Background: Oral cancer presents with high mortality rates, and the likelihood of survival is remarkablysuperior when detected early. Dental professionals have an important role and responsibility in prevention andearly detection of oral cancer. Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, practices and opinionsregarding oral cancer among dentists in Yemen. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conductedusing a self-administered questionnaire involving private and public dental practitioners, working in differentgovernorates in Yemen. Results: Of the 800 dentists surveyed, a total of 221 questionnaires were completed andreturned (response rate 27.6%). A vast majority of dentists (96.38%) identified tobacco as the major risk factorfor oral cancer, and 82.8% knew that squamous cell carcinoma is the most common form. While 47.1% of thedentists agreed that they were adequately trained in oral cancer screening, the majority (86%) believed that theyneed further training in oral cancer screening. Conclusions: These results suggest that additional training andcontinuing educational programs on prevention and early detection of oral cancer for dentists are to be highlyrecommended.
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