient, and our scale is reliable and valid.