Root Canal Treatment and Demand for Continuing Education among Thai Dental Practitioners

Abstract

Background In recent times, there have been significant advancements in the techniques and materials used for root canal treatment. Nevertheless, there is a lack of study on the current methods used for root canal treatment among dentists in Thailand. Therefore, the primary purpose of this study was to investigate the current root canal treatment procedures and the demand for continuing education among Thai dental practitioners. Methods The survey, consisting of two sections and a total of 25 questions, was randomly distributed to 412 dentists in Thailand, both online and offline. Data on demographics, information on current root canal treatment protocols, and demand for continuing education, were collected. The association between demographic data and current root canal treatment protocols was analyzed using the chi-square test. The data gathered were analyzed using the JASP statistical software version 0.18. Results Three hundred and ninety-four questionnaires were completed. Sixty percent of the respondents (236) regularly performed root canal treatment. Most respondents treated one to five anterior teeth weekly. Seventy-six percent of the respondents did not use magnification. Fifty-eight percent of the respondents used an electronic apex locator in conjunction with a radiograph to determine the working length. Forty-four percent of the respondents used hand files for mechanical instrumentation. Sodium hypochlorite was the most used irrigant, while cold lateral compaction was the preferred obturation technique. The participants revealed the most interest in enrolling in two to three-day short seminar courses. Conclusion More Thai dental practitioners strictly followed the standard protocol compared to the previous survey. The short seminar courses were the most preferred program for continuous education.