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Stomatologija 2009; 11 (3): 77-82 386 KB

Use of dental radiography among Lithuanian general dentists

Vytaute Peciuliene, Jurate Rimkuviene, Rasma Maneliene, Saulius Drukteinis

Summary

Objective. To gather information about the radiographic facilities and techniques used by Lithuanian general dentists.

Materials and Methods. Questionnaires were sent to all 2879 Lithuanian dental practitioners registered on the Lithuanian Dental Chamber licence registry data list. The questionnaire was made with multiple-choice answers. Respondents were invited to choose the only one category of answer that best fitted their clinical attitude. Questions included in the present survey concerned general and specific information regarding peculiarities of radiographic imaging. Only answers of respondents who are licensed as general dentists were included in this study.

Results. From the 2850 questionnaires mailed 1532 were returned. The response rate was 53.8%. Of the total responses 1431 questionnaires were received from licensed general dentists. Of total 956 dentists practiced in urban and 576 dentists in rural areas. 61.6% of respondents had access to an intra-oral radiographic unit in their practice and 91.5% of them used dental radiography always or often as the diagnostic tool. To support the film packet in the patient's mouth alternatively film holder or patient's finger was used by 48% of respondents, while film holder was used only by 19.3% of dentists.

Conclusion. Recently graduated dental practitioners more common used diagnostic radiography in endodontic pathology than dentists with a longer time from graduation. Film holder was not a popular device among general dental practitioners to perform periapical radioraphs. It is important to improve the existing dental curriculum to ensure the necessary competency when using dental radiography and film holders routinely in clinical practice.

Key words: general dentist, survey, radiography.

Received: 22 06 2009

Accepted for publishing: 28 09 2009

*Institute of Odontology Faculty of Medicine Vilnius university

Vytaute Peciuliene* – D.D.S, PhD, assoc. prof.

Jurate Rimkuviene* – D.D.S, PhD, assist. prof.

Rasmute Maneliene* – D.D.S, PhD, assoc. prof.

Saulius Drukteinis* – D.D.S, PhD, lecturer

Address correspondence to assoc. prof. Vytaute Peciuliene, Institute of Odontology, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius university, Zalgirio 117, 08217, Vilnius.

E-mail address: vytaute.peciuliene@mf.vu.lt



	Baltic Dental and Maxillofacial Journal

September, 2009, Vol. 11, No. 3 CONTENTS SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES Epidemiology of mandibular fractures treated at Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital, Lithuania Ricardas Kubilius,Tadas Keizeris 73 -76 Use of dental radiography among Lithuanian general dentists Vytaute Peciuliene, Jurate Rimkuviene, Rasma Maneliene, Saulius Drukteinis 77-82 Reaction of crestal bone around implants depending on mucosal tissue thickness. A 1-year prospective clinical study Tomas Linkevicius, Peteris Apse, Simonas Grybauskas, Algirdas Puisys 83-91 Quality of root canal filling performed by undergraduate students of odontology at Kaunas University of Medicine in Lithuania Eduardas Kelbauskas, Laura Andriukaitiene, Irena Nedzelskiene 92-96 The factors effecting satisfaction of dental appearance and self-perceived need for orthodontic treatment in 10-11 and 14-15 year-old Lithuanian schoolchildren Diana Baubiniene, Antanas Sidlauskas 97-102 © 2009 Stomatologija		Stomatologija 2009; 11 (3): 77-82 386 KB Use of dental radiography among Lithuanian general dentists Vytaute Peciuliene, Jurate Rimkuviene, Rasma Maneliene, Saulius Drukteinis Summary Objective. To gather information about the radiographic facilities and techniques used by Lithuanian general dentists. Materials and Methods. Questionnaires were sent to all 2879 Lithuanian dental practitioners registered on the Lithuanian Dental Chamber licence registry data list. The questionnaire was made with multiple-choice answers. Respondents were invited to choose the only one category of answer that best fitted their clinical attitude. Questions included in the present survey concerned general and specific information regarding peculiarities of radiographic imaging. Only answers of respondents who are licensed as general dentists were included in this study. Results. From the 2850 questionnaires mailed 1532 were returned. The response rate was 53.8%. Of the total responses 1431 questionnaires were received from licensed general dentists. Of total 956 dentists practiced in urban and 576 dentists in rural areas. 61.6% of respondents had access to an intra-oral radiographic unit in their practice and 91.5% of them used dental radiography always or often as the diagnostic tool. To support the film packet in the patient's mouth alternatively film holder or patient's finger was used by 48% of respondents, while film holder was used only by 19.3% of dentists. Conclusion. Recently graduated dental practitioners more common used diagnostic radiography in endodontic pathology than dentists with a longer time from graduation. Film holder was not a popular device among general dental practitioners to perform periapical radioraphs. It is important to improve the existing dental curriculum to ensure the necessary competency when using dental radiography and film holders routinely in clinical practice. Key words: general dentist, survey, radiography. Received: 22 06 2009 Accepted for publishing: 28 09 2009 Institute of Odontology Faculty of Medicine Vilnius university Vytaute Peciuliene – D.D.S, PhD, assoc. prof. Jurate Rimkuviene* – D.D.S, PhD, assist. prof. Rasmute Maneliene* – D.D.S, PhD, assoc. prof. Saulius Drukteinis* – D.D.S, PhD, lecturer Address correspondence to assoc. prof. Vytaute Peciuliene, Institute of Odontology, Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius university, Zalgirio 117, 08217, Vilnius. E-mail address: vytaute.peciuliene@mf.vu.lt