Assessment of knowledge, awareness and attitudes on dental radiation hazards and radiation protection among dentists in Pune

Abstract

Background: Radiological examination is an essential component of clinical dental practice, with significant advantages for both clinicians and patients. Because dentists are the ones who order the tests, they should be well-versed in radiation. They must determine if the benefits of radiographic information outweighs the risks of the patient's health. Dentists should be prepared to inform their patients about the dangers of X-rays. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge, importance of radiation protection and radiation hazards among Interns and Dental professionals in Pune city. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire study was conducted among the dental health professionals including the dental undergraduate interns of Pune city, Maharashtra, to assess the knowledge, attitude and awareness of dental radiation hazards and radiation protection. A structured, self-administered, close-ended questionnaire was designed to collect the data which consisted of two parts and comprised of 31 questions related to knowledge, attitudes and practices in dental radiation hazards and radiation protection. The first part consisted of demographic data and the second part consisted of questions based on knowledge, attitude and practice in dental radiation hazards and radiation protection. The reliability statistics were calculated and Cronbach alpha value was 0.618. Statistical analysis was done using descriptive statistics. Results: In this study, there were a total of 159 participants of age 21 and above. 84.8% agreed that dental X-rays are harmful, while 15.2% participants answered No. 94.9% of dentists agreed that dental X-rays have stochastic and deterministic effects over a period of time and only 5.1% of the participants disagreed. Conclusion: The study concluded that the knowledge and awareness regarding radiation hazards and radiation protection among dental health professionals was fair and adequate. Although a continual teaching and education at regular intervals is required to ensure that dentists are taking proper precautions for maximum safety.