Demographic data of the participants.

This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate dentists’ awareness, knowledge, and clinical practices regarding early-stage oral cancer lesions, with an emphasis on diagnostic behavior, patient education, and referral approaches. A total of 263 dentists from public and private institutions in Ankara, Türkiye, participated in the survey, which included a content-validated 36-item questionnaire covering demographic data, examination habits, knowledge of lesion features, biopsy practices, and educational experience. The data were analyzed via descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and Monte Carlo simulations to explore associations between professional characteristics and clinical behaviors. While 78% of the participants acknowledged the dentist’s role in reducing oral cancer mortality, only 17.5% reported performing routine oral cancer screenings. Biopsy practice was limited, with only 11% indicating that they had ever performed a biopsy, and 36.9% preferred to monitor lesions instead of referring them immediately. Experienced dentists were significantly more likely to examine their lymph nodes (p = 0.006) and conduct routine screenings (p