Strategies of Coping With Stress During Root Canal Therapy

Background: Endodontic treatment is one of the stress producing situations. Objectives: The purpose of this article was to determine the most stressful stage of root canal therapy among endodontists, endodontic residents, and undergraduate dental students and offering some strategies for reducing stress during this treatment. Patients and Methods: This descriptive survey comprised three groups. Thirty-six endodontists, ۴۱ endodontic residents, and ۴۷ undergraduate dental students selected by convenience sampling. Participants were asked about age, sex, the most stressful stage of root canal therapy and stress reducing strategies during the procedure. Results: The most stressful stage of root canal therapy was endodontic treatment for children in male endodontists and residents, preparing access cavity on crowns in female endodontists, obturation of apically root Resorped canals in female residents, obturation in female students, and preparing access cavity on molar teeth in male students. The most suggested strategy for reducing stress during root canal therapy was related to experience, knowledge, enough study, and technical mastery. Conclusions: It is required to consider the strategies during student education in dental schools for both under and postgraduation dental students and better to follow them in workshops for other dentists and even endodontists.