Evaluation of local anesthesia knowledge levels of specialist/PhD dentists in Turkiye

Aims: This study aims to evaluate the knowledge levels of specialist/PhD dentists about local anesthetic agents, application techniques, and complications related to local anesthesia. Methods: An electronic survey was distributed to specialized/PhD dentists employed in 8 different departments of dentistry. The survey consisted of 25 questions about knowledge of local anesthesia. Knowledge level was determined based on the number of correct answers. In the statistical evaluation, descriptive statistics for continuous variables were reported as mean, standard deviation, median, minimum, and maximum values. Categorical variables were expressed as frequency and percentage. For continuous variables, the data was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. For independent group comparisons involving more than two groups, the Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis test was employed. In subgroup comparisons, the Bonferroni-adjusted Mann-Whitney U test was utilized. For comparisons between two independent groups, the Mann-Whitney U test was applied. The statistical significance level was set at 0.05. Results: This study involved 200 participants, comprising 35.5% males and 64.5% females, with an average age of 35.91 years. Participants were categorized based on their years of service, with the majority having 5-10 years of experience. A significant portion (60.5%) had received specialized training, and 87.0% were employed in the public sector. Knowledge levels regarding local anesthesia varied among different dental specialties, with oral and maxillofacial surgery showing the highest proficiency. While no significant differences in knowledge were found based on gender, years of experience, or educational degree, a notable distinction emerged among those with PhDs or specializations, particularly favoring oral and maxillofacial surgery. Conversely, prosthodontics specialists exhibited lower knowledge levels compared to several other fields. Conclusion: Dentists' knowledge of local anesthesia varies across specialty/PhD fields, with oral and maxillofacial surgeons having the highest scores and Prosthodontists having the lowest, highlighting the need for continuous training.