Avaliação do nível de conhecimento de acadêmicos de Odontologia sobre fotopolimerização

The clinical success of resin materials depends on adequate curing. Several light cured materials are frequently used in dental school clinics. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of students from the 10th period of Dentistry at Mauricio de Nassau University Center, Recife/PE, about light curing, using a questionnaire. Data were tabulated and analyzed by descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square test and Fisher exact test, at a significance level of 5% (p<0.05). The results show that 83.8% of students do not have a light curing unit, 72.9% do not know the device power, 56.2% do not know the ideal minimum power and only 8.5% know the name of the device that measures the irradiance/power. Also, 48.5% do not know the ideal wavelength for light curing of composite resin and 69.2% do not know the type of device they use (monowave or polywave). Regarding the light curing time, 60.8% stated they used 20 seconds in conventional composite resins and 38.5% used 40 seconds in bulk-fill composite resins. Although 84.6% stated that they use light curing units frequently, only 26.9% know the ideal distance from the tip to the restoration. Additionally, 51.5% reported performing cleaning and disinfection with 70GL alcohol and 45.4% use a plastic barrier. In this context, it can be concluded that the knowledge of students regarding light curing was unsatisfactory, requiring a more effective approach and evaluation so that the students may be aware of the clinical importance of this procedure and its consequences.