Awareness, Knowledge, and Attitude Assessment of Cleft Lip With or Without Palate Management Among Vietnamese Dental and Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) are congenital malformations that require multidisciplinary treatment and in-depth knowledge for effective management, especially in countries like Vietnam, where the incidence rate is 1.4 per 1,000 live births. This study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire to assess the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of undergraduate medical and dental students at Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam, regarding CL/P management. Materials and methods The questionnaire was administered using Google Forms (Google LLC, USA). The study participants were 284 (55.6%) dental students and 227 (44.4%) medical students at Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam. The questionnaire comprised four sections: general information, awareness, knowledge, and attitude assessments. Results In the awareness assessment, 97.5% of students were aware of CL/P. However, 84.1% and 66.5% of medical and dental students, respectively, lacked confidence in their current knowledge. Confidence levels increased gradually from third-year to final-year students. Regarding etiology, most students believed genetic factors were the primary cause of CL/P, followed by environmental factors. The most commonly chosen treatment methods were oral, maxillofacial, and plastic surgeries. Dental students showed more interest in CL/P and felt a greater need for additional training in CL/P treatment and management than medical students. Both dental and medical students favored early intervention. However, 19.4% of students were unsure about the optimal time to begin treatment, with this uncertainty being more prevalent among medical students (26%) than among dental students (14.1%) (p<0.001). Conclusion This study emphasizes the need for improved education among undergraduate students, especially medical students, to improve CL/P management.