Dental Practitioners' Knowledge and Attitude Towards Ultrasonography at The UWC Faculty of Dentistry

<b><i>Introduction:</i></b><i> </i>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?<b><i>Methods:</i></b> 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.<b><i>Results:</i></b><b><i> </i></b>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.<b><i>Conclusion:</i></b><i> </i>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.

## 引言
超声检查（Ultrasonography）是一种依托声波生成影像的成像技术，具备成本可控、操作便携且无电离辐射的无创成像优势。尽管南非有4500万民众依赖公共医疗体系，且开普敦泰格伯格医院的磁共振成像（MRI）等待时长长达24周，但超声检查在牙科领域并未得到广泛应用。这一现象是否源于牙科从业者对其诊断与治疗价值认知不足，进而不愿采用该成像技术？

## 研究方法
本研究为横断面研究，通过在线问卷对西开普大学（University of the Western Cape, UWC）牙科学院的108名牙科从业者开展调查。本研究已获得生物医学研究伦理委员会（Biomedical Research Ethics Committee, BMREC）以及UWC牙科学院官方的伦理批准。研究数据通过REDCap平台收集，并使用Microsoft Excel与STATA软件进行统计分析。

## 研究结果
本次调查的有效回收率为48.5%，受访牙科从业者对超声检查整体持积极态度，且该态度在不同科室间存在差异。颅面生物学、病理学与放射科学科的态度得分最高，而口腔颌面外科对超声检查的熟悉度最高，部分专项问题的调查结果具有统计学显著性。
在知识掌握层面，整体得分率为71%。从业者对头颈部肿胀与唾液腺疾病的知识掌握水平较高，而龋病相关知识得分最低。不过，不同毕业年限与科室间的知识掌握水平未呈现显著差异。

## 研究结论
牙科从业者不仅乐于学习超声检查相关知识，也对其在患者诊疗中的应用潜力充满热情。若将超声检查课程纳入牙科学课程体系，将助力牙科从业者掌握有效利用超声检查优势所需的技能与知识，从而解决南非国内亟待解决的医疗保健难题。