Assessment of the endodontic treatement approaches of dentists in Turkey

The aim of endodontic treatment is to fully cleanse the root canal system from the infected tissues and microorganisms, disinfect the root canal, and fill the root canal up to the apical foramen to provide an impermable fluid tight seal. Performing treatment in accordance with scientific criteria by making proper use of technological advances is of great importance for treatment success. The level of knowledge and skills of dentists directly affect the success of endodontic treatment. The aim of this dissertation is to determine the habits of dentists in Turkey with regards to their endodontic treatment practices and to assess their habits according to scientific criteria. A 20-item questionnaire was used in the present study to determine routine endodontic treatment habits/practices of dentists in Turkey. The questionnaire was sent via e-mail to dentists registered on the database of the Turkish Dental Association (TDB) and only comprehensible data were taken into consideration. The rate of dentists who responded to the questionnaire was 3.06%, whereas the rate of responders among dentists who perform endodontic treatment in their usual practice was determined as 97.20%. Among the dentists, 72.84% reported that they preffered NiTi rotary file/reamer systems in their routine treatment procedures. It was found that 77.96% of the dentists routinely treat molars and that dentists with >16 years of practical experience treated molars at a significantly lower rate than the group of dentists with 1 to 15 years of practical experience. Of the dentists, 81.15% stated that they had never used rubber dam isolation. The authors consider that the results of the present study provide useful information in assessing endodontic treatment practices of dentists in Turkey and identifying their deficiencies in this regard, and will light the way for future courses and training activities. Keywords: Endodontic treatment, survey, dentist