Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Introduction: The dentists’ expertise and skills in basic life support (BLS) can reduce the morbidity or mortality associated with medical emergencies during dental treatment. Lack of training and inability to manage medical emergencies can lead to serious consequences and sometimes legal action. The dentists may have poor knowledge and practical skills on BLS. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of BLS among postgraduate dental residents and dental faculties. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 59 postgraduate dental residents and dental faculties at B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the relevant data. The descriptive statistics were calculated. The knowledge score was categorized into three categories: average, good and excellent. ANOVA and Chi-square test were used to analyze the data at P-value of 0.05. Results: The mean age of the participants was 31.81±4.808. Mean knowledge score of the participants was 17.68±4.20 and it was higher among the faculties than the residents; however it was statically not significant. Thirty seven (62.7%) participants’ knowledge score was good. Only 3 (5.1%) participants scored more than 75%. The attitude of the participants was negative toward BLS. The Practice of BLS among participants was also poor. Conclusion: The knowledge of BLS was average among the participants and they had a negative attitude toward BLS and their practice on BLS was generally poor. Various training programs and refresher courses on BLS should be made mandatory during the postgraduate residency to acquire competency. Frequent training should be conducted to increase the confidence of dental faculties on BLS. Key words: Attitude; Basic life support; Knowledge.