Use of surgical telescopes by senior dental students: a survey.

This survey examined the use of surgical telescopes (STs) in a large senior dental student class. The percentage of students who purchased STs, factors that influenced those purchases, frequency/patterns of use, and purchase satisfaction were investigated. The survey return rate was 85.3% (128 of 150). Among the respondents, 86% had purchased STs and 14% had not. The most frequent motive for ST purchase was advice received from others (43%); ergonomic reasons were cited by 21% of users. Fixed-lens designs were selected more frequently (70%) than flip-down systems (30%). Nearly all ST purchases were made during the first year of dental school (95%), and low-power magnification (x 2-2.5) was chosen by 88% of purchasers. STs were used more often for operative dentistry, fixed prosthodontics, endodontics, and pediatric dentistry than for practice in other disciplines. ST users expressed a high level of satisfaction with their purchases (84%). The most common reason given for not purchasing STs was being able to see well enough without them (9 of 18; 50%).