Defining Endodontic Residents' Clinical Experiences: A National Survey.

Endodontic residency programs across the U.S. vary in the exposure they provide to residents in procedures, protocols, and equipment. Having information on the range of clinical experiences provided in programs would be useful for program directors and for applicants who are seeking the best fit for their residency. The aim of this study was to collect information from residents in U.S. endodontic residency programs about the procedures and equipment they experienced in their programs. In January 2018, a 14-question survey was emailed to all 437 endodontic residents with an email address in the 2016-17 American Association of Endodontists Membership Directory. Survey items asked about the number of endodontic procedures, techniques employed, and products used in residents' programs. A total of 133 endodontic residents responded to all or part of the survey, for a 30% response rate. The majority reported completing 151-250 nonsurgical root canals, 26-50 nonsurgical retreatments, 0-10 surgical retreatments, and 0-10 regenerative endodontic procedures during their residencies. All respondents said they used a surgical operating microscope (SOM), and 82% reported using a multi-file rotary system for nonsurgical procedures. Respondents reported that the main instruments they used were Dentsply Sirona file systems, and the most commonly used obturation technique was warm vertical compaction/condensation, reported by 92% of respondents. These endodontic residents reported being exposed to a variety of procedures, products, and protocols during their residency. Based on information they provided, prospective endodontic residency applicants can expect to use the SOM for treatment, to gain extensive experience in primary nonsurgical endodontic treatment, and to not perform endodontic surgery during their first year of postgraduate training.

Índice del dolor postratamiento endodóntico / Pain Index after endodontic treatment

Introducción: Pronosticar la aparición de dolor postratamiento endodóntico favorece el juicio clínico de profesionales en relación con este procedimiento. Objetivo: Elaborar un índice a partir de factores que conducen al dolor postratamiento endodóntico en la población objeto de estudio. Métodos: Se realizó una investigación en dos etapas en la ciudad Santo Domingo, provincia Villa Clara. La primera fue un estudio analítico transversal sobre 94 tratamientos endodónticos seleccionados mediante un muestreo aleatorio, entre marzo y diciembre de 2015, para obtener un índice. La segunda fue un estudio transversal realizado sobre 62 tratamientos escogidos también de forma aleatoria, entre enero y mayo de 2016, para valorar la capacidad discriminatoria del índice. Se recopiló información mediante el interrogatorio, examen clínico y radiográfico, y se registró la presencia de dolor al terminar la terapia. Los datos se analizaron empleando estadística descriptiva e inferencial. Para la construcción del índice, se obtuvieron los valores del estadígrafo V de Cramer de cada variable. Resultados: Entre los factores asociados al dolor postratamiento endodóntico se observó como los más relevantes el dolor o inflamación preoperatorio, el dolor durante el tratamiento, el número de citas y el conducto radicular reducido; con valores de la V de Cramer de 0,848; 0,605; 0,595 y 0,592, respectivamente. La sensibilidad del índice propuesto fue del 83,3 pr ciento. Conclusiones: En la población estudiada se observaron varios factores asociados a la presencia de dolor postratamiento endodóntico; el dolor o inflamación preoperatorio resultó el de mayor significación. Estos factores se sintetizaron mediante un índice. El índice propuesto presentó una adecuada sensibilidad, lo que contribuye a establecer juicios pronósticos más acertados con respecto a la aparición posterior del dolor(AU)

