Self-reported preparedness of final year undergraduate dental students and interns in Saudi Arabia: a multi-institutional study.

Background: Contemporary undergraduate dental education aims to equip the dental students with clinical competence, empathy, and professionalism to enable them to deliver safe and effective dental care to the communities. The purpose of this study was to assess the self-reported preparedness of final year dental students and interns at three Saudi dental institutions, using the pre-validated Dental Undergraduates Preparedness Assessment Scale (DU-PAS).

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was employed to assess the self-reported preparedness of the participants using the DU-PAS.

Relationship between apical periodontitis and missed canals in mesio-buccal roots of maxillary molars: CBCT study.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to: (1) assess the frequency of missed canals in the mesiobuccal root (MB) of endodontically treated maxillary molars and its association with apical periodontitis (AP); (2) examine the correlation between the presence of a confluent or separate missed MB2 canal and the prevalence of AP; and (3) examine the correlation between the technical quality of endodontic treatment in the MB1 canal and the prevalence of AP.

Methods: We obtained and examined 800 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans from 800 patient records over 6 months. The parameters noted for each tooth included the tooth number; presence of missed canals in the MB root; configuration of missed MB2 canals (confluent or separate); technical acceptability of root canal treatment (RCT) of treated MB1 canals; and the CBCT periapical index score.

Endodontic infection control practices among Pakistani general dental practitioners: A national cross-sectional questionnaire survey.

Objective: This study was aimed at evaluating the self-reported endodontic infection control practices of general dental practitioners in Pakistan.

Methods: An e-questionnaire was sent to 619 general dental practitioners in several WhatsApp groups. Sixteen questions associated with various infection control measures recommended by the ESE were asked, including the use of various isolation methods/rubber dams, the selection of canal irrigants and anti-bacterial solutions, and practices regarding hand hygiene and use of examination gloves.

Root Canal Configuration and Its Relationship with Endodontic Technical Errors and Periapical Status in Premolar Teeth of a Saudi Sub-Population: A Cross-Sectional Observational CBCT Study.

Endodontic technical errors are the foremost cause of treatment failure. A thorough understanding of root canal configuration (RCC) is essential to prevent these iatrogenic errors. This study used CBCT images to determine the association between root canal configuration, endodontic technical errors, and periapical status.