Overtreatment in Restorative Dentistry: Decision Making by Last-Year Dental Students.

Triana Moreno,Carmen Llena,José Luis Sanz,María Melo

doi:10.3390/ijerph182312585

Abstract

To evaluate the tendency for overdiagnosis and overtreatment upon different clinical situations among last-year students from the degree in dentistry from Valencia University (Spain) during the 2018–2019 course. A questionnaire consisting of 10 case exemplifications examining the diagnosis, treatment, and clinician’s attitude towards different common clinical situations regarding restorative dentistry was designed. Fifty-two students were surveyed, from whom 42 completed the questionnaire (80.77%). Data were analyzed descriptively. A total of 58.8% of the students correctly identified an early carious lesion in the occlusal surface of a molar, while 63.2% would perform unnecessary complementary tests for its diagnosis. The treatment for carious lesions in different evolutive phases with a vital pulp was correct between 51.2 and 92.7% of the cases. The treatment for irreversible pulp pathology and the restoration of the tooth with root canal treatment were adequately selected in 56.1% and 78.3% of the cases, respectively. For the repair of a faulty restoration, an overtreatment was proposed by 87.8% of the students. A tendency to perform unnecessary complementary tests for caries diagnosis was observed. Treatment caries proposals were in accordance with available evidence in the majority of the cases. Students tended to overtreat defective restorations and would perform unnecessary treatments in medically compromised patients.

Highlights

Academic Editors: Massimo Corsalini and Paul B
The present study aims to evaluate overdiagnosis and overtreatment upon different clinical situations among last-year dental students
The results from the present study confirmed that approximately half of the last-year students from the degree in dentistry proposed a correct diagnosis for the first clinical scenario, following the criteria established by The International Caries Consensus Collaboration or ICCC [33], in which the extension and activity of the lesion are considered

Summary

Introduction

Academic Editors: Massimo Corsalini and Paul B. Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Overtreatment is defined as the application of unnecessary treatments or treatments whose efficacy has not been demonstrated and there is limited or no evidence that supports their beneficial effect on the patients’ health [1]. The definition encompasses any medical procedure that is technically and clinically inadequate due to the existence of other exceeding options, or any treatment whose volume and/or price are inappropriate [2]

Methods

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Discussion

Conclusion