Practitioners In Chennai Research Articles

Assessment of Knowledge and Utilization of Prefabricated Band and Loop Space Maintainers in Primary Dentition Among Dentists: A Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study.

Preserving primary dentition is essential for maintaining optimal oral health and development in children. Premature loss of primary teeth due to caries, infection, crowding, or trauma can necessitate orthodontic intervention and lead to various complications. Space maintainers are critical for preserving arch space until the eruption of permanent teeth, thereby preventing issues such as ectopic eruption, crowding, and malocclusion. Despite their advantages, prefabricated space maintainers (PSMs) are underutilized. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of Indian dentists regarding PSMs in primary teeth. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 100 dental practitioners in Chennai. A 10-item self-administered questionnaire, developed based on a comprehensive literature review and expert consultations, assessed demographics, knowledge of PSM indications and techniques, current practices, perceived barriers, and preferences for continuing education. The questionnaire's reliability was confirmed with a Cronbach's alpha value of 0.85. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies andpercentages, were used to summarize the participants' demographic characteristics, knowledge levels, and current practices related to PSMs. Of the 100 respondents, 86 (86%) were males and 14 (14%) were females. Only 19 (19%) reported using PSMs, while 36 (36%) used conventional space maintainers. A significant proportion (42 (42%)) of the respondents held a master's degree in dental surgery, yet only 11 (11%) had participated in Continuing Dental Education (CDE) programs on space maintainers. The perceived benefit of PSMs being a single appointment procedure was acknowledged by 82 (82%) of the respondents, whereas 76 (76%) participants identified cost as a major drawback. Notably, 45 (45%) practitioners did not consider PSMs necessary. This survey highlights notable obstacles in the adoption of PSMs among Indian dentists, emphasizing the need for focused educational initiatives. Improving knowledge and practices related to PSMs can enhance pediatric dental care and oral health outcomes in India.

Dentist perspective on knowledge and practice toward Ellis class 3 tooth fracture: A survey.

Traumatic dental injuries otherwise referred to as dental trauma is common in dental practice. The etiology of dental trauma is mostly falls and accidents in case of children and young adults. The treatment provided should be quick and effective which depends on the extent of the dental trauma, the injury might expose enamel, dentine and pulp of the affected teeth. Ellis class 3 involves all the 3 layers mentioned, so there should be quick measures taken. A survey was conducted among dental practitioners to assess their knowledge and practice experience about Ellis class 2 fracture. Detailed questionnaire was created with questions about Ellis class 3 tooth fracture and was circulated to 100 dental practitioners in Chennai, Tamilnadu through google forms. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS software. The knowledge and practice of Ellis class 3 trauma was 85%, the dental practitioners have adequate knowledge about the various clinical, diagnostic aids used and are aware to provide the correct treatment for each case. Based on the responses from the dental practitioners there is not much practice of Ellis class 3 dental trauma in their dental practice. Thus the present study concludes that the knowledge and practice of Ellis class 3 teeth fracture is good among dental practitioners and the various aspects are well known by dentists.

Challenges Faced by the Traditional Medical Practitioners from Siddha System towards Transition to Information Technology-based Approaches at Chennai, India

Traditional System of Medicine has its strong roots in human life since eons. The wellbeing and health care needs of the Human kind has been taken care consistently by this profound historical medical system. One such system of medicine which has its origin from Southern part of India is Siddha System of Medicine. Siddha framework is a treasure-house of mystery science, epitomizing the consequences of the ardent pursuit thereof by the old Siddhars. The registered and traditional Siddha Doctors practice these ancient medical services - based on the treasured Palm scripts of Siddhars. A major part of these manuscripts are more defenseless than the recorded conventional information. In this manner, the current review was planned to report and quantitatively dissect the neighborhood information on the customary Siddha practitioners in Chennai. This article highlights the challenges encountered by the Siddha practitioners towards the transition to an information technology-based approach in the Siddha system of medicine at Chennai. In this study, a questionnaire was provided to 56 Siddha practitioners in Chennai and the data were evaluated based on a questionnaire pertaining to utilisation of big data repository, use of electronic reporting, personalized patient care management, evidence-based decision supporting system using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning and data on preventive diseases. The study observed that the practitioners felt a strong need for change to IT-based systems for recording the personalized patient care management and utilising the databases for reporting the various aspects observed.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Dental Practitioners towards Screening for Oral Pre-Cancer and Cancer

