Dental Students’ and Residents’ Knowledge and Attitudes towards Application of Cone-Beam Computed Tomography in Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran

Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) is a new imaging technique that uses cone-shaped beams. This technique has been widely accepted in dental radiology. The CBCT is used by many dentists as the preferred imaging method, along with other commonly used methods for dental implants, orthodontics, and endodontics. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge of CBCT application among dental students in Babol University of Medical Sciences, Babol, Iran.

A total of 189 undergraduate students and 19 postgraduate students participated in this study. In the current study, a 16-item questionnaire was used as the main tool for assessing the students’ levels of knowledge of the CBCT application. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by sources, authoritative scientific articles, and opinions of experts and dental professors. To determine the reliability of the questionnaire, the test-retest reliability and Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.75) were used. Moreover, necessary corrections were made in the questionnaire. Finally, the obtained results were analyzed by SPSS software, t-test, and analysis of variance.

According to the obtained results, the knowledge level of the postgraduate students was higher in comparison to that reported for the undergraduate students. There was also a significant difference between the level of students’ knowledge and duration of studying. In addition, with increasing the number of academic years, the knowledge of the CBCT application enhanced.

The results of this study revealed that the dental students at Babol University of Medical Sciences had a relatively moderate knowledge of the CBCT application. It seems that in order to achieve a satisfactory level of CBCT knowledge, it is required to provide necessary training in various forms, such as holding workshops and seminars.