Teaching students the repair of resin-based composite restorations: a survey of North American dental schools.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether North American dental schools teach students to repair resin-based composite, or RBC, restorations and to compare the findings with those from similar European surveys.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors mailed a 15-item questionnaire to 64 dental schools in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The survey asked whether the school taught repair of RBC restorations and inquired about the respondent's experience with such procedures. Questions also elicited reasons why schools taught or did not teach repair, information in regard to relevant decision-making processes, criteria for deciding whether to perform repairs and the nature of the instruction (theoretical, practical, preclinical or clinical).
RESULTS: Fifty-two (81 percent) of 64 schools participated in the survey. Thirty-seven (71 percent) of the respondents reported that they taught undergraduate students repair techniques as an alternative to replacing failing RBC restorations. Twenty-seven (73 percent) of these 37 schools reported that such teaching was at the clinical level, while only three schools (8 percent) reported that it was included in formal lectures as part of preclinical courses. The major reasons given for teaching students how to repair RBC restorations were tooth structure preservation and reduction of potentially harmful effects on the pulp. Indications included the correction of marginal defect and marginal discoloration.
CONCLUSIONS: More than one-half of the respondents reported that they taught repair of RBC restorations and that patients were willing to accept such treatment. Most schools considered the repair of RBC restorations to be a definitive measure and reported that, on average, expected a repaired RBC restoration to have a longevity of four years.