Dental Implant Maintenance Experience: Testing Knowledge and Clinical Practices of Libyan Implant Clinicians

Abstract Background: This study was aimed to survey implant clinicians in Libya in order to assess their routine approach for dental implant maintenance and to determine if a relationship exists between the formal undergraduate education and their previous attendance and interest in future implant related continuing education courses.Methods: After an extensive review of the literature, a 35–question paper survey, specifically developed for this study, was distributed to all implant clinicians attending a national continuing education course that was held in Tripoli on June/29/2018. All items on the survey reflected content found in publications that addressed maintenance of dental implants.Participants voluntarily completed and submitted their questions survey to the corresponding author before the end of the course day.Results: Targeting 60 participants, the response rate was 63.33% (n=38).Four (10.5%) reported that they have practiced for over 15 years, while Nine (23.6%) have practiced 11 to 15 years. Fourteen (36.8%) have practiced 5 to 10 years and Eleven (28.9%) have practiced 5 years or less. Fourteen (36.8%) reported that they have not received training in class room and clinic on implant care while attending dental school. 5 (13.1%) have not participated in any continuing education course on implant maintenance after school graduation. The majority (94.7%) of the implant clinicians expressed interest in continuing education courses to strengthen backgrounds in maintenance of dental implants.Conclusions: Results indicated that additional knowledge need to be gained regarding dental implant care in order to guide patients’ confidence toward the optimal most successful teeth replacement option. Furthermore, a well-established structured academic program might be necessary to teach implant maintenance at undergraduate and postgraduate levels both theoretically and practically.