One of the global health issues is Oral cancer, which has an increased death rate. Awareness of oral cancer screening is important for oral health care professionals for early detection and improving the patients' survival rate. Attitude towards oral cancer awareness and knowledge of oral cancer screening are the key factors that impact oral cancer awareness success.
 Materials and Methods: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dental practitioners and dental students towards screening for oral pre-cancer and cancer. This study included dental practitioners working in various academic institutions and private practitioners in Chennai. Participants were asked to fill in age, gender, designation, and experience. A structured questionnaire consisting of 10 questions, each having four options, was administered to the participants. The data collected was 100 responses analyzed by statistical package for the social science (spss inc., version 16 for, Chicago, IL, USA). Simple descriptive statistics were used to describe the distribution of data collected. T-test and ANOVA were employed to assess the statistically significant difference in the KAP scores between different groups.
 Results: The response rate for the present study was 100%. 37% of general dental practitioners reported that they routinely do a thorough oral examination for all the patients,52% agree that they are adequately trained to examine patients for oral pre-cancer and cancer screening,8% of them reported that they never do toluidine blue staining for patients with oral lesion. Majority(57) of them agree that they would recommend biopsy for suspected cases of oral cancer. Only 9% of the participants were aware of the time required for intraoral screening examination. 31% of them were aware of the risk of malignant transformation in a white lesion. 73% of the participants were aware of the occurrence of oral cancer in non - tobacco users was rare. 53% of agree that thorough intraoral examination for oral cancer will reduce oral cancer mortality and morbidity.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Dental Practitioners in Chennai Towards Management of Hazardous Dental Radiological Waste –A Cross Sectional Survey

Background: Management of hazardous dental radiological waste is very important for the dentist to known and practice correct protocol. The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice among the dental professionals in Chennai, towards disposal of radiographic hazardous waste.Materials and Methods: One hundred dental practitioners from different part of the city were participated in this study. A set of hundred questions were given to the education qualification divided into 2 groups, those with BDS (UG degree) and MDS (PG degree) and the answers obtained was tabulated and recorded. Descriptive statistics were calculated for all the questions recorded among the education qualification they were divided into 2 groups, those with BDS (UG degree) and MDS (PG degree) in chennai city and chi square test was done to find the association between the questions recorded. Result: Among the participants, they found a positive association between some questionnaire while assessing the experience of practice whereas based on qualification of the participant they was no association between the questionnaire. Conclusions: This study is to bring out sustainable social and behavioural change and to reinforce the moral and professional obligations of the dental surgeon towards human health and environment therefore it is important to collect base-line and follow up data to evaluate the outcome of any awareness programs aimed at promoting good hazardous waste management practice.

Kap Survey on Management Of Defective Composite Restorations Among Dental Practitioners In Chennai

Kap Survey on Management Of Defective Composite Restorations Among Dental Practitioners In Chennai

Kap Survey on Management of Defective Amalgam Restorations Among Dental Practitioners In Chennai

Kap Survey on Management of Defective Amalgam Restorations Among Dental Practitioners In Chennai

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Piezo Surgery among General Practitioners in Chennai

Dentistry over a decade has undergone many significant advancements and has led to the evolution in various facilities in order to provide better and comfortable treatment to the patients. One among which piezosurgery is a novel innovation that contributes to the bone surgery and fulfills both biological and Technical criteria. It is a soft tissues bearing system for bone procedures with the use of low-frequency micro-vibrations. The survey was conducted online using google sheets, and a questionnaire consisting of 12 questions were circulated among 100 people of Chennai district. The responses were compiled and analysed using the statistical package in google sheets. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that the general practitioners of India are unaware about piezosurgery and its applications.

