The purpose of the study was to describe the occurrence of the most common complaints related to MSDs in Czech dentists and to assess the risk factors affecting them. A questionnaire survey of 581 Czech dentists (the response rate 72.6%) was conducted in 2011. The questionnaire ascertained general information about the respondents, their work habits and environment along with the occurrence of musculoskeletal disorders. The respondents filled out the questionnaires during the educational events organized by the Czech Dental Chamber. At least mild difficulties associated with the motoric system were reported by 96.9% of the respondents, with 66.3% of respondents reporting moderate or major difficulties. Back and neck pain followed by shoulder pain and headache were the most common complaints in our sample. According to our data: age, gender, length of practice, a history of serious MSDs, the occurrence of MSDs in blood relatives, the perception of work as psychologically demanding, and especially a perceived moderate/bad general health were significantly associated with the four most common musculoskeletal complaints. Some of the factors were found as protective. This study suggests that MSDs represent a significant burden for Czech dentists and further research is needed to elucidate this issue.

This work provides a narrative review covering evidence-based recommendations for pericoronitis management (Part A) and a systematic review of antibiotic prescribing for pericoronitis from January 2000 to May 2021 (Part B). Part A presents the most recent, clinically significant, and evidence-based guidance for pericoronitis diagnosis and proper treatment recommending the local therapy over antibiotic prescribing, which should be reserved for severe conditions. The systematic review includes publications analyzing sets of patients treated for pericoronitis and questionnaires that identified dentists’ therapeutic approaches to pericoronitis. Questionnaires among dentists revealed that almost 75% of them prescribed antibiotics for pericoronitis, and pericoronitis was among the top 4 in the frequency of antibiotic use within the surveyed diagnoses and situations. Studies involving patients showed that antibiotics were prescribed to more than half of the patients with pericoronitis, and pericoronitis was among the top 2 in the frequency of antibiotic use within the monitored diagnoses and situations. The most prescribed antibiotics for pericoronitis were amoxicillin and metronidazole. The systematic review results show abundant and unnecessary use of antibiotics for pericoronitis and are in strong contrast to evidence-based recommendations summarized in the narrative review. Adherence of dental professionals to the recommendations presented in this work can help rapidly reduce the duration of pericoronitis, prevent its complications, and reduce the use of antibiotics and thus reduce its impact on patients’ quality of life, healthcare costs, and antimicrobial resistance development.

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal problems among Czech dentists and to analyze the factors that affect these disorders. Information was gathered through questionnaire completed by 581 physicians. The questionnaire ascertained general information about physicians including their work habits and the characteristics of their work environment along with the occurrence of musculoskeletal problems as well as their intensity. In the past year the occurrence of at least mild difficulties associated with the locomotive system was reported by 96.9% of dentists surveyed (n = 557), with 66.3% of respondents (n = 381) reporting difficulties of a moderate or major nature. Most respondents of both sexes indicated neck pain. A statistically significant correlation with the occurrence of musculoskeletal complaints of medium and major intensity was demonstrated for the following factors: sex, age, running a private practice, past injury or musculoskeletal diseases, and the perception of work as psychologically demanding. Musculoskeletal disorders in dentists in Czech Republic are relatively frequent and serious health problem. The causes of these diseases must be identified and appropriate preventive interventions undertaken that will contribute to a reduction in the incidence of these problems.

Rubber dam is considered an ideal device for tooth isolation. Nevertheless, its usage is quite rare in the Czech Republic. The aim of this study was: firstly, to gather and evaluate information regarding the use of rubber dam by dentists in the Czech Republic and to compare it with other countries; secondly to find out whether there are any influencing factors as to rubber dam usage; and finally to find out frequency of rubber dam use separately in endodontic treatment and in placing fillings of different materials. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted. Dentists filled in the questionnaires during dental conventions, educational events, conferences and congresses. Rubber dam was routinely used by less than eight per cent of the respondents (n = 35); less than twenty-two per cent of the respondents (n = 97) used rubber dam occasionally, and more than seventy per cent of the respondents (n = 317) has never use it. The results showed that rubber dam is not used frequently in the Czech Republic. If rubber dam is used, then it is typically for endodontic treatment or composite fillings. There were several factors with a statistically significant influence on the usage of rubber dam, such as gender, length of professional career, percentage of direct payments, previous experience in using rubber dam, and undergraduate training in rubber dam use.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) frequently occur among dental practitioners and present a significant occupational burden with an early onset in the dentists’ career. This study aimed to analyze the five-year development of self-reported overall MSDs among the dentistry students during the course of their studies and to assess the possible influence of the risk as well as protective factors. The questionnaire inquiry was performed among the first-year dentistry students, regarding the occurrence of MSDs and the presence of potential risk and protective factors. The same students were followed, and they filled in the same questionnaire in the middle and at the end of their studies. A total of 73 dentistry students and 28 general medicine students participated. The occurrence of the overall MSDs statistically significantly increased from 30.1% at the beginning of the first year to 45.2% at the end of the fifth year among the dentistry students. The top-level sport was statistically significantly associated with the higher occurrence of MSDs in the fifth year and with the development of new MSDs between the first and the fifth year. This longitudinal prospective evaluation showed a significant increase in the MSDs occurrence among the dentistry students during their studies.

Background: The most frequent arguments against rubber dam are that patients generally do not like it and the prolonged time of treatment. However, according to several studies, the attitude of patients towards rubber dam is rather positive.Objective: To find out the attitudes of patients to treatment with rubber dam; to determine influence of the circumstances of treatment or factors about patients; and to establish a mean time needed for rubber dam placement.Design: A questionnaire survey.Setting and participants: Patients of general dental practitioners, university clinical specialists and undergraduate dental students.Results: A total of 179 questionnaires were distributed, from which 150 were returned. The mean time needed for rubber dam placement was 4 min for students and < 2 min for dentists. For 56% of patients, this had been their first experience with rubber dam. A total of 77% of patients indicated a higher level of comfort during treatment with rubber dam. A preference to the future rubber dam usage was indicated by 86% of patients. The preference to the further rubber dam usage was statistically significantly affected by the level of comfort during the treatment with rubber dam (P < 0.001) and by the sufficiency of explanation of reasons for rubber dam usage (P < 0.05). The other factors presented no statistically significant influence on patients' attitude to rubber dam usage.Conclusions: The attitude of patients to rubber dam was rather positive in our study. The time needed for rubber dam application was rather short.