Methods and Techniques of Endodontic Treatments Among Dentists in Herat City

The use of tools and strategies in endodontic treatment is critical for success. The present paper aims to describe the current approaches to endodontic treatments and their determinants among dental practitioners in Herat City. The purpose of this study was to determine the current methods and techniques of endodontic treatment and their effectiveness among the active dentists of Herat City. To determine the approaches to endodontic treatment a self-administered 30-item questionnaire was used to collect data from 198 dentists practicing dentistry in 16 districts of Herat City. Dentists were sampled by randomly selecting geographic areas (16 districts) followed by convenience-based inclusion criteria for selecting participants from the districts. This approach may exclude dentists from less remote areas, thus limiting the generalizability of the results. Data analysis was performed using SPSS-21 software. The results showed that there is a wide variation in the use of techniques and materials among the Herat dentists, and no specific technique or material was used in all the cases. Most dentists have limited clinical experience. Interestingly, unlike the results of studies in other countries, the less experienced or newly licensed dentists in this study were more likely to follow the recommended endodontic treatment protocols. Furthermore, the use of outdated methods and materials in endodontics is still present, which is mainly due to the preferences of dentists. This study also shows that dentists do not always follow the guidelines on the use of radiography before, during, and after the treatment. Furthermore, patients are not always taken back to the clinic for check-ups after the treatment. This study highlight the importance of continuous education and universities to enhancing and encouraging better endodontic treatment approaches. It also emphasizes the importance of standardizing education during dental training and after graduation to enhance treatment quality.