Evaluating the knowledge of general dental practitioners regarding local anesthetic injections in pediatric patients

Inducing efficient anesthesia makes the dental procedures easier for pediatric patients and the dentist. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of general dental practitioners regarding local anesthetic injections in children. This cross-sectional survey was conducted on 346 general practitioners in Iran. Data were collected by a questionnaire that consisted of three sections: demographic characteristics, general information concerning local anesthesia, and knowledge questions. The Shapiro-Wilk test confirmed the normality of the knowledge score, and independent t-tests and ANOVA were employed to compare the scores. The results showed that general dental practitioners had an average age of 30.1 years (SD = 10.5). Of the participants, 50.6% were female, with an average time since graduation of 62.5 months (SD = 6.7). The mean knowledge score was 8.25 out of 15 (possible range = (0–15)), with a 95% confidence interval of (8.017, 8.483). Participants in retraining courses and those who completed a practical educational anesthesia course after graduation had significantly higher knowledge scores (P < 0.001). The results indicated that just 8.2% of participants were able to correctly apply the aspiration technique, in contrast to 52.9% who correctly identified the maximum recommended dose (MRD) of prilocaine, and 40.2% who accurately knew the height for injection. General dental practitioners exhibited a moderate knowledge (mean knowledge score was 8.25 out of 15) of local anesthetic injections for pediatric patients. However, their knowledge in critical areas such as the MRD of local anesthetics, aspiration techniques, and the correct height for injection was significantly lacking. There is a clear need for general dentists to undergo retraining courses focused on pediatric anesthesia.