Mutyabule T K, Whaites E J
General Dental Practitioner, Kampala, Uganda.
Dentomaxillofac Radiol. 2002 May;31(3):164-9. doi: 10.1038/sj/dmfr/4600685.
To carry out the first survey in Uganda of all dentists and all public health dental officers (PHDO) to assess the status of dental radiography and radiation protection.
All 74 dentists and 76 PHDOs in Uganda were sent a postal questionnaire including 33 questions relating to various demographic details, radiographic equipment and radiographic techniques, including processing and radiation protection. A second questionnaire was sent to non-respondents after 3 months.
Eighty-two per cent of dentists responded and 83% of PHDOs. Seventy per cent of the dentists and 100% of the PHDOs were trained in Uganda. Seventy-five per cent of the dentists and 30% of the PHDOs had access to one of the approximately 30 X-ray machines in the country. The majority of the equipment did not comply with current recommendations in Europe. Fifty-one per cent of dentists used machines with mechanical timers, 28% used machines with no visual warning signal and 17% used equipment with no audible warning signal. Most of the equipment was over 30 years old and only 15% of dentists knew when the equipment was last serviced. The most relevant finding of the surveys was the level of 'don't know' responses to many questions from both groups.
The lack of knowledge regarding dental radiography and radiation protection plus the condition of most equipment in Uganda is a matter of concern. Standards of care are considerably lower than in developed countries requiring improved undergraduate training, provision of postgraduate courses and Ugandan governmental or international financial assistance.
在乌干达首次对所有牙医和所有公共卫生牙科官员（PHDO）进行调查，以评估牙科放射摄影和辐射防护的现状。
向乌干达的所有74名牙医和76名公共卫生牙科官员发送了一份邮政问卷，其中包括33个与各种人口统计学细节、放射摄影设备和放射摄影技术（包括冲洗和辐射防护）相关的问题。3个月后向未回复者发送了第二份问卷。
82%的牙医和83%的公共卫生牙科官员回复了问卷。70%的牙医和100%的公共卫生牙科官员在乌干达接受过培训。75%的牙医和30%的公共卫生牙科官员可以使用该国约30台X光机中的一台。大多数设备不符合欧洲目前的建议。51%的牙医使用带有机械定时器的机器，28%的牙医使用没有视觉警告信号的机器，17%的牙医使用没有听觉警告信号的设备。大多数设备使用年限超过30年，只有15%的牙医知道设备上次维修的时间。调查中最相关的发现是两组对许多问题的“不知道”回答水平。
乌干达对牙科放射摄影和辐射防护缺乏了解，以及大多数设备的状况令人担忧。护理标准远低于发达国家，需要改进本科培训、提供研究生课程以及乌干达政府或国际财政援助。