Introduction: Predicting the onset of pain after endodontic treatment favors the professionals' clinical judgment regarding this procedure. Objective: To construct an index that combines the factors associated to pain after endodontic treatment in the study population. Methods: A study was carried out in two stages, in Santo Domingo City, Villa Clara Province. The first stage was a cross-sectional analytic study over a random sample of 94 endodontic treatments, collected in the period of March to December of 2015, for the construction of the index. The second stage was also a cross-sectional study over a sample of 62 treatments, carried out between January and May, 2016, with the purpose of assess the discriminatory ability of the obtained index. The information was collected through interrogation, clinical and radiographic examination; the presence of pain after therapy was recorded. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. For the construction of the index, we obtained the Cramer's V statistic values ​​of each variable. Results: Among the factors associated with pain after endodontic treatment pain, the most were described such as preoperative pain or inflammation, pain during treatment, the number of appointments, and a reduced root canal, with Cramer's V values of 0.848, 0.605, 0.595 and 0.592, respectively. The sensitivity of the proposed index was 83.3 por ciento. Conclusions: In the studied population, a multi-causal relationship was observed in the factors associated with the presence of pain after endodontic treatment. The preoperative pain or inflammation was the most influential factor. This factors were synthesized by means of an index. The proposed index presents an adequate sensitivity, which contributes to establish more accurate judgments regarding the subsequent onset of pain(AU)

Irrigation trends among members of the Chilean Endodontic Society

Introduction: the aim of this study is to determine the current trends of irrigation during root canal therapy by specialists who are members of the Chilean Endodontic Society. materials and method: a survey (survey monkey -SurveyMonkey.com) was e-mailed to the 485 members of the Chilean Endodontic Society. the instrument was translated and adapted from the survey "irrigation trends among American Association of Endodontists members: a web-based survey" applied in the USA in 2012. participants answered a set of 16 questions that included irrigant selection, irrigant concentration, the adopted protocol, techniques or devices for irrigant activation. results: 99 percent of respondents use sodium hypochlorite as the main irrigant. data indicate that 74 percent of respondents use hypochlorite at a concentration of 5 percent. most respondents (94 percent) also include EDTA in their usual practice. In addition, 90 percent of respondents reported that they activate the irrigating agent, and 94 percent confirmed that they perform a final irrigation protocol. conclusion: the majority of respondents use sodium hypochlorite as the main irrigant at a concentration of 5 percent, use ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) as a smear removal agent, activate the irrigant, and perform a final irrigation protocol.

Antibiotic prescribing for endodontic therapies: a comparative survey between general dental practitioners and final year Bachelor of Dental Surgery students in Cardiff, UK.

AIM: To evaluate the views of final year dental surgery students (BDS; G1) at Cardiff University and general dental practitioners (GDPs; G2) within the geographic area of Cardiff, Wales, on antibiotic prescribing for endodontic conditions, and investigate the potential differences between the two groups. METHODS: A cross-sectional online questionnaire-based survey of 12 qualitative and quantitative questions was distributed to 76 final year BDS Cardiff University students and 55 dental practices within Cardiff, UK. Six questions recorded general information, and the remaining questions included a series of hypothetical clinical scenarios, where the participants were asked to state whether they would or would not prescribe antibiotics. The data were analysed using spss version 23 to produce descriptive statistics, contingency tables and to run chi-square (χ²) tests, Fisher's exact tests and relative risk calculations. RESULTS: The response rate was 60% (n = 79). All G1 participants were aware of the consequences of antibiotic overuse. Approximately 60% of responders were aware of guidelines for antibiotic use in endodontic therapies, and 83% would only use antibiotics for a limited selection of patients (e.g. patients with systemic complications). G1 responses to clinical scenarios indicated overall that they were comparable to the ideal answers except for acute apical abscess (64% believed that antibiotics were indicated). The majority of G2 were aware of the consequences of antibiotic overuse. Only 28% of G2 were aware of guidelines for antibiotic use in endodontic therapies. Overall responses revealed that antibiotics would be prescribed for: systemic complications (78%), acute apical abscess (72%) and symptomatic apical periodontitis (28%). The clinical scenarios revealed G1 were more likely to prescribe antibiotics compared to G2 for cases of necrotic pulp with symptomatic apical periodontitis without systemic complications (incorrect answer) and less likely to other clinical scenarios such as necrotic pulp and asymptomatic apical periodontitis for patients with a history of rheumatic fever (ideal answers), symptomatic irreversible/reversible pulpitis, failure to achieve anaesthesia, chronic apical abscess for patients with diabetes. The recognition of antibiotic prescription for cases with signs of spreading infection was more evident in G2. CONCLUSION: Final year undergraduate students were aware of the antibiotic resistance crisis, although a third was not aware of guidelines for use of antibiotics in endodontic conditions; their responses to clinical scenario were generally compatible with the guidelines. General dentists were less aware of the implications of overuse of antibiotics and the existence of guidelines, and their responses were occasionally incompatible with antibiotic guidelines for endodontic therapies.

