255 - PGY2 Readiness with Pulp Therapy of Young Permanent Dentition

Purpose: To assess pediatric dental residents’ comfort level and experience with performing vital and non-vital pulp therapy procedures in immature permanent teeth.
 

Methods: A survey was sent out to PGY2 pediatric dental residents near the end of their training. The survey consisted of 14 questions exploring knowledge, experience and comfort level with pulp therapy procedures ranging from less invasive procedures, indirect pulp therapy (IPT) and direct pulp cap (DCP) to more invasive procedures (partial pulpotomy, pulpotomy, apexogenesis, and apexification).
 

Results: Of 474 surveys, 79 were fully completed (16%). Seventy-nine percent of respondents reported pulp therapy procedures being supervised by pediatric dental faculty, 19% by endodontic faculty and 1% by general dentists. For vital pulp therapy procedures, 66% of procedures were completed by pediatric residents and 34% being completed by endodontic residents. For apexification, 27% reported procedure being completed by pediatric dental residents, but only 4% reported being comfortable performing it. When considering less invasive pulp therapy procedures (IPT and DCP), 73% responded being very comfortable performing them. Regarding more invasive procedures such as pulpotomy, only 42% responded being very comfortable. When an increased exposure to performing specific pulp therapy procedures was available, comfort level increased (P < .001).
 

Conclusion: Higher comfort levels were found for minimally invasive vital pulp therapy, IPT and DPC. The opposite was noted for more advanced procedures such as pulpotomy, apexogenesis and apexification. Increased exposure performing these procedures in young permanent teeth may enhance comfort level of pediatric dental residents.