Knowledge and Diagnostic Skills of Dental Residents Towards Endodontically Involved Teeth in Specialized Dental Center in Mosul city / Iraq

Objectives: to assess the knowledge regarding the diagnosis of endodontically affected teeth and the decision-making abilities regarding specific clinical situations among the dental residents in dental specialist center/ left bank/ Mosul / Iraq. Materials & method: A self–administered questionnaire consisting of 20–questions was distributed to the dental residents at the Dental Specialist Center on the Left Bank in Mosul city, Iraq, in order to assess their diagnostic skills and decision-making abilities in relation to endodontically involved teeth. Additionally, the impacts of taking an endodontic course were investigated. SPSS version 21 was used for data analysis. Results: Forty-one dental residents participated in the survey. The results indicated that there is no statically significant effect of endodontic course on response (P > 0.05). Our research found that the respondents do necessary steps in the diagnosis of endodontically involved teeth, however 29.3% managed emergency acute pain by non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs). According to this study, most of the participants had a good knowledge about sensibility test principle, however, 34% used it to distinguish between periapical and periodontal abscess. Furthermore, there was a significant variation among the participants’ answers regarding how to manage the most common clinical scenarios. Conclusion: This study showed that dental residents have a good knowledge regarding the endodontically involved teeth diagnosis; however, additional training interventions are required to promote the availability of advanced diagnostic technique and enhance treatment outcomes. In addition, there is a need to establish clear guidelines to improve the diagnostic principles among the dental residents.