ANALYSIS OF DENTISTS ATTITUDES TOWARDS RISKS IN ORAL RADIOLOGY

Objectives. To develop a method of measuring dentists' attitudes towar ds radiation hazards and to describe their prevalence among Swedish ge neral dental practitioners. Methods. A questionnaire was mailed to 200 0 randomly selected dentists listed in the register of the Swedish Den tal Society, with a response rate of 69.3%. An index for measurements of attitudes towards radiation hazards was constructed. Results. Those dentists who showed high concern at radiation hazards also restricted their use of X-ray examinations. Years in practice and attendance at extended (one-week) courses in oral radiology both had significant ass ociations with risk attitude. Inexperienced dentists showed less conce rn for radiation hazards compared with those more experienced and were less scrupulous in their choice of radiographic procedures. Gender, w orking alone, in the public dental health services or in private pract ice had no significant association with attitude. Dentists who conside red regulations laid down by the Swedish National Institute of Radiati on Protection as wholly adequate had a high care attitude.Conclusions. It is possible to study the relationship between attitudes and clinic al behaviour by postal survey. Experience and continuing education aff ect dentists' attitudes towards risk and these attitudes in turn influ ence their clinical behaviour. (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd for IADMF R.