Knowledge of Patients Regarding Informed Consent Processes Before Oral Surgical Procedures at Jos University Teaching Hospital, Plateau State

Informed consent is a cornerstone of ethical clinical practice, ensuring that patients understand the nature, risks, benefits, and alternatives to proposed procedures before giving voluntary agreement. Despite its legal and ethical significance, patient comprehension of the consent process in Nigeria's oral surgery settings remains inadequately explored. This descriptive cross-sectional study investigates the knowledge, perception, and satisfaction of patients regarding informed consent practices for oral surgical procedures at Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Plateau State, situated in the North Central geopolitical zone. Using a structured questionnaire administered to 300 consecutive clinic attendees, the study evaluates participants' awareness of their rights, understanding of procedure risks, and perception of the clarity of information provided by clinicians. Results indicate that a substantial proportion of patients sign consent forms without fully understanding the content, often due to language barriers, literacy limitations, and time constraints during busy clinic sessions. Patients with tertiary education demonstrated significantly higher comprehension scores. The study reveals a disconnect between institutional consent documentation practices and patient-centered communication. Recommendations include the adoption of multilingual visual consent aids, the use of teach-back methods, and the inclusion of consent communication skills in undergraduate and postgraduate clinical training curricula. The findings contribute to patient rights advocacy and clinical governance improvement in the North Central zone. Keywords: informed consent, oral surgery, patient knowledge, Jos, North Central Nigeria.