Knowledge of Periodontitis and Its Relation to Periodontal Health

NCT07405541 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: TFG_25-26_151.0
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 60
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This study aims to evaluate the level of knowledge regarding periodontal disease and its association with periodontal health status among health sciences students. An observational, cross-sectional, analytical, and comparative design will be conducted involving two cohorts: final-year Dentistry students and Psychology students from the Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC). A total of approximately 60 participants (30 per group) will be recruited using stratified random sampling. Eligible participants must be at least 18 years old and provide written informed consent. Students who have received periodontal treatment within the previous six months, present uncontrolled systemic diseases, or are pregnant or breastfeeding will be excluded. Data collection will take place during a single clinical visit between January and April 2026 and will consist of two phases. First, participants will complete a validated Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAP) questionnaire assessing understanding of periodontitis, attitudes toward oral health, and daily oral hygiene behaviors. Knowledge scores will be categorized into low, medium, and high levels. Second, a comprehensive periodontal examination will be performed by a certified periodontist under standardized conditions, including plaque index, bleeding on probing, probing depth, gingival margin position, clinical attachment loss, and radiographic assessment. Periodontal status will be classified according to the 2018 EFP/AAP classification system using staging and grading criteria. The primary outcome is the presence of periodontal disease (gingivitis or periodontitis). The main independent variable is the level of knowledge about periodontitis. Covariates include age, sex, oral hygiene habits, smoking status, perceived stress, and self-reported systemic conditions. Statistical analysis will be conducted using SPSS, Stata, or R software. Descriptive statistics will summarize participant characteristics. Bivariate analyses will assess associations between knowledge level and periodontal disease using chi-square tests and appropriate parametric or non-parametric comparisons. Multivariate binary logistic regression will be applied to evaluate whether lower knowledge levels are independently associated with a higher prevalence of periodontal disease, adjusting for relevant covariates. Statistical significance will be set at p \< 0.05. The study will be conducted following ethical approval from the UIC Research Ethics Committee. Participation will be voluntary, confidentiality will be ensured through anonymized data handling, and participants diagnosed with periodontal disease will be referred for appropriate periodontal care.

Conditions

Presence of Periodontal Disease; Knowledge of Periodontal Disease

Keywords

knowledge; periodontitis; periodontal disease; periodontal diagnosis; dental students

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Knowledge, attitudes, practices

  Assess by means of a questionnaire the level of knowledge of periodontitis with a total score 0-24 by patient

  March 2026 to June 2026

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Bleeding on probing

  March 2026 to June 2026

• Plaque index

  March 2026 to June 2026

• Recession

  March 2026 to June 2026

• Probing depth

  March 2026 to June 2026

• Lost of attachment

  March 2026 to June 2026

Study Arms (2)

students of undergraduate program of dentistry

students of undergraduate program of psychology

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Probability Sample

Study Population

Undergraduate students from the University Internacional of Catalunya. Dentistry and Psychology, from a random sample

You may qualify if:

• Students enrolled in the Dentistry or Psychology degree programs at UIC.
• Age 18 years or older.
• Voluntary agreement to participate through signed informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Periodontal treatment within the past 6 months.
• Presence of uncontrolled systemic diseases that may affect periodontal status (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes, immunodeficiencies).
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding, if deemed relevant by the Ethics Committee due to potential hormonal alterations affecting periodontal health.
• Withdrawal or refusal of consent at any stage of the study.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universitat Internacional de Catalunya: lead

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Periodontitis; Periodontal Diseases

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Mouth Diseases; Stomatognathic Diseases

Central Study Contacts

PEDRO DIZ Pedro Diz Iglesias, doctor in dentistry, Doctor in dentistry

CONTACT

+34630793155; pedro.diz@uic.es

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 26, 2026
• First Posted: February 12, 2026
• Study Start: March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Last Updated: February 18, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01