Attitudes of general dental practitioners towards endodontic standards and adoption of new technology: literature review.

Research data regarding attitudes of general dental practitioners towards endodontic therapy is rare. The present review summarizes existing literature and analyzes human factors that could potentially influence the outcome of endodontic treatment in general dental practice. Root canal treatment usually fails when treatment falls short of acceptable standards. The results of questionnaire surveys from several countries indicate that differences between daily general practice and academic teaching exist. The results of studies indicated that majority of general practitioners disregard the most basic principles of endodontic treatment. The most striking finding is the generally negative attitude amongst general dental practitioners towards performing endodontic treatment and adoption of new technologies in a daily endodontic practice. The results confirm that root canal treatment is technically demanding and in general practice is carried out under less than optimal conditions. This review shows the importance of continuous dental education for practitioners in order to update their knowledge.