title: Survey of radiographic practices of general dentists for the dentate adult patient.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to assess the radiographic practices of general dentists with emphasis on the influence of education on these practices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were obtained from a mail survey of a stratified random sample of 963 general practitioners in Ontario, Canada, who graduated from the two provincial dental schools. Descriptive statistics were used, and associations were tested by Pearson's chi 2 analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The adjusted response rate was 80%. For the new patient, 62% of respondents chose a type of predetermined protocol with the panoramic/bite-wing survey as the predominant choice. Only 37% of respondents chose to prescribe selectively according to the patient's needs. For recall patients, 55% of dentists used selective radiography, and of those who chose a protocol, the vast majority preferred bite-wing radiographs only.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Three influences on the dentists' choice of radiographic examination as suggested by the data were dental education, ownership of a panoramic unit, and who exposed the radiographs. These associations were statistically significant.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Medicine and Radiology, University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Dentistry, London, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Bohay
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Stephens
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kogon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003727:Dental Auxiliaries; D003748:Dental Equipment; D003815:Dentists; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D009864:Ontario; D010067:Ownership; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016300:Radiography, Bitewing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011861:Radiography, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011862:Radiography, Panoramic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires