TAVARES, P. G.; TAVARES, Paloma Galdino.
Abstract:
Endodontcs is the dental specialty that deals with the etology, diagnosis, and treatment of pulpo-
periapical alteratons of the teeth. This specialty is one of the disciplines considered most difcult by
the students. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of self-confdence of students from a
public and private college to perform endodontc procedures. This is a research of observatonal,
quanttatve, analytcal and cross-sectonal character, with random and representatve sample of the
populaton, performed from a questonnaire with students from the seventh, eighth and tenth periods
of the Federal University of Campina Grande (Patos-PB) and sixth, seventh and ninth period of the
UNIFIP (Patos-PB). The study had a sample of 115 regularly enrolled students. According to the data
collected, in general, 44.3% of the students considered themselves "neutral" regarding the degree of
confdence to perform endodontc treatment. When separately evaluatng public and private college
students, most public college students felt neutral (49.2%), while most private college students felt
confdent (42.6%). Most students felt "confdent" for all stages of treatment of uniradicular teeth. In
premolars, most felt confdent in the steps of guta-percha cone try-in (40%), odontometry radiograph
(38.3%), cone try-in radiograph (37.4%). Regarding molars, most felt "not very confdent" in the steps
of chemical mechanical preparaton (36.5%), inserton of intracanal medicaton (27.8%), obturaton
(38.3%). Therefore, it is concluded that students feel neutral about confdence for endodontc
treatments, but they feel more confdent for treatment of uni-rooted teeth, which are trained more
frequently during the undergraduate course. Measures should be taken in an atempt to increase this
level of confdence on the part of the students, so that they can work endodontcally with more
tranquility and safety in all dental groups.
