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The Attitude of Undergraduate Dental Students Towards The Use of Rubber Dam

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Original Article

THE ATTITUDE OF UNDERGRADUATE DENTAL STUDENTS


TOWARDS THE USE OF RUBBER DAM
IFTIKHAR AKBAR
1

2
FAYYAZ ALAM
3
BEENISH QURESHI
4
MOHAMMED ABULHAMID ALMAYOUF
ABSTRACT
Rubber dam is the most widely used technique for isolation in operative dentistry and endodontics.
Despite of its advantages some students may not be convinced of its use. The aim of the present study
was to determine the attitude of students regarding rubber dam application, in College of Dentistry,
Aljouf University, Saudi Arabia. A structured questionnaire-based survey was conducted on senior
dental students. The questionnaire contained different aspects of rubber dam usage, advantages and
disadvantages, points of difficulty regarding rubber dam application, agreement and disagreement
of the participants towards statements about rubber dam. Seventy three questionnaires were collected
out of one hundred distributed questionnaires. The results were statistically analyzed by SPSS soft-
ware version 21. Most of the students (65%) considered selection of the clamp and its adaptation as
the most difficult phase. Most of the participants (70%) agreed that rubber dam improves the success
rate. Majority (76%) of the students agreed that rubber dam posed difficulty in taking radiographs
while 68% believed that rubber dam application extends the treatment period. Most of the students
(66%) indicated that they used rubber dam in dental clinics because it is a helpful tool. The partici-
pants have shown a positive response towards rubber dam use in endodontic treatment but were less
convinced in amalgam and composite restorations. 34% of the participants think they will not use it
in future due to difficulty during application.
Key Words: Attitude, Rubber dam, students.

INTRODUCTION of equipment and materials, insufficient training,


difficulty in use and low treatment fees. Rubber dam
Rubber dam technique; is a method used in dentistry
is universally acknowledged as a mandatory adjunct,
to isolate the operating field from the rest of the mouth
particularly during endodontic treatment. Many au-
with rubber sheet. Rubber dam has been available to
thors advocate its usage and encourage practitioners
the dental profession over 140 years. Unfortunately,
to adopt it in routine practice in the field of operative
its consistent use has been rejected by many in the
dentistry and endodontics.1,2
dental profession. The literature suggests that rubber
dam is not used routinely by dental practitioners for Endodontics and operative dentistry are the major
root canal treatment. Many unfounded reasons have areas where rubber dam is used. Moreover, rubber dam
been cited for its lack of use, including concerns over use should be reevaluated from a medicolegal point of
patient acceptance, time required for application, cost view, considering an increase in malpractices, directed
against general practitioners. Failure to use rubber
1
Dr Iftikhar Akbar, BDS, FCPS, Associate Professor and Head of
Department of Operative Dentistry and Endodontics, Peshawar dam has been described as a serious deviation from
Dental College and Hospital, Riphah International University, the standard of care.3
Islamabad. Correspondence: Dr Iftikhar Akbar, Associate
Professor and Head of Department of Operative Dentistry and Several advantages can be achieved by using
Endodontics, Peshawar Dental College and Hospital, Warsak
road, Peshawar Email: driftikhar156@hotmail.com rubber dam, such as clean and higher dry field than
2
Dr Fayyaz Alam, BDS, FCPS, Assistant Professor, Department cotton roll and high volume evacuation, better access
of Operative Dentistry, College of Dentistry, Aljouf University, and visibility for the operator, preventing ingestion
Sakaka, Saudi Arabia
3
Dr Beenish Qureshi, BDS, FCPS, Associate Professor, Department or aspiration of instruments, materials and irrigants,
of Operative Dentistry, Islamabad Medical and Dental College, protection and retraction of soft tissue during operating
Islamabad
4
Dr Mohammed Abulhamid Almayouf, BDS, Interne, College of procedures, safe and more comfortable for the patient.4
Dentistry, Aljouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia Most dental schools consider rubber dam is a must for
Received for Publication: November 14, 2017 specific procedures, e.g. root canal treatment. Rubber
Revised: December 8, 2017 dam increases the treatment efficiency by decreasing
Approved: December 9, 2017

Pakistan Oral & Dental Journal Vol 37, No. 4 (October-December 2017) 622

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