Diagnostic Dental Radiation Risk during Pregnancy: Awareness among General Dentists in Tabriz
Background and aims. Pregnant women often do not receive proper dental care in emergency visits due to a lack of awareness of the effect of radiation doses and the involved risks for the fetus. The aim of the present study was to assess the awareness of general dentists practicing in Tabriz, Iran,...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
2011-06-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Dental Research, Dental Clinics, Dental Prospects |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dentistry.tbzmed.ac.ir/joddd/index.php/joddd/article/view/200/194 |
| Summary: | Background and aims. Pregnant women often do not receive proper dental care in emergency visits due to a lack of
awareness of the effect of radiation doses and the involved risks for the fetus. The aim of the present study was to assess the
awareness of general dentists practicing in Tabriz, Iran, of the risks involved during exposure to diagnostic dental radiation
in pregnant women.
Materials and methods. In this descriptive/cross-sectional study, 250 general dentists, who had attended continuing
education courses under the supervision of the Faculty of Dentistry, filled out questionnaires on their awareness of radiation
risks. Data was analyzed by Spearman's correlation coefficient test.
Results. The mean of correct answers was 6.47±1.66, with the least and highest correct answers of 2 and 10, respectively.
The highest and the lowest levels of awareness were related to the use of a lead apron (92%) and a long rectangular collimator
(3.2%), respectively. There was a statistically significant correlation between the age of practitioners and awareness of
radiation risks (P=0.02). However, no statistically significant correlation was observed between job experience (P=0.25) and
the number of continuing education courses attended (P=0.16) and awareness of radiation risks.
Conclusion. The studied population of dentists does not seem to have the sufficient knowledge regarding the diagnostic
dental radiation risk during pregnancy. Further educational courses and pamphlets are recommended for increasing their
awareness of this subject. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 2008-210X 2008-2118 |