Relationship between Primary and Secondary Dental Care in Public Health Services in Brazil.

This cross-sectional study evaluated the relationship between primary and secondary oral health care in Brazil. For this purpose, data from the National Program for Improving Access and Quality of Primary Care were used. Dentists from 12,403 oral health teams (OHTs) answered a structured questionnaire in 2012. The data were analyzed descriptively and by cluster analysis. Of the 12,387 (99.9%) OHTs that answered all the questions, 62.2% reported the existence of Dental Specialties Centers (DSCs) to which they could refer patients. The specialties with the highest frequencies were endodontics (68.4%), minor oral surgery (65.8%), periodontics (63.0%), radiology (46.8%), oral medicine (40.2%), orthodontics (20.5%) and implantology (6.2%). In all percentiles, the shortest wait time for secondary care was for radiology, followed by oral medicine and the other specialties. In the 50th percentile, the wait for endodontics, periodontics, minor oral surgery and orthodontics was 30 days, while for implantology, the wait was 60 days. Finally, in the 75th percentile, the wait for endodontics, orthodontics and implantology was 90 days or more. Two clusters, with different frequencies of OHT access to specialties, were identified. Cluster 1 (n = 7,913) included the OHTs with lower frequencies in all specialties except orthodontics and implantology compared with Cluster 2 (n = 4,474). Of the Brazilian regions, the South and Southeast regions had the highest frequencies for Cluster 2, with better rates for the relationship between primary and secondary care. This study suggests certain difficulties in the relationship between primary and secondary care in specific specialties in oral health, with a great number of OHTs with limited access to DSCs, in addition to different performance in terms of OHT access to DSCs across Brazilian regions.

Carie dentaria e necessidades de tratamento em adolescentes paulistas / Caries dentaria y necesidades de tratamiento en adolescentes paulistas / Dental caries and treatment needs in adolescents from the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil

OBJETIVO: Estimar a prevalência de cárie dentária e necessidades de tratamento em crianças de 12 anos e adolescentes. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com base nos resultados dos levantamentos epidemiológicos Condições de Saúde Bucal no Estado de São Paulo em 2002 e Pesquisa Nacional de Saúde Bucal (SBBrasil) 2010. Foram analisados os dados secundários de 5.782 crianças (2002) de 12 anos e outras 369 (2010); e para a faixa de 15 a 19 anos foram analisados 880 jovens (2002) e 300 jovens em 2010. A experiência de cárie foi avaliada pelo índice CPOD (dentes cariados, perdidos e obturados) e foram verificadas as necessidades de tratamento odontológico segundo os critérios propostos pela Organização Mundial da Saúde. O índice Significant Caries Index foi empregado para medir a severidade da cárie no terço do grupo que apresentou maior prevalência da doença. Para a análise dos resultados utilizaram-se os testes de Qui-quadrado e Mann-Whitney, com nível de 5% de significância. RESULTADOS: Houve diminuição de 39,3 pontos percentuais no índice CPOD aos 12 anos (p < 0,001) e de 41,1 pontos percentuais nos adolescentes (p < 0,001) entre 2002 e 2010, e aumento de aproximadamente 161,0 pontos percentuais e 303,0 pontos percentuais no grupo livres de cárie, respectivamente. A porcentagem de dentes restaurados diminuiu nos dois grupos etários, mas a prevalência de dentes cariados não se alterou para o grupo de alta experiência de cárie. No grupo de baixa experiência de cárie ocorreu diminuição do componente perdido para os adolescentes e aumento do componente cariado aos 12 anos e adolescentes. Houve aumento da necessidade de tratamento endodôntico no grupo total e no de alta experiência de cárie aos 12 anos; e entre os adolescentes ...

