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Investigating the technical quality of undergraduate endodontic treatment in a primary care-based dental school

British Dental Journal (2024)Cite this article

Abstract

Introduction The success of root canal treatment (RCTx) relies on the technical quality of the root canal filling, often assessed through radiographic evaluation.

Aims This audit aims to evaluate the technical proficiency of Peninsula Dental School (PDS) undergraduate dental students in RCTx, comparing it with established European standards.

Design Conducted as a retrospective study, this evaluation focuses on assessing the technical quality of RCTx performed by undergraduate dental students at PDS across various academic years.

Setting PDS, a primary care-based dental school in the UK, serves as the focal point for this evaluation.

Materials and methods Reviewed 2021-2022 endodontic cases by supervised undergraduates. Analysed radiographs for obturation, voids and errors based on established benchmarks. Randomly selected unbiased cases, assessing voids, filling proximity, missed canals and canal anatomy preservation.

Interventions Comparative analysis of RCTx quality between PDS students and counterparts from other dental schools, exemplified by Dublin Dental University Hospital (DDUH).

Results Findings revealed that 62.07% of single-rooted and 60% of multi-rooted teeth treated by PDS students met European standards.

Discussion The implications highlight the proficiency of PDS students in RCTx, comparing favourably to DDUH.

Conclusion Recommendations emphasise conducting regular educational audits in dental schools to continually enhance RCTx techniques and ensure high-quality clinical teaching.

Key points

  • Favourable comparative performance: Peninsula Dental School students matched or slightly surpassed peers in root canal treatment (RCTx) proficiency, showcasing effective teaching and clinical training.

  • Impact of voids and alternative techniques: voids notably affected RCTx outcomes. Recommending alternate techniques (for example, single cone, hydraulic cement) to diminish voids for better acceptability.

  • Educational audits for enhancement: stressing dental school audits to continually refine clinical teaching. Identifying areas for RCTx improvement ensures ongoing betterment in patient care quality.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Oral Surgery, Peninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth, UK

    Araz Ahmed

  2. Professor/Honorary Consultant in Endodontics and Programme Lead MSc in Endodontics, Peninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth, UK

    Federico Foschi

  3. Professor and Consultant in Endodontics, Dublin Dental University Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

    Henry F. Duncan

  4. Professor of Clinical Dentistry, Head of Peninsula Dental School and Director of Clinical Dentistry, Peninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth, UK

    Ewen McColl

Authors
  1. Araz Ahmed
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  2. Federico Foschi
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  3. Henry F. Duncan
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  4. Ewen McColl
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Contributions

This paper was developed by Araz Ahmed and Ewen McColl, who also oversaw its editing process. Federico Foschi and Henry F. Duncan provided valuable insights and contributed to the editing phase. Araz Ahmed serves as the primary author, while Ewen McColl acts as the corresponding author for this publication.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ewen McColl.

Ethics declarations

None of the authors have any conflicts of interest.

The audit was registered with the University of Plymouth, Faculty of Health, Research Ethics and Integrity Committee. It was agreed that ethical approval was not required for this audit as this was a retrospective analysis of clinical records and all patient consent for radiographs and endodontic treatment had already been obtained in line with Peninsula Dental Social Enterprise consent policy. Appropriate consent gained for clinical images and data.

Data availability

For access to the data supporting our study's conclusions, please contact the corresponding author. However, due to patient data confidentiality and in adherence to the Data Protection Act of 2018, we are unable to publicly share this data.

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Ahmed, A., Foschi, F., Duncan, H. et al. Investigating the technical quality of undergraduate endodontic treatment in a primary care-based dental school. Br Dent J (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-024-7130-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-024-7130-4

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