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Ontario dentists: 3. Radiographs prescribed in general practice
1Dental Treatment Services 3 (DDTS 3), Canadian Forces Dental Services Headquarters, Ottawa.
Journal (Canadian Dental Association)
|January 1, 1993
Summary
Ontario dentists
Area of Science:
- Dental Radiology
- Public Health Dentistry
Background:
- Radiographic prescription practices among general dentists are crucial for patient safety and diagnostic accuracy.
- Adherence to established guidelines, such as those from the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), is essential for optimizing radiation exposure and diagnostic yield.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the concordance between radiographic procedures prescribed by general dentists in Ontario and the CDRH guidelines.
- To identify variations in radiographic prescription patterns based on patient type and disease risk.
Main Methods:
- A mail survey was conducted in February 1991, targeting approximately 10% of general dentists in Ontario.
- Respondents were presented with five distinct patient types and asked to indicate prescribed radiographic procedures.
Main Results:
- The agreement between dentists' prescriptions and CDRH guidelines varied significantly, ranging from 3% to 79% across different patient and disease risk categories.
- Considerable variability was observed in prescribed radiographs for each patient and risk type, indicating inconsistent practice.
Conclusions:
- There is a notable discrepancy between the radiographic prescribing habits of Ontario dentists and established CDRH guidelines.
- Significant variations in practice highlight the need for improved education and standardization of radiographic prescription protocols in general dentistry.