Self-reported awareness, educational preparedness, and referral practices regarding speech sound disorders among dentists in Türkiye: a cross-sectional study

Speech sound disorders (SSDs) are communication disorders that may be associated with structural and functional orofacial findings encountered in dental practice. Although dentists may encounter speech-related concerns during clinical examinations, their preparedness to recognize such concerns and make appropriate referrals remains insufficiently explored. This study aimed to evaluate dentists’ self-reported awareness and attitudes, educational preparedness, clinical experiences, and self-reported referral behaviors regarding speech-related concerns, and to examine whether the mean self-reported awareness and attitudes score was associated with self-reported general referral behavior. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 157 dental interns and licensed dentists in Türkiye recruited through professional digital networks using convenience sampling. Data were collected between March 26 and April 2, 2026, using an anonymous researcher-developed questionnaire that underwent expert content and face validity assessment and pilot testing. The questionnaire included 11 self-reported awareness and attitudes items rated on a 5-point Likert scale. A composite self-reported awareness and attitudes score was calculated as the mean across these items and used as a predictor in an exploratory binary logistic regression model. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests, and binary logistic regression analysis were performed. The sample was predominantly young (91.1% aged 20–30 years), early-career (90.4% with 0–5 years of professional experience), and female (72.0%). Although 94.9% of participants reported encountering patients presenting with speech-related findings in clinical practice, only 28.0% had received formal undergraduate education related to SSDs. Overall, 82.2% of participants (129/157; 95% CI: 75.4–87.5) reported referring patients with speech-related concerns to at least one specialist. Among these participants, 49.6% (64/129; 95% CI: 40.9–58.3) reported referral to a speech-language therapist, corresponding to 40.8% of the total sample. In the exploratory regression analysis, the composite self-reported awareness and attitudes score showed a statistically significant exploratory association with self-reported general referral behavior (OR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.07–2.91, p = 0.025). The Hosmer–Lemeshow test did not indicate evidence of poor calibration (χ² = 8.42, p = 0.569), although the model’s explanatory power was modest (Nagelkerke R² = 0.118). Higher composite self-reported awareness and attitudes scores were associated with greater self-reported general referral behavior. However, referral specifically to speech-language therapists was substantially lower than overall specialist referral. The findings support the potential value of structured SSD-related education and clearer interprofessional referral pathways within dental education. Given the cross-sectional design, self-reported measures, researcher-developed questionnaire, and exploratory regression model, the findings should not be interpreted as evidence of causality, objective knowledge, diagnostic competence, or actual referral practice. Dentists commonly encountered speech-related findings despite limited formal education on SSDs. Higher composite self-reported awareness and attitudes scores were associated with greater odds of reporting referral to a specialist. Referrals to speech-language therapists were substantially lower than overall specialist referrals. Orthodontists reported higher perceived awareness and perceived ability to recognize speech-related signs than dental interns. Findings support integrating structured SSD education and interprofessional referral training into dental curricula.