Design of a Knowledge Evaluation Questionnaire for Dental Specialists on Preservation and Extraction Indications of the First Permanent Molars

Objectives: To evaluate the extent of knowledge of dental specialists in Shiraz (Iran) on clinical guidelines for the preservation and extraction indications of First Permanent Molars (FPMs).
Methods: A dedicated questionnaire for the purpose of knowledge evaluation was developed by the authors. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed by 6 orthodontists and 15 dental specialists, respectively. The 19-item questionnaire covered topics such as demographic data, preservation criteria for FPM teeth, and indications for FPM extraction. The survey was carried out across six dental disciplines (endodontics, pedodontics, prosthodontics, orthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and restorative dentists) in Shiraz (Iran) during July-August 2018. The data were analyzed using the SPSS software (version 22.0) with the dependent sample t test and one-way ANOVA. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: From a total of 89 dental specialists, 64 participants (53% males, 47% females) completed the questionnaire. Over 50% of the participants were graduates from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) and nearly 68% were dental faculty member.
The mean score of the knowledge for all participants was 10.09±3.93. The knowledge level showed the following descending order among the six disciplines: pedodontists, orthodontists, prosthodontist, restorative dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons, and endodontists. It had a significant and an inverse correlation with age (P<0.001) and years of experience (P=0.017). All female participants and those graduated from SUMS had the highest knowledge level (P=0.046, P=0.029, respectively). The level of knowledge had a significant relationship with dental specialty (P<0.001).
Conclusions: The overall level of knowledge of the specialists was insufficient, except for the pedodontists and orthodontists. A re-education training program for dental specialists is strongly recommended. In addition, in support of fresh dental graduates, the inclusion of indications for FPM extraction should be considered in the dental curriculum.