Investigating the Frequency of Digital Technology Usage Among Dentists in Zahedan - 2023

Background: Many new technologies are being used in dentistry, enhancing and accelerating dental procedures. However, there is still a lack of a comprehensive and coherent understanding of the extent of technology use and the factors influencing its adoption in any specific society. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the frequency of digital technology use among dentists in Zahedan, Iran, in 2023. Methods: In this descriptive-analytical study, ninety-three dentists working in Zahedan city were investigated. Simple random sampling was used to select participants, and a questionnaire was administered that included sections on demographic information (gender, experience, workplace, level of degree, level of education), administrative and communicative aspects (4 questions), clinical and diagnostic aspects (9 questions), and reasons for not using certain technologies. The validity of the questionnaire was 100%, and the reliability was 0.8. Data analysis was performed using frequency analysis and comparisons between groups, which were conducted using the chi-square or Fisher's exact test. A P-value of less than 0.05 (P < 0.05) was considered statistically significant. Results: The usage rate of digital technologies among dentists in Zahedan was 60.2% low, 35.5% moderate, and 4.3% high. There was a significant relationship between the use of digital technologies and factors such as gender (P < 0.001), workplace (P < 0.001), experience (P < 0.006), and level of education (P < 0.002). However, no significant relationship was found between digital technology use and the level of degree. Digital radiography was the most commonly used technology, with a usage rate of 74.3%. The most frequently used administrative and communicative technology was the "use of communication program or software with other centers," at 49.9%. The majority of digital technologies began to be adopted from 2019 onwards. The main reason for not using administrative and communicative technologies was "inaccessibility," while the primary reason for not using clinical and diagnostic technologies was deemed "unnecessary use." Conclusions: The use of digital technologies by dentists in Zahedan was found to be low. Given the limited adoption of digital technologies in dentistry, it is essential to provide more training for dentists and to facilitate better access to these technologies in the field.