KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF LASER TOOTH PREPARATION AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS - A QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY

Introduction: LASER is an acronym that stands for 'Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.' Since the first use in dentistry by Miaman in 1960, the laser has seen a wide variety of hard and soft tissue applications.Laser technology for hard tissue application and soft tissue surgery is highly refined, having evolved over many decades to the present, and further advancements are possible. Additional applications for laser-based photochemical reactions, especially for targeting specific cells, pathogens, or molecules, hold great promise. Aim of this study was to analyse knowledge, attitude and practice of laser tooth preparation among dental students. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional type of study conducted among the dental students comprising 150 subjects. Closed ended questionnaires consisting of 15 questions were framed and responses were collected in Google forms and analysed using SPSS software. The results were tabulated. Descriptive statistics and inferential statistics with Chi square analysis was done using SPSS software Results: Male and female population were equally aware that the laser was used in dental practice. Chi square test was done P value 0.526 (>0.05) which is statistically not significant. Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, around 78.22% of dental students were aware of the lasers used in dentistry, and 73.25% have practiced laser dentistry. More than 50% of the dental students were aware that lasers are used for composite curing, enamel etching, and removal of caries. The survey concluded that awareness on laser tooth preparations among dental students is quite good.