Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40629544›Full record

ArticleJournal of dental education2026

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Dental Students on Pulp Sensitivity Tests and Diagnostic Tools.

Camila Leão de Azevedo Pereira, Lucas Alves Jural, Manuella Freire Marzullo, Eveline Salomão Portella Mariano Lima, Marcela Barauna Magno, Patrícia A Risso

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of dental education, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Camila Leão de Azevedo PereiraFaculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Lucas Alves JuralFaculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9772-1562
Manuella Freire MarzulloFaculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Eveline Salomão Portella Mariano LimaFaculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Marcela Barauna MagnoFaculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Patrícia A RissoFaculty of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9961-6678

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo investigate the knowledge of Brazilian dental students about pulp sensitivity tests (PSTs), their attitudes concerning their aptitude for performing different diagnostic tools (DTs), and how frequently these DTs are practiced in clinical scenarios involving asymptomatic teeth.

methodsIn 2024, an online questionnaire with 23 questions was developed and administered, divided into four sections: (1) sample characterization, as well as the frequency of endodontic emergency care and the participant's self-assessment of their knowledge about PSTs; (2) knowledge of PSTs (cold, heat, and electric)-K-PST; (3) Attitudes; (4) Practices. The mean number of correct answers for K-PST was used to assess the knowledge level. Differences in the K-PST mean scores between demographic and academic variables were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests (p < 0.05).

resultsAmong the 628 students, 51.3% considered themselves to have good knowledge of PSTs. However, the mean number of correct answers in K-PST was 3.43 ± 1.72. The DTs with which students felt most confident were radiography, mobility testing, and cold pulp test, respectively. No significant differences in PST knowledge were found with respect to the variables analyzed. In the clinical scenarios presented, radiographs and the collection of pain history were the most frequently reported practices, whereas PSTs were less commonly utilized.

conclusionAlthough students demonstrated self-confidence regarding their PST knowledge, the mean number of correct answers indicates a low level of knowledge. Moreover, the use of these tests does not appear to be a common practice among students.

Indexed as

Dental Pulp TestHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeStudents, DentalAdultBrazilClinical CompetenceEducation, DentalFemaleHumansMaleSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung Adultclinical competence | dental pulp test | dental students | diagnosis | diagnostic techniques and procedures

Identifiers

PMID40629544
PMCPMC13022466

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.