Flow chart for the prescription of imaging examinations by dental students

Authors

  • Pedro Luiz de Carvalho Professor Doutor da Disciplina de Imaginologia Dento-MaxiloFacial do Departamento de Odontologia da Universidade de Taubaté.
  • João Marcelo Ferreira de Medeiros Professor Doutor da Disciplina de Endodontia do Departamento de Odontologia da Universidade de Taubaté.
  • Mônica Cristina Camargo Antoniazzi Professora Doutora da Disciplina de Imaginologia Dento-Maxilo-Facial do Departamento de Odontologia da Universidade de Taubaté.
  • Rosana Giovanni Pires Clemente Professora Mestra da Disciplina de Matemática Aplicada do Departamento de Economia, Contabilidade e Administração da Universidade de Taubaté.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30979/rev.abeno.v7i2.1386

Keywords:

Education, dental. Students, dental. Radiography. Radiography, dental

Abstract

The purpose of this work was to present a flow chart that could guide undergraduate dental students in prescribing imaging examinations for specific situations, beginning with the simpler examinations and then moving to the more complex ones. The flow chart consists of the following imaging examinations: periapical, bite-wing, occlusal, localization technique, panoramic, extraoral, conventional tomography, and the sophisticated ones, involving computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, and nuclear medicine examinations. In order to test the effectiveness of the flow chart, we used 21 second-year students, during one of the bimonthly evaluations in the year 2005, from the Dentistry Department, University of Taubaté. It was observed that periapical examinations were the most suggested, 239 times, and the second most indicated was panoramic radiography, 120 times. The effect of the examinations on diagnosing the clinical condition was: 325 examinations (59.52%) produced a positive impact; 146 (26.74%) examinations only detected the clinical condition, but did not allow the establishment of a diagnosis; and 75 (13.74%) did not produce an image of the clinical condition. Based on the applied methodology and on the obtained results, it could be concluded that: the presented flow chart helped students to prescribe imaging examinations in specific dental cases; the flow chart reduced the possibility of errors while prescribing examinations; and the flow chart had a positive impact, i.e., it aided in the recording of the clinical conditions.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Atchison KA, Luke LS, White SC. An algorithm for ordering pretreatment orthodontic radiographs. Am J Orthod Dentofac Orthop. 1992;102(1):29-44.

Atchison KA, Luke LS, White SC. Contribution of pretreatment radiographs to orthodontists’ decision making. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol. 1991;71(2):238-45.

Atchison KA, White SC, Flack VF, Hewlett ER. Assessing the FDA guidelines for ordering dental radiographs. J Am Dent Assoc. 1995;126:1372-83.

Bohay RN, Stephens RG, Kogon SL. Survey of radiographic practices of general dentists for the dentate adult patient. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radio Endod. 1995; 79(4):526-31.

Brooks SL. Guidelines for radiologic examinations: do we have all the answers yet? Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 1997;83(5):523-4.

Council on Dental Materials, Instruments, and Equipment. Recommendations in radiographic practices: an update, 1988. J Am Dent Assoc. 1989;118(1):115-7.

Farman AG. There are good reasons for selecting panoramic radiography to replace the intraoral full-mouth series. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2002;94(6):653-4.

Flack VF, Atchison KA, Hewlett ER, White SC. Relationships between clinician variability and radiographic guidelines. J Dent Res. 1996;75(2):775-82.

Geist JR, Katz JO. Radiation dose-reduction techniques in North American dental schools. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2002;93(4):496-505.

Gonçalves A, Gonçalves M, Bóscolo FN. Avaliação das solicitações de radiografias recebidas por clínica de radiologia odontológica. Rev Fac Odont Passo Fundo. 2003;8(1):55-61.

Hollender L. Decision making in radiographic imaging. J Dent Educ. 1992:56(12):834-43.

Horner K. Review article: radiation protection in dental radiology. Br J Radiol. 1994:67(803):1041-9.

Jenkins WM, Brocklebank LM, Winning SM, Wylupek M, Donaldson A, Strang RM. A comparison of two radiographic assessment protocols for patients with periodontal disease. Br Dent J. 2005;198(9):565-9.

Kantor ML. Trends in the prescription of radiographs for comprehensive care patients in U.S. and Canadian dental schools. J Dent Educ. 1993;57(11):794-7.

Matteson SR, Joseph LP, Bottomley W, Finger HW, Frommer HH, Koch RW et al. The report of the Panel to develop radiographic selection criteria for dental patients. Gen Dent. 1991;39(4):26470.

Mileman PA, van den Hout WB. Preferences for oral health states: effect on prescribing periapical radiographs. Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2003;32(6):401-7.

Pitts NB, Kidd EA. Some of the factors to be considered in the prescription and timing of bitewing radiography in the diagnosis and management of dental caries. J Dent. 1992:20(2):74-84.

Rushton VE, Horner K. The use of panoramic radiology in dental practice. J Dent. 1996;24(3):185-201.

Rushton VE, Horner K, Worthington HV. Routine panoramic radiography of new adult patients in general dental practice: relevance of diagnostic yield to treatment and identification of radiographic selection criteria. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 2002;93(4):488-95.

Rushton VE, Horner K, Workthington HV. Screening panoramic radiography of adults in general dental practice: radiological findings. Br Dent J. 2001;90(9):495-501.

Sakakura CE, Morais JA, Loffredo LC, Scaf G. A survey of radiographic prescription in dental implant assessment. Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2003;32(6):397-400.

Salti L, Whaites EJ. Survey of dental radiographic services in private dental clinics in Damascus, Syria. Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2002;31(2):100-5.

Stephens RG, Kogon SL. New U.S. guidelines for prescribing dental radiographs: a critical review. J Can Dent Assoc. 1990;56(11):1019-24.

Stephens RG, Kogon SL, Speechley MR, Dunn WJ. A critical view of the rationale for routine, initial and periodic radiographic surveys. J Can Dent Assoc. 1992;58(10):825-37.

Tole NM, Guthua SW, Imalingat B. Radiation dose as a factor in the choice of routine pre-operative dental radiographs. East Afr Med J. 1993;70(5):297-301.

White SC, Atchison KA, Hewlett ER, Flack VF. Efficacy of FDA guidelines for prescribing radiographs to detect dental and intraosseous conditions. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod. 1995;80(1):108-14.

Published

29-01-2007

How to Cite

de Carvalho, P. L., Ferreira de Medeiros, J. M., Camargo Antoniazzi, M. C., & Pires Clemente, R. G. (2007). Flow chart for the prescription of imaging examinations by dental students. Revista Da ABENO, 7(2), 104–111. https://doi.org/10.30979/rev.abeno.v7i2.1386

Issue

Section

Article