Evaluating The Knowledge, Awareness and Exposure of Dentists in Conscious Sedation In Relation to Their Current Practice and Future Expectations

Introduction: Conscious sedation in dentistry becoming more popular in Malaysia nowadays. However, the knowledge ,exposure and practice of conscious sedation in dental setting has rarely been explored. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the knowledge awareness and exposure of Malaysian dentists about conscious sedation for dentistry and their association with sociodemographic profile. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire (Qualtrics@ Software) was conducted among Malaysian registered dentists. Questions on sociodemographic profile, knowledge, awareness, exposure and practice on conscious sedation were collected. Chi square test was used to analyse the associated factors for knowledge, exposure and practice. Result: A total of 166 respondents completed the survey, resulting in response rate of 43.1%. Majority agreed that conscious sedation is beneficial in allaying dental anxiety and knows at least 3 types of CS. More than half had been exposed in inhalation sedation (IS) with less than half had CS exposure during undergraduate (UG). However, only a quarter practicing CS in their dental practice. Discussion: Malaysian dentists were familiar with the indications of CS in dentistry which corroborates with other studies. Meanwhile, the exposure to CS during undergraduate study were dependant on the availability and the program structure. Conclusion: Majority of respondents know, but only some are practicing oral and inhalation sedation. Only a few of respondents know about other types of CS. Thus, there is a need for more exposure and training of CS during undergraduate to cater the need of patients with dental anxiety.