HOBBIES AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES PRACTICED AMONG DENTISTS AND MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS IN CHENNAI – A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

BACKGROUND: Hobbies and Extracurricular Activities (EA) provide an outlet for stress. The Medical and Dental field is a long emotionally taxing journey. Stress progressively develops over the course of Medical/Dental education. It is challenging to strike a balance between leading a successful medical profession as well as pursuing their favored Hobbies/EA’s. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.Evaluate the number of dental and medical practitioners participating in hobbies and extracurricular activities. 2) To correlate the involvement of extracurricular activity in terms of progress, joyfulness and level of achievement. 3) To suggest a schedule to continue long lost hobbies and extracurricular activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out amongst the dental and medical practitioners in Chennai between March 2017 and May 2017. A total of 120 self-administered questionnaires were distributed amongst dentists working at 2 private colleges and as dental and medical practitioners in private clinics. The questionnaire contained demographic details along with a set of 14 questions which included 6 openended questions and 8 closed-ended questions. RESULTS: Upon evaluating the number of people involving in extracurricular activities, it was found significant that doctors working more than 5 hours could not continue their activities regularly and those whom worked less than 5 hours a day were able to involve regularly. Around 13 people did not answer those two questionnaires. The correlation coefficient was positively correlated 0.012 which showed a weak positive correlation proving that the dentists who balanced between profession and extracurricular activities outperform the people who did not take part in extracurricular activities. This study showed that working less or more has a significant impact the extracurricular activities to a negative correlation. (- 0.047). CONCLUSION: Involvement by the dentists and medical practitioners in hobbies and extracurricular activities and it was found significant that, • Majority of them who engaged in activities were continuing them regularly. • They also wished to reschedule their time to participate effectively in hobbies and activities. KEY WORDS: Hobbies, Extracurricular activities, Stress, Dental professional / medical professional.

Awareness of Using Articaine in Children by Dentists in Chennai- A Questionnaire Survey

Articaine is a short acting local anesthetic agent which is used for minor surgeries. Although there is reluctance to use it on children, studies have shown that it is safe to use it in pediatric patients above the age of 4 years. This survey aimed to analyse the awareness on the use of articaine in children among dentists. A questionnaire containing questions about articaine, it’s properties and the participant’s general view about the local anesthetic was distributed to the dental students and private practitioners in Chennai. The results were statistically analyzed using Chi Square test. Moreover, 65% of the participants were using articaine in children, 26.51% preferred using articaine in children below the age of 4. On the other hand, 43.18% were unsure about the choice of articaine as their default local anesthetic agent. This survey showed that dental students and the participants with 0-5 years of experience used articaine as a local anesthetic in children with the difference being statistically not significant(p>0.05). Moreover, male dentists showed more willingness to prefer articaine as their default local anesthetic agent compared to females, however the difference was not statistically significant (p>0.05).

Different Treatment Modalities followed by Dental Practitioners for Ellis Class 2 Fracture – A Questionnaire-based Survey

