Evaluating Dentists’ Awareness of Correct Prescription of Radiographic Exams in Khorramabad, Iran

Background: X-ray irradiation has an important role in the diagnosis of different types of diseases in dentistry. However, it has proven harmful biological effects. Therefore, the professional responsibility of dentists necessitates them to have sufficient awareness and proficiency in the correct prescription of radiographs. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the dentists’ awareness of the correct prescription of radiographic exams in Khorramabad city, Iran. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study on 55 dentists. A 20-item questionnaire was distributed to the dentists. The level of awareness was evaluated according to gender, educational status, and work experience. Finally, the awareness of different groups was compared by independent t test. Results: There was no considerable difference between the awareness level of males and females (P value = 0.502). The comparison of the knowledge level based on educational status showed that specialist dentists had better awareness than general dentists. As an interesting finding, dentists with work experience of fewer than five years indicated better awareness than more experienced ones. The lowest score was observed in dentists with more than 25 years of experience. Conclusions: It is necessary to increase the knowledge and awareness of all dentist groups in Khorramabad city, especially more experienced ones, by continuing education programs due to their little attention to the correct prescription of radiography.