RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Evidence-based practice is the cornerstone of dentistry and especially endodontics. Diagnosis, treatment planning, and treatment with recent advancement based on evidence would be a great help for the patent satisfaction and treatment prognosis; hence, the aim of present study was to explore difference between perception, knowledge, and practice of endodontists and general dental practitioners (GDPs) towards evidence-based practice and factors associated with it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study is a cross-sectional descriptive questionnaire study conducted among specialists in the subject of conservative and endodontic dentistry and GDPs working in private clinics in Modinagar city, Uttar Pradesh. The study was conducted in October 2019. In the present study, a close-ended questionnaire was prepared to determine the perception and practice of dental specialists. RESULTS: The majority of endodontists (31 [35.22%]) belonged to the age group of 36-45 years of age while most of the GDPs (32 [36.36%]) belonged to 25-35 years of age group. The majority of endodontists were females (56[63.64%]) and most of the GDPs were males (50 (56.81]). More endodontists (47 [53.42]) had a positive perception of evidence-based practice than GDPs (15[16.42]). Practice toward evidence was fair among most of the endodontists (49 [55.68%]) and GDPs (54 [61.36%]). CONCLUSION: There was a more positive perception regarding evidence-based practice among endodontists than GDPs, knowledge was high among endodontists regarding evidence-based practice and practice was also good among endodontists. Factors associated with perception, knowledge, and practice among endodontists and GDPs were age in years, gender, year of practice, number of endodontic patients treating per month.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Undergraduate students can provide valuable opinions and suggestions for modifying the educational program for the enhancement of learning. Therefore, the aim of this study was to explore the preparedness of undergraduate dental students with regard to practice endodontics in the rural and remote areas of India. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among dental undergraduates (interns). The survey was conducted among the students of 3 private dental colleges. For the data collection, a close-ended questionnaire was designed to test the knowledge for performing endodontic therapy, root canal therapy (RCT), attitude, and behavior of performing these procedures in the rural set-ups. Unpaired t test and one way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the significant difference based on demographics and Pearson's correlation was applied to find the associations among knowledge, attitude, and behavior of study participants. The level of significance was set at below 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 79 students participated, out of which 22 respondents were males (27.8%), and 57 were females (72.15%). Overall mean knowledge scores for endodontics was 9.72 ± 2.19, and the scores of female students were slightly higher than males, whereas the attitude and behavior were better in males but there was no statistical significant difference between both the genders (P > 0.05). A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between attitude and behavior on practicing endodontics in rural settings among study subjects (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: These findings highlights the necessity for taking initiatives to enhance the community-based dental education programs by various dental colleges for improving oral health care access for rural and isolated populations.