Introduction:Dental trauma is one of the most commonly seen injuries involving teeth and surrounding structures. The frequent causes of dental trauma are usually falls, traffic accidents, fights and sports injuries. Rapid treatment can prevent long-term damage to the orofacial structures and save the teeth. Ellis class 2 fracture is classified as the involvement of enamel and dentin excluding pulp. Dental practitioners are used to treating Ellis class 2 fracture very often in their dental practice and is usually considered as a dilemma among dental practitioners for the different treatment modalities followed for treatment of Ellis class 2 fracture. A survey is done among dental practitioners to assess the different treatment modalities followed by them in the case of Ellis class 2 fracture.Materials and Methods:A survey was done among 380 dental practitioners in the Chennai region in which 360 dental practitioners responded. The survey was distributed through electronic media and other means of communication. The survey data was collected, analysed and interpreted.Results:The results suggested that about 90% of dental practitioners had adequate knowledge and attitude towards the management of dental traumatic injuries. However, the practical application of the different treatment modalities was seen to be varied among dental practitioners. Based on this survey it was clear that majority of the dental practitioners in Chennai have good knowledge, attitude but there was a lack of clinical practice regarding the different treatment modalities followed by general practitioners for Ellis class 2 fracture.Conclusion:The survey shows that dental practitioners have a sound knowledge, attitude, but the practical application of the various treatment modalities available was seen to vary among various dental practitioners for Ellis class 2 fracture.

Knowledge and Awareness among General Dental Practitioners in Chennai Regarding Rehabilitation with Full Coverage Restoration in Children.

ABSTRACTIntroductionThe endodontic treatment of primary teeth does provide symptomatic relief and masticatory rehabilitation to the child, but mere completion of endodontic procedure does not guarantee long-term success. Teeth that have not been restored coronally after endodontic treatment have high chances of failure.AimThe aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and awareness among general dental practitioners in Chennai regarding rehabilitation with full coverage restoration in children following pulp therapy.Materials and methodsA multiple choice questionnaire comprising 15 questions was given to 150 general dental practitioners in Chennai. The questionnaire assessed their knowledge and clinical practice of pulp therapy, tooth preparation, and restorative crowns for pediatric patients. The data were collected and statistically analyzed.ResultsThe findings of this study reveal wide variations in the knowledge and practice of general dental practitioners in Chennai regarding rehabilitation with full coverage restoration in children.ConclusionThe conclusion drawn from this study is that we need to update their knowledge regarding rehabilitation with full coverage restorations in children.How to cite this articleBedre AS, Gurunathan D. Knowledge and Awareness among General Dental Practitioners in Chennai Regarding Rehabilitation with Full Coverage Restoration in Children. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2019;12(6):590–594.

Knowledge and attitude toward anaphylaxis during local anesthesia among dental practitioners in Chennai - a cross-sectional study.

ObjectiveAnaphylaxis is one of the local anesthetic dental emergencies that lead to morbidity and mortality. Hence, this study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitude of dental practitioners in Chennai toward managing anaphylaxis in patients who are given local anesthesia.Participants and methodsSeventeen questions were formulated regarding anaphylaxis reactions and its treatment. The questions were given to a random selection of dentists practicing in private clinics in Chennai.ResultsTwo hundred dentists responded to the questionnaire. The results indicated that the majority of the participants had knowledge of one or more symptoms relating to anaphylaxis. However, none of the participants demonstrated that they knew about all symptoms relating to anaphylaxis. The results also did not vary with age. Only 62% of the dentists surveyed were equipped with emergency kits in their clinic.ConclusionThe present study has revealed the lack of knowledge among dentists in Chennai in relation to anaphylactic reactions and its management. Knowledge of practicing dentists in this area can be increased by providing continuing education programs consisting of workshops and hands-on courses.

Survey among General Practitioners in Chennai about Dental Restorations being used as a Forensic Tool

Aim: To assess the knowledge among general practitioners in chennai regarding dental restorations being used a tool in victim identification and various changes that the restorations undergo in mass disasters. Background: Forensic Odontology is an emerging branch in dentistry in recent days. Teeth serve as a valuable tool in forensic identification. In recent days there are many studies stating that restorations can be used as a tool in forensic identification, as the restorative material can withstand high temperatures. Therefore knowledge about restorative materials and its importance in forensic identification is essential among dental practitioners.A cross sectional survey was carried out among 437 randomly selected dentists in Chennai district, Tamilnaduand the results were analysed. Result: Awareness regarding dental restorations being used as a forensic tool is less among the general practitioners in Chennai. Conclusion: Knowledge to be imparted to dentists regarding the role of restorations in forensic odontology and to kindle interest in the field of Forensics among the dental students.

