Adoption of IRT: An Instrument Retraction Technique in Local Anesthesia Delivery

Abstract

This article evaluates the adoption of an Instrument Retraction Technique (IRT) taught in preclinical local anesthesia to dental students, and its subsequent use in their clinical practice. Immediately following their basic injection technique instruction, first-year students were asked to observe senior students’ technique over a three-week period. During this time, they completed surveys to determine if senior students continue to apply the techniques taught during the first-year course. The results of the surveys suggest safer techniques taught in preclinical curricula continue to be used during clinical procedures. Successful introduction of IRT during mandibular anesthesia into a dental school curriculum is an option for potential reduction in intraoral needle sticks and should be considered when evaluating local anesthesia curriculum in dental schools. The instruction of dental students should coincide with clinical faculty training and calibration. The authors concluded that further evaluation of the technique should be performed to confirm reduction of risk of Blood borne Exposure (BBE) to clinician without subsequent need for additional anesthesia to patient.