HIV/AIDS: Knowledge and attitudes of first and second year Indian dental students

The increased likelihood of HIV/ AIDS infection reaching epidemic heights in South-East Asian countries like India makes it crucial for health care workers, including dentists, to be well informed and adequately prepared to encounter this challenge. Dentists can play an important role in the early diagnosis and detection of HIV/ AIDS as many patients present with intra-oral manifestations of the disease (Gerbert, 1987). The attitudes of dental students with regard to AIDS a,re of prime importance because dental students represent the future of the profession. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of and attitudes related to HIV/ AIDS of first and second year Indian dental students. A s