Knowledge, Awareness and Practice Regarding the Spread of Oro-Dental Infections to the Head and Neck Region: A Comparative Cross-Sectional Survey Among Dental and Medical Students

IntroductionOdontogenic infections can spread along fascial planes to the head and neck region, occasionally progressing to life-threatening complications such as Ludwig's angina.Since Medical and Dental students are future healthcare professionals who will encounter such conditions, assessing their comparative knowledge, awareness, and practice is essential for targeted educational improvement. MethodologyA structured questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey was administered online to 200 students -100 Dental (BDS) and 100 Medical (MBBS) -across various academic years to assess and compare knowledge, awareness, and practice regarding oro-dental infections and their head-and-neck complications.Data were statistically analyzed using the Chi-square test. ResultsDental students consistently demonstrated higher awareness than Medical students across most domains, including facial and cervical spread of infection, lymph node involvement, and the danger of untreated infection.They also sought treatment earlier and identified management protocols more accurately, with 68% correctly identifying amoxicillin as the first-line antibiotic versus 51% among Medical students, and 58% recognizing airway obstruction as the most serious risk in Ludwig's angina compared to 49%.Not all group differences reached statistical significance on chi-square testing; the strongest differences (untreated-infection danger, management knowledge, early-consultation belief) were highly significant (p < 0.001), while several others, including antibiotic selection and Ludwig's angina risk recognition, did not reach significance once corrected for chance. ConclusionDental students demonstrated higher knowledge, awareness, and more favorable practice than Medical students in several domains, such as management knowledge, treatment-seeking behavior, and perceived severity of infection, while other domains, including antibiotic selection and Ludwig's angina risk recognition, showed no significant difference between groups.Strengthening interdisciplinary curricula and structured clinical exposure is recommended to improve early recognition and timely referral for both disciplines.