Dentistry and HIV: university professors’ role in establishing a basis for judgment

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine whether there are differences in the attitudes of Dentistry School Professors from two universities, one private and one public, concerning HIV-positive patients or HIVpositive health care professionals. A questionnaire was handled to all professors at the Araçatuba Dental School of São Paulo State University - FOA-UNESP (public) and Lins Dental School of the Piracicaba Methodist University - FOL-UNIMEP (private). When asked if they would be willing to be treated by an HIV-infected health care professional, 38.9% of the 77 professors at FOA-UNESP replied that they would accept only non-invasive treatments and 13% would not accept any kind of treatment; the same applied to 42.4% and 15.2% of the 33 FOL-UNIMEP professors. Among the 54 professors at FOA-UNESP and 27 at FOL-UNIMEP providing clinical service, only 31.5% and 18.5% stated that they treat HIV-infected persons like any other patient. The results were very similar in both schools. Although they reported that they taught their students not to act in a discriminatory manner towards HIV-positive patients, the professors themselves showed prejudice towards infected patients and professionals. Consequently, this topic must be further debated in the academic milieu.

Keywords

• HIV. Dentistry. Professional ethics. Dental education. Dentist-patient relations