A survey of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) use among endodontic practitioners in the UK

Objective: To determine the prevalence of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) use, including training and knowledge, among endodontic practitioners in the UK. Methodology: A questionnaire was designed and sent out electronically to specialists in endodontics (SiE) on the General Dental Council (UK) specialist register and also distributed to delegates at a British Endodontic Society Spring Scientific meeting, which included non-specialists in practices limited to endodontics (PLE). Results: The response rate was 24% (n = 94); 41% of the respondents were SiE and 59% PLE. Most of the respondents worked in practice (67%) while the remainder worked in a hospital (20.4%) or university (12.6%) setting. CBCT was used by 26% of all respondents and 22% owned their scanner. Practitioners who used CBCT, but did not own a scanner, referred their patients to a dental imaging centre (40.9%), a dental hospital (30%), or another dental practice (29.1%), when a scan was needed. The three most common reasons for CBCT use were to detect root resorption (25.2%), for case assessment prior to endodontic surgery (18.7%) and to determine root anatomy (18.3%). The CBCT scans were mainly interpreted by the practitioners themselves (44%), by a dental and maxillofacial radiologist (36.4%) or by another practitioner with CBCT training (14%). A medical radiologist (5.6%) was rarely involved in interpretation of CBCT scans. The majority of the clinicians had CBCT referrer training (50%), but only a small percentage had CBCT operator training (12.5%), while the rest had no CBCT training (37.5%). Conclusions: CBCT use is popular in the UK with SiE and PLE. The majority of respondents using CBCT had referrer training, but only a small percentage had operator training. Schlagwörter: cone beam computed tomography, CBCT, endodontics, UK