School or College
Eberhardt School of Business
Department
Management and Human Resources
Location
William Knox Holt Memorial Library and Learning Center
Description
Medical Marijuana (MM) use is increasing, requiring healthcare professionals, such as dentists, to increase their working knowledge of MM. Previous studies have indicated that MM education is lacking in current healthcare education.
Methods: A 50-question survey was created to assess, in detail, dentists' knowledge, practice, and attitudes toward MM, and to identify possible correlations between answers. The survey was modeled after a previous survey conducted amongst practicing pharmacists. All faculty dentists, faculty dental hygienists, students and residents at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, were invited by email to participate.
Results: A total of 277 surveys were completed. The factor that had the most abundant correlations was the opinion that MM is valuable for pain. This had a positive correlation with the opinions that MM may be better than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, and narcotics for pain control and risk/benefit ratios; that physicians and pharmacies should dispense MM; that recreational marijuana should be approved; approval of the current MM dispensing methods, preferring patients use MM, favoring MM if it were by prescription and FDA approved, preferring if CBD-formulations were used; and feeling that more research and education (as well as continuing education credit) are needed.
Conclusions: Having more information and control over both the product and access to it might lead to increased comfort for providers. This would lead to better outcomes as well as greater communication between patients and their providers.
Practical Implications: The findings of this survey suggest more MM education and research is needed — statements with which the majority participants of this study have explicitly and strongly agreed.
Survey of Medical Marijuana Knowledge and Attitudes In a Dental School
William Knox Holt Memorial Library and Learning Center
Medical Marijuana (MM) use is increasing, requiring healthcare professionals, such as dentists, to increase their working knowledge of MM. Previous studies have indicated that MM education is lacking in current healthcare education.
Methods: A 50-question survey was created to assess, in detail, dentists' knowledge, practice, and attitudes toward MM, and to identify possible correlations between answers. The survey was modeled after a previous survey conducted amongst practicing pharmacists. All faculty dentists, faculty dental hygienists, students and residents at the Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, were invited by email to participate.
Results: A total of 277 surveys were completed. The factor that had the most abundant correlations was the opinion that MM is valuable for pain. This had a positive correlation with the opinions that MM may be better than non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, and narcotics for pain control and risk/benefit ratios; that physicians and pharmacies should dispense MM; that recreational marijuana should be approved; approval of the current MM dispensing methods, preferring patients use MM, favoring MM if it were by prescription and FDA approved, preferring if CBD-formulations were used; and feeling that more research and education (as well as continuing education credit) are needed.
Conclusions: Having more information and control over both the product and access to it might lead to increased comfort for providers. This would lead to better outcomes as well as greater communication between patients and their providers.
Practical Implications: The findings of this survey suggest more MM education and research is needed — statements with which the majority participants of this study have explicitly and strongly agreed.
