Educational Needs of Dental Laser as Perceived by Dental Graduates of Kashmir: A Survey of Knowledge and Skill Requirements

Nazia Lone, MDS Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry , Professor and HOD , Department of Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry Government Dental College and Hospital, Srinagar

Mohsin Sidiq, MDS Pedodontics and Preventive Dentistry, Senior Lecturer, Government Dental College and Hospital, Srinagar

Abstract
Background: The use of laser is limited by the dental graduates because of lack of knowledge, effectiveness and due to high cost of laser unit. Lasers not only reduces the need for anaesthetics causing no pain in children during dental treatment but also are used for caries prevention, restorative removal and curing, cavity preparation, dentinal hypersensitivity, diagnostic purposes and soft tissue applications of incision, excision, ablation, wound healing, gingivectomy, frenectomy ,removal of hyperplastic tissue in impacted or partially erupted tooth, photodynamic therapy for malignancies, photo stimulation of herpetic lesion and even reduces gag. Though introduced in 1964, its knowledge and implementation has increased lately in our part of world.
Aim: This survey based study was conducted to evaluate the knowledge on laser and its implementation in the field of dentistry among dental graduates in Kashmir.
Methodology: This cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out among 68 dental students of Government Dental College and Hospital,Srinagar, Kashmir through a questionnaire where knowledge, attitude and practice was assessed and data were entered and analysed statistically.
Results: 100% of the respondents wanted training on Lasers where 50% of the respondents desired dental education and workshops on Laser in future and only 21% of the respondents were satisfied with their knowledge on Lasers during undergraduate curriculum
Conclusion: More and more education should be given on laser to increase its implementation in field of dentistry.

Keywords
Laser dentistry, Dental education, photodynamic theory

Cite this paper
Sana Farooq, Nazia Lone, Mohsin Sidiq, Educational Needs of Dental Laser as Perceived by Dental Graduates of Kashmir: A Survey of Knowledge and Skill Requirements , SCIREA Journal of Clinical Medicine. Volume 7, Issue 2, April 2022 | PP. 128-138. 10.54647/cm32791

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