Dentists perceptions about practices, undergraduate training and training needs of local anesthesia

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to assess dentists perceptions about safety and efficacy of their practices; their undergraduate training; and training requirements about local anesthesia [LA]. A prospective, questionnaire-based survey of 181 dentists from Lahore and Karachi was carried out. The questionnaire was designed to collect information about general dentists perceptions about their salient local anesthesia practices, the level of training provided to them at under-graduate level and the training needs at different levels of professional careers. Sixty eight percent of the participants did not aspirate during inferior alveolar nerve block LA injections. Training in important LA nerve block injections was not provided to the majority of participants at the undergraduate level. Most of the participants felt that improvement in training of LA at under-graduate, post-graduate and continuing professional development levels were needed. Serious shortcomings in the practice and training of safe and effective LA were noticed in this survey. In accordance with the need felt by the survey participants for improved teaching and training of LA, the curriculum for local anesthesia training should be revised and implemented