Background: The primary goal of endodontic therapy is to alleviate pain, prevent infection and re-infection, maintain the functionality of the teeth, and create an environment within the root canal system which allows the healing and continued maintenance of the health of the peri-radicular tissue. This study aims to gather information on routine endodontic treatment among dental interns and general practitioners (GDPs) in the central region of Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: An e-questionnaire was distributed among dental interns and GDPs in Saudi Arabia (n = 150). The e-questionnaire questions covered the assessment of knowledge, attitude, and performance toward practicing the proper standards of endodontic treatment in their clinic. Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22, and the relationships between categorical variables were established using the chi-square test.
Results: The response rate was 66%. 32% of the total respondents were female, and 68% were male. All respondents were Saudi, and most were GDPs 57% and 43% were dental interns. No significant difference was found between GDPs and dental interns regarding technique, instruments used, and knowledge related to endodontic treatment protocols (p-value > 0.05).
Conclusion: This study highlights some minor points to consider to improve treatment quality provided by dental interns and GDPs for patients in the central region of Saudi Arabia. These include little knowledge regarding endodontic treatment standards that need to be fulfilled, either by educational courses or workshops and to stay updated regarding the protocols and instructions provided by, e.g., the Saudi association of endodontics, American association of endodontics, and other official societies related to endodontics.
Key words: Endodontics, root canal treatment, Dental Interns, General Dental Practitioners, antibiotics, endodontic standards, intracanal medications.
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