Repair or replacement of defective direct resin-based composite restorations: contemporary teaching in U.S. and Canadian dental schools.
BACKGROUND
Opportunities exist to promote minimally invasive dentistry by repairing rather than replacing defective and failing direct resin-based composite restorations. The authors conducted a study to investigate the current teaching of such techniques in U.S. and Canadian dental schools.


METHODS
In late 2010, the authors, with the assistance of the Consortium of Operative Dentistry Educators, invited 67 U.S. and Canadian dental schools to participate in an Internet-based survey.


RESULTS
The response rate was 72 percent. Eighty-eight percent of the dental schools taught repair of defective direct resin-based composite restorations. Of these schools, 79 percent reported providing both didactic and clinical teaching.


CONCLUSIONS
Although teaching repair of defective resin-based composite restorations was included in the didactic curricula of most schools, students in some schools did not gain experience in minimally invasive management of defective resin-based composite restorations by means of performing repair procedures. The American Dental Association's Code on Dental Procedures and Nomenclature does not have a procedure code for resin-based composite restoration repairs, which may limit patients' access to this dental treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Teaching dental students minimally invasive dentistry procedures, including restoration repair, extends the longevity of dental restorations and reduces detrimental effects on teeth induced by invasive procedures, thereby serving the interests of patients.
Restorative Dentistry, Tissue Engineering and Reparative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Cardiff University, Heath Park, Cardiff, Wales. lynchcd@cardiff.ac.uk
Christopher D
CD
Lynch
Igor R
IR
Blum
Kevin B
KB
Frazier
Larry D
LD
Haisch
Nairn H F
NH
Wilson
D002170:Canada; D003116:Color; D003188:Composite Resins / Q000737:chemistry*; D003479:Curriculum; D001840:Dental Bonding; D018772:Dental Marginal Adaptation; D003764:Dental Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D019232:Dental Restoration Failure; D058250:Dental Restoration Repair; D019554:Dental Restoration Wear; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000379:methods; D003814:Dentistry, Operative / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D019233:Retreatment; D012575:Schools, Dental; D013499:Surface Properties; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014481:United States
D003188:Composite Resins; D003764:Dental Materials