OBJETIVO: Estimar la prevalencia de caries dentaria y necesidades de tratamiento en niños de 12 años y adolescentes. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal con base en los resultados de las pesquisas epidemiológicas de las Condiciones de Salud Bucal en el Estado de Sao Paulo en 2002 y Proyecto SBBrasil2010. Se analizaron los datos secundarios de 5.782 niños (2002) de 12 años y 369 (2010); y para el grupo etario de 15 a 19 años se analizaron 880 jóvenes (2002) y 300 jóvenes en 2010. La experiencia de caries fue evaluada por el índice CPOD (dientes cariados, perdidos y obturados) y se verificaron las necesidades de tratamiento odontológico según los criterios propuestos por la Organización Mundial de la Salud. El índice Significant Caries Index fue empleado para medir la severidad de la caries en el tercio del grupo que presentó mayor prevalencia de la enfermedad. Para el análisis de los resultados se utilizaron las pruebas de Chi-cuadrado y Mann-Whitney, con nivel de 5% de significancia. RESULTADOS: Hubo disminución de 39,3 puntos porcentuales en el índice CPOD a los 12 años (p<0,001) y de 41,1 puntos porcentuales en los adolescentes (p<0,001) entre 2002 y 2010 y aumento de aproximadamente 161,0 puntos porcentuales y 303,0 puntos porcentuales en el grupo libres de caries, respectivamente. El porcentaje de dientes restaurados disminuyó en los dos grupos etarios, pero la prevalencia de dientes cariados no se alteró para el grupo con alta experiencia de caries. En el grupo con baja experiencia de caries ocurrió disminución del componente perdido para los adolescentes y aumento del componente cariado para los de 12 años y adolescentes. Hubo aumento de la necesidad de tratamiento endodóntico en el grupo total y en el de alta experiencia de caries a los 12 años; y entre los adolescentes la necesidad de restauración ...

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs in 12-year-olds and adolescents. METHODS: Cross-sectional study based on results from the epidemiological surveys: Oral Health Conditions in the State of Sao Paulo, 2002 and the Brazilian Oral Health Survey (SBBrasil) 2010. Secondary data for 5,782 (2002) and 369 (2010) 12-year-olds and 880 (2002) and 300 (2010) 15- to 19-year-olds were analyzed. Dental caries attack was evaluated using the DMFT (decayed, missing or filled teeth) index and the need for treatment verified using the criteria proposed by the World Health Organization. The Significant Caries Index was used to measure the severity of the decay in the tercile of the group with the highest prevalence of the disease. In order to analyze the results, the Chi-squared and Mann-Whitney tests were used, with a 5% significance. RESULTS: There was a decrease of 39.3 percentage points in the DMFT index for 12-year-olds (p < 0.001) and of 41.1 percentage points for the adolescents (p < 0.001) between 2002 and 2010, and an increase of around 161.0 and 303.0 percentage in the group which was free from dental caries respectively. The percentage of restored teeth decreased in both age groups, although the prevalence of dental caries did not change in the group more affected by dental caries. In the group with few dental caries, there was a decrease in the component ‘tooth loss’ for adolescents and increase in the component ‘decayed teeth’ for the 12-years-old and the adolescents. There was an increase in the need for dental treatment in the group as a whole and in the group of 12-year-olds more affected by dental caries; and among the adolescents, the need for restoration on two or more surface decreased in the group as a whole and also in the group which suffered least from dental caries. CONCLUSIONS: The decreasing need for non-complex treatment in adolescents suggests that promotion ...

