Zulfiqar Ali Shaikh, Afifa Yaseen, Amna Yaseen, Subhana Akber.
Knowledge of dental professionals regarding tooth restorability at a public sector tertiary care hospital of Karachi, Pakistan.
Pak J Public Health Jan ;9(2):69-72.

Background: Panoptic knowledge of dental professionals is required to provide care for patients with any dental problem which ranges from screening, emergency care or referral to alleviation of pain symptoms. Ideally to provide dental care, dental practice should be based on current clinical concepts originating from evidence-based dentistry which clearly demarcates a level between a tooth that is able to be restored so that intervention is done on it for esthetic and functional stability, or ready for extraction. Dental professionals' knowledge regarding tooth restorability is very crucial in restorative and preventive dentistry. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge of dental professionals regarding tooth restorability. Methods: Knowledge regarding tooth restorability of dental professionals of Dow University of Health Sciences was assessed through a multi centered cross sectional study. A sample size of 140 participants was calculated using through open Epi version 3, and a convenient non-probability sampling technique was used. The study was conducted in May-June, 2018. An informed consent prior to the study was taken. The dental professionals were evaluated through a self- administered, structured questionnaire in English. The SPSS-23 was used to obtain results. The knowledge of the students was graded as adequate if >12 and inadequate if<12. Results: Out of 140 study participants, 113 (81%) dental professionals had significantly adequate knowledge (p-value <0.05); while 27 (19%) had inadequate knowledge. Among the respondents, 56% said that the traumatic dental injury must be treated by dentist whereas the others considered it to be treated by private doctor or by nearest hospital casualty. Conclusion: The knowledge of dental professionals working at teaching institutes is adequate; and as per their knowledge they might be taking right decisions regarding tooth restorability.

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