Dentists’ knowledge and attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS in China

The objective of this study was to investigate the knowledge and attitudes of Chinese dentists toward people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and identify factors associated with their willingness to provide dental treatment. Structured questionnaires were distributed online to dentists across China. Data were analyzed using chi-square testing, and multiple logistic regression was conducted to identify the factors influencing dentists' willingness to treat PLWHA. A total of 641 responses were collected, including 216 males (33.7%) and 425 females (66.3%). In total, 77.75% of the respondents were able to correctly answer 10 out of 12 questions related to HIV/AIDS knowledge. The two most recognized oral manifestations in PLWHA were HIV/AIDS-related periodontitis, Candidiasis. Among the respondents, 27.7% had provided treatment for PLWHA previously. Overall, 41.8% of respondents expressed a willingness to treat PLWHA, with significant regional differences observed. Females were less likely to provide treatment than males (OR = 0.596, P = 0.004). Those respondents with prior PLWHA treatment experience were more likely to treat PLWHA again compared to those without prior experience (OR = 2.95, P = 0.001). In conclusions, most Chinese dentists have a good level of knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Their willingness to provide treatment is mainly influenced by gender and prior treatment experience with PLWHA.