title: Usage of complementary and alternative medicine: A survey among Indian dental professionals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  CAM therapies are used along with standard medical care. Though there are various medical evidences to prove the effectiveness of CAM therapies in managing medical problems, the evidence for the dental application are still lacking in India. This could be attributed to the non-availability or the insufficient knowledge regarding the use of CAM in dentistry. Hence it is necessary to obtain the baseline knowledge regarding the use of CAM therapies among dentists.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional questionnaire based survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were mixed attitudes towards CAM approaches in dental practices. Lack of clinical knowledge and exposure during their graduation and inadequate scientific evidence can be attributed to their hesitation in practicing the CAM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Though interested, dental practitioners were still cautious in putting CAM into clinical practice. Only very few dentist used CAM therapies and they limited their use to topical application for oral problems.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric & Preventive Dentistry, Indira Gandhi Institute of Dental Sciences, Pillaiyarkauppam, Pondicherry 607402, India. Electronic address: drsuganyamohandoss@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suganya
authors.affiliation: Public Health Dentistry, Indira Gandhi Institute of Dental Sciences, Pillaiyarkuppam, Pondicherry 607402, India. Electronic address: drvikneshan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vikneshan
authors.affiliation: Indira Gandhi Institute of Dental Sciences, SBV University, Pillayarkuppam, Pondicherry, India. Electronic address: swathy_u08@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Swathy
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003815:Dentists / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Alternative medicine; Complementary medicine; Dental practitioners; Herbal medicines; Knowledge