Browsing by Author "Simpson, Jessica Amy"

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    Dental practitioners' knowledge and attitude towards ultrasonography at the UWC faculty of dentistry
    (University of the Western Cape, 2024) Simpson, Jessica Amy
    Introduction: Ultrasonography - a method in which images are created using sound waves - offers cost-effective, portable, and non-invasive imaging without ionizing radiation. Despite 45 million South Africans relying on public healthcare and 24-week MRI scan waiting times at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town, ultrasonography isn't widely used in dentistry. Could this be due to dental practitioners' unawareness of its diagnostic and therapeutic benefits, leading to reluctance to adopt this imaging method? Methods: A cross-sectional study surveyed 108 dental practitioners at the UWC Faculty of Dentistry using online questionnaires. Approval was obtained from BMREC and UWC Faculty officials for the study. Data was collected via REDCap and analyzed with Microsoft Excel and STATA. Results: Results indicated a 48.5% response rate with generally positive attitudes towards ultrasonography, varying across departments. The Craniofacial Biology, Pathology and Radiology department had the highest attitude score, and Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery showed the highest familiarity with ultrasonography, with specific questions yielding statistically significant results. Regarding knowledge, the overall score was 71%. Knowledge levels were high in head and neck swellings and salivary gland disorders, while caries had the lowest score. However, no significant differences were observed across graduation years or departments. Conclusion: Dental practitioners are not only receptive to learning about ultrasonography but also enthusiastic about its potential in patient care. By integrating an ultrasonography course into the dentistry curriculum, dental practitioners would be empowered with the skills and knowledge needed to effectively harness the benefits of ultrasonography, addressing critical healthcare challenges within South Africa.
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    Dental practitioners’ knowledge and attitude towards ultrasonography at the UWC faculty of dentistry
    (Universty of the Western Cape, 2023) Simpson, Jessica Amy; van Zyl, Tineke
    Ultrasonography (USG) - a method in which images are created using sound waves - has gained popularity in the medical field due to its cost-effectiveness, accessibility, portability, non-invasiveness, lack of ionizing radiation, and ability to produce real-time images. Yet, despite the high rate of disease and trauma in the country, as well as the shocking waiting times of other imaging modalities like MRI, South Africa is still lagging when it comes to incorporating USG in dentistry. Could the reason for this be due to dental practitioners not being aware of the multiple therapeutic and diagnostic abilities of USG and, therefore not willing to make use of an alternate imaging modality?. The Knowledge-Attitude-Behaviour (KAB) model was developed for health promotion and is based on the idea that knowledge will directly affect a person’s attitude, which in turn indirectly affects their behaviour. Therefore, in this case, if dental practitioners were educated about the uses of USG, their attitude towards using this imaging modality when treating patients could change, eventually leading to increased uptake of USG in clinical practice.