Attitude towards oral biopsy among the dental surgeons of Puducherry

Objective: To explore the attitude of the dental surgeons towards oral biopsy as a diagnostic method in relation to oral lesions. Materials and methods: A questionnaire was used to collect the data personally from 105 dental surgeons in Puducherry, comprising of private practitioners and dental surgeons working in public and private institutions. The questionnaire included age, sex, professional qualification (s), clinical experience, and the type of work set-up as the first item block. The second block explored the attitude towards diagnosis of oral lesions, the performance of oral biopsies, and their submission for histopathological examination. Results: More experienced dental surgeons performed biopsies than the lesser ones and it was found that many dental surgeons do not submit excised oral lesions for histopathological examination. Result also differed with the field of specialization and work setup. Conclusion: Biopsy procedures and diagnostic histopathology are not always used by the dental surgeons of Puducherry. So there is a need for better education and exposure regarding oral biopsy to equip the future dental professionals with diagnostic skills.