Prosthodontics Awareness Among Medical Faculty: A Multicentric Cross-Sectional Study in North and Eastern India

Introduction: Prosthodontics, a specialized branch of dentistry, plays a crucial role in oral health and overall well-being. However, awareness of its scope and importance among medical professionals outside the dental field remains understudied. Thus, the aim was to assess and compare the knowledge and awareness of medical faculty regarding prosthodontics as a dental specialty across three postgraduate medical colleges in India. Methodology: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among medical teaching faculty at three postgraduate medical colleges in India. A self-constructed, expert-validated questionnaire comprising 16 close-ended questions assessed knowledge and awareness of prosthodontics. A pilot study was performed to validate the questionnaire and identify potential implementation issues. Data collected from the three medical colleges were subjected to statistical analysis. Results: A total of 125 medical faculty members participated in the study, with a mean age of 41.2 ± 8.88 years and an average teaching experience of 10.2 ± 7.43 years. Knowledge regarding prosthodontics was notably high, with 102 (81.6%) correctly identifying its role in managing missing teeth and 116 (92.8%) recognizing subdivisions within the specialty. Implant-supported prostheses (n=59, 47.2%) and crowns and bridges (n=35, 28%) were the most preferred replacement methods. Referrals predominantly targeted prosthodontists for missing teeth (n= 90, 72%), crowns (n=104, 83.2%), and surgical reconstruction of oral structures (n=85, 68%), whereas plastic surgeons were primarily referred to for extra-oral prostheses (n= 78, 62.4%). Institutional differences significantly influenced referral patterns, particularly for missing teeth to prosthodontists (p = 0.028) and extra-oral prosthesis to plastic surgeons (p = <0.001). Conclusion: While the majority of faculty members possess knowledge and awareness of the field of prosthodontics, it is imperative to address certain key areas of prosthodontists' work to the teaching faculty of medical colleges across India.