Effect of Educational Program on Use of Rotary Nickel-Titanium Endodontic Instruments: A Questionnaire Survey among Bulgarian Dental Practitioners

Aim: The aim of this questionnaire survey was to investigate the importance of university endodontic programs for improving knowledge of rotary instrumentation and acquiring more practical experience in using new brands of nickel-titanium rotary instruments in everyday dental practice. Methods: The sample consisted of 600 dental practitioners chosen on a random basis from all administrative districts in Bulgaria. The respondents received a specially designed online questionnaire comprising 15 closed-format questions divided in two separate parts. Only dentists practicing endodontics filled in the second part. Results: Two hundred and six (34.33%) dentists responded and filled in the questionnaire. NiTi instruments are used always or frequently by about 60% of the respondents practicing in the capital or in a district city. Commercial lectures (62.9%) and training courses (71.8%) were the basic source for theoretical knowledge and practical experience. Low importance of university programs was registered, but expectations for the inclusion of more rotary systems in university programs were clearly demonstrated. Conclusion: Constantly increasing interest towards implementation of NiTi rotary techniques into everyday dental practice was registered. Younger metropolitan dentists proved themselves more confident in the use of contemporary endodontic shaping systems, but the university students training courses need to be further developed.