Conocimiento de los estudiantes de la facultad de odontología de la Universidad Santo Tomás sobre interpretación del hemograma en la atención odontológica (2025)

Abstract

Background: The complete blood count (CBC) -is one of the most common laboratory tests used to assess patients’ overall health and identify hematological abnormalities that may be relevant to dental care. Accurate interpretation of these results allows for the identification of conditions such as anemia, infections, or coagulation disorders that could pose risks during clinical procedures. For this reason, it is important for dental students to develop the skills necessary to accurately analyze this test and apply it to clinical practice. Method: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted; data were collected via an online questionnaire containing 22 questions. Subsequently, the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis to determine the participants’ level of knowledge. Results: 54% of undergraduate students showed a low level of knowledge regarding hemogram interpretation, whereas 45% of postgraduate students demonstrated an intermediate level. Although postgraduate students obtained slightly higher percentages in the intermediate and high knowledge levels, no statistically significant differences were identified between the two groups. Likewise, no significant association was found between the level of knowledge and the sociodemographic variables evaluated. Conclusion: Understanding blood tests is closely linked to the educational level of dental students, demonstrating that, despite knowing the fundamental values, they have difficulty interpreting them clinically, which could influence the decisions they make and patient safety.