Attitudes of final-year dental students to bleaching of vital and non-vital teeth in Cardiff, Cork, and Malmö

The aim of this study was to determine attitudes of final-year dental students in Cardiff, Cork and Malmö towards tooth whitening. Following receipt of ethical approval, pre-piloted questionnaires were distributed to final-year dental students in Cork, Cardiff, and Malmö as close as possible to graduation. The questionnaire sought information relating to various opinions and attitudes towards the use of bleaching techniques including safety of bleaching, confidence in the provision of bleaching, recommendations to patients, teaching received, awareness of restrictions on the use of bleaching products and management of simulated clinical scenarios. Eighty three per cent ( n = 116) of questionnaires were returned. Cork dental students had the most didactic teaching (2-h vital, 1-h non-vital bleaching) compared to Cardiff or Malmö students (0 h each). More Cork students regarded bleaching as safe (76%, n = 28) than Cardiff (70%, n = 32) or Malmö (36%, n = 12) students. More than 50% of Cork students feel they know enough about bleaching to provide it in practice, significantly more than Cardiff (<25%) or Malmö (<25%) students. The majority of students would provide vital bleaching after qualification (100% ( n = 37) Cork; 82% ( n = 27) Malmö; 76% ( n = 35) Cardiff). In simulated clinical scenarios, more Cork students would propose bleaching treatments (89% n = 33) than Malmö (64% n = 21) or Cardiff (48% n = 22) students. Variations exist in the attitudes and approaches of three European dental schools towards bleaching. Dental students need to be best prepared to meet the needs of their future patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]; Copyright of Journal of Oral Rehabilitation is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)