The Attitude of Saudi Dentists Towards CAD/CAM in Restorative Dentistry

The objective of this study was to investigate the attitude of Saudi dentists towards CAD/CAM (computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing) in restorative dentistry, investigate the existing knowledge and improve the practice accordingly.

At random, electronic surveys were distributed to Saudi dental practitioners. The study received 500 questionnaires, with 425 being deemed valid. The following sections were included in the questionnaire: (i) Practitioner demographic information such as gender, practice level, and practice experience; (ii) CAD/CAM knowledge and benefits; (iii) CAD/CAM skills and training required; and (iv) CAD/CAM clinical overview. Descriptive statistics such as numbers and percentages were used to analyze the collected data. The Chi-square and Fisher's Exact tests were used to assess the results.

Males accounted for 292 (68.7%) of the participants, while females accounted for 133 (31.3%). General Practitioners accounted for the most subjects (253, or 59.5%), followed by consultants (91, or 21.4%) and specialists (81, or 19.1%). Among 425 dentists, 170 (40%) were aware of CAD/CAM, while 255 (60%) were not. Consultants and specialists demonstrated more significant levels of knowledge than general practitioners.

Furthermore, dentists with experience of more than ten years and experience of 5-10 years showed more understanding of CAD/CAM than dentists with less than five years of experience. Most participants (71.5%) do not use CAD/CAM in dental practice, whereas only less than one-third of them use it. Most participants (63.5%) plan to purchase CAD/CAM. Most dentists (74.4%) believe CAD/CAM technology is helpful in clinical procedures, while others believe it is useful in diagnostic and different functions. Most participants assume that CAD/CAM will eventually replace traditional methods. Most dentists assume that the use of CAD/CAM requires skills and training.

The findings of this study show a prominent level of satisfaction and a favorable attitude among the surveyed dentists towards the usage of CAD/CAM technology in clinical practice.