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Abstract
Background: Understanding the patterns of documentation among endodontic caregivers, ranging from students and registrars to consultants, can provide valuable insights into systemic strengths and weaknesses within dental service delivery frameworks.
Objective: This study evaluated the adequacy of radiographic documentation in endodontic treatment, assessing the frequency of preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative radiographs, and determining factors associated with adequate reportage.
Methods: A retrospective review was conducted on 357 patient records treated for endodontic conditions at a tertiary dental hospital. Data extracted included demographic variables, designation of the attending caregiver, radiographic documentation, diagnosis, and treatment type. Adequacy of radiographic reportage was defined by inclusion of the coronal surface, apical structures, periodontal ligament space, and canal patency in the recorded findings. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including chi-square tests, were performed at a 5% significance level.
Results: Patients were predominantly aged 20–29 years (25.2%) and female (56.0%). Most treatments were rendered by registrars (88.2%). Although 96.9% of cases had preoperative radiographs, and 88.5% and 85.7% had master cone and obturation radiographs respectively, only 16.2% of records met the criteria for adequate documentation. Acute apical periodontitis (36.4%) was the most common diagnosis, and conventional root canal therapy accounted for 86.8% of treatments. The association between caregiver designation and adequacy of radiographic documentation was not statistically significant (p = 0.287).
Conclusion: While radiographs were widely utilized in endodontic care, comprehensive documentation was suboptimal. Structured training and adherence to documentation protocols are essential to improve radiographic reporting standards and ensure medico-legal accountability in clinical practice.
Keywords:
Endodontic treatment, radiographic documentation, root canal therapy, dental records, audit, quality of care
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