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A questionnaire study to derive information on the working environment, clinical training, use of ancillary staff and optimization of patient radiation dose within UK dental practice
Author(s) -
Orafi I.,
Rushton V. E.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international endodontic journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.988
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1365-2591
pISSN - 0143-2885
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2591.2012.02033.x
Subject(s) - medicine , dental practice , demographics , endodontist , dentistry , radiation dose , radiography , clinical practice , endodontics , medical physics , family medicine , nuclear medicine , radiology , demography , sociology
Orafi I, Rushton VE. A questionnaire study to derive information on the working environment, clinical training, use of ancillary staff and optimization of patient radiation dose within UK dental practice. International Endodontic Journal , 45 , 763–772, 2012. Abstract Aim To evaluate the working environment of GDPs and Endodontists and the methods used to optimize patient radiation dose. Methodology A total of 857 GDPs and 170 specialist Endodontists were contacted. The responders, 603 of the former and 132 of the latter, completed a questionnaire covering practitioner demographics, pattern of practice, the use of radiographic techniques and the optimization of dose. Chi‐squared tests were used to compare groups at the P = 0.05 level of significance. For nonparametric data, the Mann–Whitney U ‐test was employed. Results A response rate of 73% was achieved. Overall, 79.5% of endodontic specialists used film holders compared with 65.9% of GDPs ( P = 0.001). One hundred and thirty (98.5%) endodontists and 581 (96.3%) GDPs reported that they were well prepared or adequately prepared in radiographically assessing the presence of apical pathosis. The study found significant differences ( P < 0.001) between the use of digital radiography by specialist endodontists 93 (70.5%) compared with general dental practitioners 167 (27.7%). Significant differences ( P = 0.004) were also observed in the use of rectangular collimation between endodontic specialists 55 (42%) and GDPs 223 (37%). With regard to the use of film holders in diagnostic radiography, 105 (79.5%) of endodontic specialists employed these devices compared with 396 (65.7%) GDPs; this finding was significant ( P = 0.005). For working length estimation, significant differences ( P = 0.001) were noted in the use of a film holder between endodontic specialists 105 (79.5%) and GDPs 386 (64%). Conclusions Both Endodontists and GDPs demonstrated compliance with guidelines relating to radiation protection being more significant amongst those clinicians working within specialist clinical practice.