Knowledge of postgraduate students of dental faculty of Tabriz university of medical sciences about oral cancer in 2015-2016

Aim: This study was carried out with an aim to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of dental postgraduate students about risk factors, signs, and treatment plan of oral cancer in Tabriz dental college. Method and material: A questionnaire comprised of 10 questions was designed to assess the knowledge of 87 postgraduate students regarding their knowledge on oral examination, diagnosis, risk factors and treatment of oral cancer. Result: 20 out of 87 post graduate students refused to participate in the study. The response rate is 77%.The students had acceptable knowledge about risk factors, signs and symptoms, most common oral sites and dental management of cancer patient, however their practice about clinical provisional detection of cancerous lesions at primary stages is low (only 22.4% were sure).Conclusion: Theoretical knowledge of post graduate students regarding oral cancer examination is good, however their knowledge about clinical diagnosis of early lesions is low and needed to be improved. It seems necessary to conduct educational courses systematically which helps them to diagnose precancerous lesions more confidently. Keywords: oral cancer; Knowledge; early detection