Ergonomics and musculoskeletal disorder: as an occupational hazard in dentistry.

OBJECTIVE: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are commonly experienced in dentistry. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of ergonomics and MSDs among dental professionals. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 170 dentists of different specialties. The questionnaire gathered information regarding demographic details, MSDs, work duration, working status, awareness of ergonomics, etc. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 15.0. Student's t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) test was used for comparison in mean scores. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was used to assess the independent variables that significantly influenced the variance in the dependent variable (pain). RESULTS: It was found that 73.9% of the participants reported musculoskeletal pain and most common painful sites were neck and back. More than half of the participants, i.e. 232 (59.3%) were aware of correct ergonomic posture regarding dental. Almost percentage of pain increased significantly with increase in age and working time. Among all specialties, prosthodontics were found to have more prevalence of MSDs. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The appearance of musculoskeletal symptoms among dental professionals was quite common. It suggested that ergonomics should be covered in the educational system to reduce risks to dental practitioners.

Frecuencia de periodontitis apical en tratamientos endodónticos de pregrado / Frequency of apical periodontitis in endodontic treatment in undergraduate

La periodontitis apical es una enfermedad de los tejidos periapicales de etiología bacteriana. Su tratamiento requiere erradicar los microorganismos del conducto radicular y obturarlo para lograr la reparación posterior. El objetivo de éste trabajo fue determinar la frecuencia de periodontitis apical en la población que asiste a la clínica de Endodoncia de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de Chile y su relación con diferentes variables: diagnóstico específico, edad, sexo, agudas vs. crónicas, éxito/fracaso del tratamiento y rehabilitación post-tratamiento. Se recolectó información de 292 dientes de pacientes tratados en dicha clínica, analizándose la información de aquellos con dientes diagnosticados con algún tipo de periodontitis apical clasificándolo según la nueva nomenclatura de la asociación de endodoncia americana. La frecuencia de periodontitis apical fue de un 36.7 por ciento (92 pacientes), de los cuales un 77.8 por ciento presentaron patologías de tipo crónicas. Un 75 por ciento de los pacientes pertenecieron al sexo femenino y la 5ta década representó un 34.8 porciento de los pacientes. El 100 por ciento de los pacientes que acudieron a control presentó éxito en sus tratamientos según variables clínico-radiográficas, mientras que la restauración más frecuente post-tratamiento fue la resina compuesta (52.4 por ciento). Dado el pequeño número de pacientes que concurrieron a la citación de control para determinar el éxito del tratamiento, esta variable debe ser considerada como preliminar. Nuestros resultados mostraron que la condición mas frecuente fue la periodontitis apical de tipo crónica, afectando más a mujeres y a la 5ta década.

Apical periodontitis is a microbially induced inflammatory disease of the periapical tissues. Its treatment requires eliminating microorganism from root canal and sealing it properly to induce further tissue repair. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of apical periodontitis and its distribution by gender, age, range, acute vs. chronic, treatment success and rehabilitation in the population attended at the undergraduate clinic of Endodontic at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Chile. Information was collected from 292 teeth of patients treated at the clinic, recording data of those with teeth diagnosed with some type of apical periodontitis and related to different variables: specific diagnosis, age, gender, acute vs. chronic, successful or failed treatment and post-treatment restoration. The frequency of apical periodontitis was 36.7 percent (92 patients). 77.8 percent of the teeth with apical periodontitis had a chronic disease. 75 percent of the patients were female. The 5th decade represented a 34.8 percent. There was a 100 percent success rate in their treatments, while the most common restoration was the composite (52.4 percent). The low number of patients who responded to the dental revision to determine the success of the treatment, despite the 100 percent rate, cannot be evaluated as a significant result. Our data showed that the most frequent condition was chronic apical periodontitis, affecting more female patients, and the 5th decade and incisors.

