Dental dam utilization by dentists in an intramural faculty practice

Area of Science:

• Dental Operative Procedures
• Infection Control in Dentistry
• Clinical Practice Patterns

Background:

• Dental dam use is infrequently observed in faculty practice for operative dentistry.
• Understanding faculty perceptions and utilization is crucial for improving clinical standards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess faculty perceptions of the dental dam.
• To quantify dental dam utilization in faculty intramural practices.
• To identify factors influencing dental dam usage among dental faculty.

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to 19 full-time faculty members in operative dentistry.
• Electronic dental health records of 30 restorative procedures were reviewed.
• Data collected included isolation methods, tooth details, and restorative materials used.

Main Results:

• Dental dam utilization was 30% overall, dropping below 20% for class II and III composite resins.
• General dentists used dental dams at 37%, prosthodontists at 17.6%.
• Dentists with prior military experience reported 78.6% utilization versus 7.6% for non-military dentists.

Conclusions:

• Significant differences in dental dam utilization exist between general dentists and prosthodontists.
• Prior military dental experience strongly correlates with higher dental dam usage.
• Military-trained dentists perceive the dental dam as a standard of care that enhances restorative quality.