title: Perception regarding factors related to periodontal therapy among general dental practitioners of Belgaum city - a questionnaire survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the perception regarding periodontists and periodontal therapy among general dental practitioners (GDPs) of Belgaum city.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire study was conducted among 120 GDPs of Belgaum city comprising 13 closed-ended questions. The questions addressed the following variables: demographics of the dentist, service as GDP, periodontal services provided by the GDP and periodontal services referred to the periodontists.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred GDPs responded to the survey. 83% had specialists visit their practice and 78% felt the need for having a consultant periodontist attached to their practice. The procedures performed by the general dental practitioners were as follows: scaling (100%), scaling and root planing (78%), splinting (61%), gingivectomy (47%), ap surgery (24%), frenectomy (33%), crown lengthening (23%), root coverage procedures (12%), bone grafts (8%) and implants (8%). The procedures for which GDPs preferred the service of periodontists include bone grafts (87%), ap surgery (80%), root coverage procedures (77%), crown lengthening (63%) and others. 90% agreed that expertise is required for performing surgical periodontal procedures. 86% agreed that periodontists are competent to treat periodontal diseases. 38% to 55% noticed failures in periodontal procedures even after making use of a periodontist's service. 72% did not provide implant care in their clinic. 84% felt the role of periodontists was limited to post placement maintenance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A variety of periodontal services were offered by GDPs. The most common services were non-surgical in nature.
authors.forename: Shweta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Halemani
authors.forename: Sheetal
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sanikop
authors.forename: Suvarna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: Vishwanath
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jalli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D016556:Crown Lengthening; D015921:Dental Implants; D012534:Dental Scaling; D003815:Dentists / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005792:General Practice, Dental; D005890:Gingivectomy; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D010516:Periodontal Splints; D010517:Periodontics; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D016745:Root Planing; D013524:Surgical Flaps / Q000601:surgery; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014092:Tooth Root / Q000601:surgery; D014727:Vestibuloplasty; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015921:Dental Implants