The use of guided tissue regeneration techniques among endodontists: a web-based survey.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to determine factors and clinical situations that influence an endodontist's decision to use guided tissue regeneration (GTR) techniques during endodontic root-end surgery. METHODS: An invitation to participate in a web-based survey was e-mailed to 3,750 members of the American Association of Endodontists. Data were collected from 1,129 participants, representing a 30.1% completion rate. The number of questions varied from 3 to 11 depending on individual responses. RESULTS: 40.7% of respondents who perform root-end surgeries also use GTR techniques. The clinical situation in which GTR techniques are used most often is for transosseous lesions. Barrier membranes and bone replacement grafts are each used by more than 85% of respondents using GTR techniques. Insufficient training and insufficient evidence in support of its use were selected as the predominant reasons for not using GTR techniques at 42.4% and 32%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although over 40% of respondents are currently using GTR techniques in conjunction with their root-end surgeries, a majority of those who do not use GTR indicated they would consider using these techniques with better evidence and available training.

Contribution of dentist anesthesiologists to dental anesthesiology research.

In order to determine if dentist anesthesiologists (DAs) actively contribute to research in the field of anesthesiology, and thus contribute new knowledge to the field, an extensive literature search was accomplished. DAs make up only 1.5% of dentists who actively contribute to anesthesia research but account for 10% of publications. To determine if the impact of DA research was similar to the American Dental Association (ADA) recognized specialties, h-indices of noted researchers in other specialties were compared to the h-indices of noted DA researchers. The results show that the impact of top DA researchers in dental anesthesiology is similar to the impact of top dental specialty researchers, despite lack of academic departments in dental schools where a large percentage of dental research is completed. Dentist anesthesiologists actively contribute to the research in anesthesiology for dentistry and thus, actively contribute to new knowledge in the field.

Biopsy and diagnostic histopathology in dental practice in Brisbane: usage patterns and perceptions of usefulness.

BACKGROUND: Biopsy procedures and diagnostic histopathology are rarely used by general dental practitioners (GDPs) compared with dental specialists. The aim of this study was to investigate the usage patterns and views of GDPs and specialists in Brisbane on these procedures. METHODS: An analysis was carried out on 1027 oral biopsy accessions at a private pathology laboratory. A survey was distributed to 200 GDPs and dental specialists inquiring about their use of and views on biopsy and diagnostic histopathology. An analysis was carried out on 327 and 95 biopsies performed at a private oral medicine practice and at the University of Queensland School of Dentistry, respectively. RESULTS: The majority (76.2%) of GDPs surveyed referred all oral lesions requiring biopsy to a specialist, rather than undertaking biopsy themselves. Although most GDPs recognized the importance of biopsy, a large proportion (58.1%) did not feel competent in undertaking the procedure due to concerns of inadequate experience and practical skills. CONCLUSIONS: Many dental practitioners believe that GDPs should be able to undertake simple biopsies of benign lesions, however more undergraduate and postgraduate training in biopsy and diagnostic histopathology is necessary to promote a greater use of these procedures.

Risk management in endodontics.

INTRODUCTION: Endodontic claims are the most frequently filed malpractice claims in dentistry. The aim of this study was to categorize and review errors and complications related to endodontic procedures that resulted in legal actions against the treating practitioner. METHODS: All dental malpractice complaints reported to the Medical Consultants International Company (MCI) in Israel between the years 1992-2008 were retrospectively analyzed according to a structured form. All complaints were categorized as either financial risk bearing (eg, justified) or financial non-risk bearing (eg, nonjustified). The treatment errors that were found in the files were categorized according to phases of treatment: preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative errors. RESULTS: A total of 720 complaints were analyzed including 520 complaints (72.2%) that were found to be justified and 200 complaints (27.8%) that were judged as not justified. Most of the treatment errors occurred during the intraoperative phase. In lower anterior teeth and in cases involving more than 1 tooth, significantly more errors were found during instrumentation and root canal filling (P < .05). There was a similar distribution of operator errors and of negative outcomes for teeth with elective endodontic treatment and teeth with endodontic treatment as a result of a pathologic process. CONCLUSIONS: The technical skills of the dental practitioners performing root canal treatments require improvement. All possible risks and complications should be considered and explained to the patient before treatment.

