title: Analysis of the knowledge and opinions of students and qualified dentists regarding the use of computers.
abstract: Dentists are currently required to make multiple diagnoses and treatment decisions every day and the information necessary to achieve this satisfactorily doubles in volume every five years. Knowledge therefore rapidly becomes out of date, so that it is often impossible to remember established information and assimilate new concepts. This may result in a significant lack of knowledge in the future, which would jeopardize the success of treatments. To remedy this situation and to prevent it, we nowadays have access to modern computing systems, with an extensive data base, which helps us to retain the information necessary for daily practice and access it instantaneously.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objectives of this study are therefore to determine how widespread the use of computing is in this environment and to determine the opinion of students and qualified dentists as regards its use in Dentistry.
  
  
  METHODS
  90 people were chosen to take part in the study, divided into the following groups (students) (newly qualified dentists) (experts).
  
  
  RESULTS
  It has been demonstrated that a high percentage (93.30%) use a computer, but that their level of computing knowledge is predominantly moderate. The place where a computer is used most is the home, which suggests that the majority own a computer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Analysis of the results obtained for evaluation of computers in teaching showed that the participants thought that it saved a great deal of time and had great potential for providing an image (in terms of marketing) and they considered it a very innovative and stimulating tool.
authors.affiliation: Comprehensive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Seville University, Sevilla, Spain.
authors.forename: Coral
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castelló Castañeda
authors.forename: Jose Vicente
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Ríos Santos
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bullón
mesh_terms: D001292:Attitude to Computers; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000379:methods; D004498:Education, Dental, Continuing / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology*