Success and survival rates of pit and fissure sealants performed by dental students and postgraduate students in pediatric dentistry

High-quality pit and fissure sealant (PFS) treatment can promote public oral health. The present study aimed to compare the success and survival rates of PFS treatments performed by dental students and postgraduate students in pediatric dentistry, and to evaluate the associated patient-related factors. Patients who had received at least one PFS treatment performed by an undergraduate or postgraduate student during 2016-2018 were recalled. The age and gender of the patients, caries risk, oral hygiene status, DMFT, dmft, and the status of the PFS treatment in terms of retention rate and caries development were evaluated. The chi-square test, multiple logistic regression model, and Weibull accelerated failure time regression model were applied for statistical analysis. The success and survival rates of PFS treatments in the postgraduate group were significantly higher than those in the undergraduate group (P<0.05). Moderate caries risk and permanent tooth type were significantly associated with lower success rates of PFS therapy (P=0.02 and P=0.003, respectively). Additionally, increased dmft, moderate caries risk, and permanent tooth type were associated with shorter survival times (P<0.001, P=0.01, and P=0.009, respectively). High caries risk also decreased both success and survival rates of PFS treatment, but these alterations were not statistically significant (P=0.26, and P=0.55, respectively). The success rate of PFS therapy is influenced by patient-, tooth-, and operator-related factors. PFS treatment is assumed to be more successful when performed by postgraduate students in the primary teeth of patients with low caries risk. (J Dent Mater Tech 2023;12(2):(73-81)