Evaluation of dentists’ knowledge in Serbia towards radiology in pediatric dentistry

Background/Aim: Radiology is a crucial part of dentists’ everyday practice. It plays a vital role in diagnosis, treatment planning and for follow-up care of patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge of dentists in Serbia concerning the use of radiology in pediatric dentistry. Methods: 252 dentists from across Serbia participated in the study. A questionnaire was created in order to examine dentists’ knowledge towards using radiology in pediatric dentistry. The questionnaire consists of 39 questions. All questions were analyzed in SPSS 24 statistical software. Statistical significance is defined by p<0.05. Results: According to the results, 42.1% dentists work in private practice, 17.8% in University clinics and 40.1% in NHS. Out of total 252 respondents, only 82 (32.5%) have x-ray units. A total of 199 (79%) dentists replied they would diagnose early caries lesions only by inspection, but 30 (11.9%) dentists said they would make a diagnose by doing both inspection and taking a radiograph. The results show that 187 (74.2%) respondents said that they do not make an OPG for every patient. When asked about the disposal of radiological waste 84.3% of dentists did not answer the question. Conclusion: Based on the conducted survey and the obtained results, it is concluded that attempts should be made in order to upgrade and update dentists overall knowledge towards radiology in pediatric dentistry.