Health Information Technology (HIT): A Hit or Miss in Private Dental Practice in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India – A Cross Sectional Survey

Objective: To assess the knowledge, perception and use of Health Information Technology (HIT) among private dental practitioners in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. Material and Methods: The sample population consisted of private dental practitioners in Chennai District of Tamil Nadu who were individually approached to participate in the cross-sectional survey. A structured, self-reported, close-ended questionnaire, which contained queries on the knowledge, usage and concerns about HIT in their practice, was designed. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution and percentages were analyzed using SPSS version 24. Results: Of the 483 dental clinics that were approached, 352 dental practitioners completed the questionnaire survey. A significant proportion of dental practitioners (65 percent) reported positive attitude towards use of HIT systems and believed that HIT systems could help make their work easier and efficient. However, it is unfortunate to note that almost half (47 percent) the dental practitioners were not interested in implementing HIT systems in their practice due to various monetary concerns such as installation and maintenance costs. Conclusion: The widespread adoption of HIT provides system connectivity and information exchange among providers of the same organisation, providers at different organisations and, ultimately, providers practising regionally and nationally.

Use of Rapid, Point-of-Care Assays by Private Practitioners in Chennai, India: Priorities for Tuberculosis Diagnostic Testing.

SettingPrivate practitioners are frequently the first point of healthcare contact for patients with tuberculosis (TB) in India. As new molecular tests are developed for point-of-care (POC) diagnosis of TB, it is imperative to understand these individuals’ practices and preferences for POC testing.ObjectiveTo evaluate rapid testing practices and identify priorities for novel POC TB tests among private practitioners in Chennai.DesignWe conducted a cross-sectional survey of 228 practitioners practicing in the private sector from January 2014 to February 2015 who saw at least one TB patient in the previous year. Practitioners were randomly selected from both the general community and a list of practitioners who referred patients to a public-private mix program for TB treatment. We used standardized questionnaires to collect data on current practices related to point-of-care diagnosis and interest in hypothetical POC tests. We used multivariable Poisson regression with robust estimates of standard error to calculate measures of association.ResultsAmong 228 private practitioners, about half (48%) utilized any rapid testing in their current practice, most commonly for glucose (43%), pregnancy (21%), and malaria (5%). Providers using POC tests were more likely to work in hospitals (56% vs. 43%, P = 0.05) and less likely to be chest specialists (21% vs. 54%, P<0.001). Only half (51%) of providers would use a hypothetical POC test for TB that was accurate, equipment-free, and took 20 minutes to complete. Chest specialists were half as likely to express interest in performing the hypothetical POC TB test in-house as other practitioners (aPR 0.5, 95%CI: 0.2–0.9). Key challenges to performing POC testing for TB in this study included time constraints, easy access to local private labs and lack of an attached lab facility.ConclusionAs novel POC tests for TB are developed and scaled up, attention must be paid to integrating these diagnostics into healthcare providers’ routine practice and addressing barriers for POC testing.

To assess the knowledge and attitude toward forensic odontology among dentists in Chennai city