Clinical care provided on post-graduate dental clinical training course at Tokyo Dental College Chiba Hospital, Department of General Dentistry.

Number of patients assigned to dental residents, course of treatment and number of various technical tasks performed as described in the Reports on Clinical Training of Dentists published by the Department of General Dentistry, Tokyo Dental College Chiba Hospital since its establishment in 2002 were compared between before (2003-2005) and after (2006-2007) clinical training was made mandatory, and the state of clinical residency evaluated. Number of patients assigned generally increased, and mean number of patients treated by each resident in 2007 (15.08) was approximately 2 times higher than that in 2003 (8.47). Total number of treatments was 1.38 times higher in 2007 than in 2003, and periodontal treatment accounted for approximately 40% of all treatment both before and after clinical training became mandatory. Number of technical tasks in 2004-2007 was less than half the peak in 2003. To further improve clinical training, evaluation and implementation of effective approaches is necessary to secure an adequate number of patients, widen the variety of cases and increase the number of technical tasks.

Digital radiography in dentistry: a survey of Indiana dentists.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the number of Indiana dental practices that utilize digital radiography and to identify the reasons for using or not using digital radiography. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to a random sample of 300 licensed dentists in the State of Indiana. Demographic, clinical and digital technology responses were obtained. The data were analysed using SPSS 12.0 (Statistical Package Social Sciences) software; t-tests and Pearson's chi(2) test were performed on several variables with significance levels set at P< 0.05. RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-two dental practices (51%) responded to the survey. Thirty dental practices (19.7%) used digital radiography in their office. Twenty-two (73%) of the dentists using digital radiography were general practitioners. The number of dentists in a practice was a significant factor in predicting the use of digital radiography (t=2.57, P=0.011). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study indicate that digital radiography is more commonly used by general dentists in group practices.

Urgent care in the dental school setting: analysis of current environment and future challenges in emergency dental education.

Urgent dental care education is a critical aspect of the D.D.S. curriculum as dental students must be adequately prepared to face real-world dental emergency challenges in practice. Dental emergency education is likely the most variable component of the dental curriculum. To assess potential differences in emergency education, a sixteen-question survey was sent to directors of urgent care of all fifty-six U.S. dental schools addressing clinic operation, demographics, treatment, integration into the D.D.S. curriculum, and provision of care for indigent populations. The response rate was 88 percent. Results indicate a need for earlier integration of urgent dental care education into the D.D.S. curriculum, more pediatric emergency experiences for D.D.S. students, and a more rigorous academic approach in assessing student competency while on rotation in the urgent care service. In addition, access to emergency dental care has become increasingly difficult for indigent populations due to lack of state-supported funds; further exploration of sources of external funding for such care is warranted.

[Clinical evaluation of digital imaging]. / A digitalis röntgen képalkotás klinikai alkalmazásának ertékelése.

The rapid progression of digital radiography makes us consider its role in different fields of dentistry. The aim of the present survey was to evaluate the advantages of digital imaging over the use of radiographic films in the diagnosis and therapy of common oral pathologic conditions. The underlying hypothesis was that RadioVisiograph (RVG, Trophy Radiology, Marne-la-Vallée, France)--provided that there is access to this digital network--is easily available. Thus it can provide options for specialists of different dental fields to obtain more detailed information in order to make better decisions. Immediately after the installation of the new system and then, ten months later we analysed the results of digital images and radiographic films in outpatients of different sections at our clinic. The quality of both diagnostic procedures was evaluated using a questionnaire. Digital imaging was used mainly by specialists of endodontics, followed by restorative and prosthetic dentistry in setting up the diagnosis. The application of this new technique in parodontology and paediatric dentistry was negligible. However, it is worth mentioning that the majority of dentists participating in the survey thought that conventional radiographic films gave more detailed imaging than the digital technology. To sum it up, currently, digital imaging systems may represent an efficient device in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Nevertheless owing to the technical sensitivity of the above systems, traditional radiographic techniques should also be used as an option due to their advantages.

