Variability in caries management decision-making in a dental school setting

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Caries Management
• Evidence-Based Dentistry

Background:

• Variability exists in dental caries management decision-making among trainees and faculty.
• Understanding these variations is crucial for implementing evidence-based practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess variability in caries management decision-making between dental students (first-year and third-year) and faculty.
• To identify factors influencing these decisions during dental training.

Main Methods:

• A voluntary, anonymous online survey with clinical scenarios was administered.
• Participants included first-year (D1) and third-year (D3) dental students and faculty.

Main Results:

• D1 students were more conservative in restorative thresholds for less severe caries than D3 students and some faculty.
• Increased caries risk shifted restorative thresholds toward less severe lesions for all groups.
• D1 students cited lectures/preclinical instructors; D3 students cited clinical experiences/instructors as key influences.

Conclusions:

• While most respondents utilized evidence-based caries management, variability in decision-making for less severe lesions was observed.
• Caries risk significantly influences clinical decision thresholds.
• Clinical experience plays a vital role in shaping dental students' caries management decision-making over time.