Aim: To assess the knowledge and attitude toward forensic odontology dentists in Chennai City. Objectives: To evaluate knowledge about forensic odontology among general dental practitioners. Materials and Methods: A study was conducted among 200 general dental practitioners. A questionnaire was distributed among them. Background: Forensic odontology includes the proper handling, examination, and evaluation of evidence related to dental findings which can be used for personal identification. It is dependent on the detailed knowledge of the teeth and jaws which is only possessed by a dentist. The survey was conducted with the aim to assess the awareness of forensic odontology in Chennai. Results: Many of the general dental practitioners had a basic knowledge about forensic odontology, but only 27% knew about Indian Association of Forensic Odontology. Sixty-nine percent of them were not confident about giving an opinion for a forensic case. Sixty-three percent of them knew about cheiloscopy. Many of them did not know the importance of identifying child abuse as a dentist. Sixty-nine percent of them said they would inform the parents if they identified a child abuse case. Nineteen percent of them did not maintain dental records and among the remaining only 30% maintained complete dental records. None of them had any formal training related to forensic odontology. Two percent of them only knew about the forensic courses available in India. Most of them felt that our country has very limited resources for forensic odontology. Conclusion: Forensic odontology has an important role in the recognition of person. Forensic odontology requires interdisciplinary knowledge of dental science. This survey shows that general dental practitioners in Chennai have inadequate knowledge and interest in forensic odontology.

Knowledge of dental ethics and jurisprudence among dental practitioners in Chennai, India: A cross-sectional questionnaire study

<b>Introduction:</b> Ethics is a science of ideal human character and behavior in situations where the distinction should be made between what is right and wrong. Dental jurisprudence is a set of legal regulations set forth by each state's legislature describing the legal limitations and regulations related to the practice of dentistry. <b>Objectives:</b> (1) To assess the dental practitioners' awareness about dentists (Code of Ethics) regulation and jurisprudence. (2) To assess the awareness of dentists regarding Consumer Protection Act (COPRA) and its implications in dentistry. <b>Materials and Methods:</b> A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted. A pilot study was conducted to validate the questionnaire and to get the required sample size which was 346. A specially designed questionnaire consisting of 24 close-ended questions divided into two sections was used. The resulting data were coded, and statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 17.0. <b>Results:</b> The results showed that about 65% of the dentists were aware that the Dentist Act was given in the year 1948 and 76% knew that the dentists (Code of Ethics) regulation was given by the Dental Council of India. Only 33% knew that it is not unethical for a dental surgeon to supply or sell drugs related to dentistry in his clinic. Only 31% responded correctly that it is not necessary to obtain informed consent for clinical examination and routine radiography. Nearly, half of the respondents (43%) were not aware of professional indemnity insurance. <b>Conclusion:</b> The study concludes that majority of the dental practitioners are aware of dental ethics but their knowledge on jurisprudence and COPRA needs to be enriched. Although recommendations can be made to the dental profession to alter their behavior, real improvement is unlikely without changes in legislation and social policy.

Factors influencing adoption of clinical information system in private clinics in Chennai, India

Healthcare information technology (HIT) is being adopted to improve the quality of the care provided. However, the rate of adoption of HIT among independent practitioners appears to be significantly low. The scope of the study is to understand the factors that influence technology adoption and to evolve a model to examine the factors that influence adoption of clinical information systems by private medical practitioners in Chennai, India. Existing literature were reviewed. After studying different models, a new model was evolved through discussions with experts and validated. The research methodology will involve a descriptive study using a structured research instrument with 54 randomly chosen target population and validated with statistical tools. The Cronbach alpha score ranged between 0.75 and 0.9. The outcome should motivate the private medical practitioners to use clinical information system to manage their patient's health data and improve the quality of the care provided to patients.

Factors influencing adoption of clinical information system in private clinics in Chennai, India

Healthcare information technology (HIT) is being adopted to improve the quality of the care provided. However, the rate of adoption of HIT among independent practitioners appears to be significantly low. The scope of the study is to understand the factors that influence technology adoption and to evolve a model to examine the factors that influence adoption of clinical information systems by private medical practitioners in Chennai, India. Existing literature were reviewed. After studying different models, a new model was evolved through discussions with experts and validated. The research methodology will involve a descriptive study using a structured research instrument with 54 randomly chosen target population and validated with statistical tools. The Cronbach alpha score ranged between 0.75 and 0.9. The outcome should motivate the private medical practitioners to use clinical information system to manage their patient's health data and improve the quality of the care provided to patients.