Endodontic treatment outcome: survey of oral health care professionals.

This study assessed the opinion of oral health care professionals regarding the predictability of initial endodontic treatment, expected long-term outcome and the importance of placing a coronal coverage after completion of treatment. An eight-item questionnaire was distributed among oral health care professionals. There were 49% of participants who responded that the expected retention rate of teeth 5 to 10 yr after endodontic treatment was more than 90%, whereas 44% responded that such retention rate was between 70 to 80%. The majority of the participants also responded that the need for additional treatment, such as retreatment, apical surgery or extraction, was expected to occur within the first 3 yr after endodontic treatment if initial treatment has failed. About 87% of participants responded that placing coronal coverage after completion of endodontic treatment in premolars and molars was very important for long-term tooth retention and 92% responded that overall, endodontic treatment was a predictable procedure with long-term tooth retention rate. Statistically significant associations were found between years of experience and expected rate of retention for both the total group of respondents (p < 0.001) and for general practitioners when examined separately (p < 0.002). Statistically significant associations were only found for general practitioners between years of experience and their responses regarding the need for additional treatment (p < 0.05) and overall predictability of endodontic treatment (p < 0.02). A trend was found between the professionals' years of experience and their opinion regarding the importance of coronal coverage. Of the group who had more than 20 yr of experience, about 87% considered coronal coverage to be very important for long-term tooth retention. In conclusion, it appears that most clinicians participating in this study consider endodontic therapy to be a predictable procedure with long-term tooth retention rate. Their opinions also reflect the variations that currently exist in the literature regarding the reported outcome of endodontic treatment.

Scope of practice comparison: a tool for curriculum decision making.

The proportion of claims filed for specific dental procedures (ADA codes # 05110, 05120, 03320, 03330, 04260, 02150) between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2004 by Texas general practitioners participating in a preferred provider network was compared to the proportion of these procedures performed by students graduating from the three Texas dental schools during the same period. Analysis of the data revealed that Texas dental students provide class two amalgam restorations in permanent teeth (02150) at approximately the same frequency as Texas general practitioners. Both groups provide periodontal osseous surgery (04260) at an extremely low frequency (<0.02% of total procedures). Bicuspid endodontic procedures (03320) were performed at a slightly higher frequency by students (0.43% of all procedures) than by general practitioners (0.36% of all procedures), and molar endodontic procedures (03330) were performed at a slightly higher frequency by general practitioners (0.65%) than by students (0.36%). Significant discrepancies between the groups were noted for the two complete denture procedures (05110, 05120). Students provided these procedures at frequencies fifteen times (05110) and twenty-five times (05120) greater than general practitioners. Dental schools should use data provided by scope of practice analyses to help determine an appropriate breadth and depth for their educational programs.

National survey of endodontists and selected patient samples: infectious diseases and attitudes toward infection control.

A survey was conducted of 591 patients from endodontic practices located in six large municipalities in the United States. A comparison was made between the self-reported incidence of transmissible diseases from patients medical histories to national statistics for the incidence of hepatitis B, herpes, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS. A national survey of 422 endodontists was also conducted. This survey was used to determine the beliefs and attitudes of practicing endodontists toward infection control techniques and infectious diseases. Compared with previous surveys, a trend toward increasing use of the hepatitis B vaccine, gloves, and greater acceptance of medically compromised patients was found.