Endodontic procedural errors by students in two Saudi dental schools

Abstract

To explore endodontic procedural errors committed by undergraduate dental students in King Khalid University (KKU), Abha and AlFarabi dental college, Riyadh. Methods: In this cross sectional study, a questionnaire was distributed to 500 dental students from both schools and of both genders in the 5th and 6th levels in the academic year 2016-2017. Participants were asked to record their endodontic procedural error(s) that had occurred during training. Results: Returned and eligible questionnaires were 469 (93.8% response rate) and were almost equally distributed by university (KKU and Alfarabi). The participants' age ranged from 22 to 24 years, and approximately 47% of them were female students and 65% were 6th level students. Almost 56% of the sample reported at least one endodontic procedural error during their training. Female students reported errors (65%) more frequently than the male students (49%; P=0.002). Up to 54% of these errors were in the posterior teeth and 65% were in teeth with curved roots. Most common error during access cavity preparation was gouging (68%) and due to instrumentation was ledge formation (47%), during obturation was voids (41%). There were no differences in the reported endodontic errors between the two universities. Conclusion: The frequency of reported endodontic procedural errors by senior dental students in both schools, more specifically those in the 6th year, is high. Ledge formation and voids in the root canal filling are the most frequently reported endodontic errors.

Complete denture replacement: a 20-year retrospective study of adults receiving publicly funded dental care

“…(Table 3) Notwithstanding, there was no difference at other time intervals. Students are fully supervised by qualified clinicians in all situations; however, students have been found to have a higher rate of clinical errors than experienced clinicians [34]. The high rate of early denture replacements by students in this study may reflect the replacement of dentures in which procedural errors were identified and corrected by replacement of the dentures.…”

Qualitative Assessment of Root Canal Treatment Risk Factors Failures among Patients at the Specialist Dental Center in Najran: A Clinical Survey

“…This was in agreement with previous results. 15,16,17,18 Availability of flexible Ni Ti files and pre-curving techniques would be sufficient to negotiate most of the curved canals 7 .…”

“…Failure to negotiate curvature is an indicator of the incompetency of the clinician. 15,16,17,18 Pulp stones obstruct the entry of instruments into the canal and calcification is one of the several reasons for short obturation. Modern technology is used well to remove the pulp stone and negotiate calcified canals.…”

“…Similar results were recorded by studies. 14,16,28 It is imperative to add here that all these are well avoided if the clinician follows the basics of RC procedure. Among the retreated cases, it was anticipated that surgical endodontics would have to be resorted in 14% of cases.…”

“…The qualities of RCTs performed by graduate and senior students in Saudi Arabia (SA) were evaluated. The acceptable quality of RCTs has been reported in different cities in SA cities, 12,13,14,15 but an unacceptable quality of RCTs has been obtained in some colleges, Al Farabi 16,17 and KSU 18 in Riyadh City. However, the quality of RCTs has been rarely compared and investigated among specialists, and general practitioners.…”