Knowledge, attitude, and practice survey on the use of stamp technique for the management of Class I caries in molars among undergraduate students in dental schools

Abstract

Stamp technique is a recently developed technique that involves of creating an index which records the occlusal anatomy of posterior teeth before cavity preparation. This technique is beneficial in cases where the caries is involving the occlusal surface with little or no damage to the occlusal anatomy or the marginal ridges. The aim of the study is to assess the knowledge and practice on the use of stamp technique for the management of Class 1 caries in molars among undergraduate students. A questionnaire-based study was conducted among 100 dental students in Saveetha Dental College. The questionnaire contained 17 questions that were circulated through Google Forms and received dichotomous responses. The data were collected as an ordinal variable and the collected data were analyzed using SPSS software, and Chi-square test and descriptive analysis were done. This study shows that almost 37% of the respondents were interns and final-year students, 62% of them felt carving would be easier to attain the proper occlusal morphology, 55% of them prefer both flowable and packable composites, and 63% felt stamp technique would be technique sensitive. There was a significant association between the year of study and difficulties faced in occlusal stamp technique (P = 0.014 < 0.05). Undergraduate students were moderately aware of the stamp technique in composite restorations. More detailed knowledge on composite finishing and polishing should be emphasized in the undergraduate curriculum.