The FDI World Dental Federation has released its first white paper on endodontic care, providing a resource for dentists, national dental associations, and other oral health actors. The White Paper on Endodontic Care defines the scale of the global burden of endodontic disease and proposes patient-centered solutions to improve endodontic health. It was published as part of FDI’s Endodontics in General Practice initiative, supported by Dentsply Sirona.
Rather than focusing on the roots of the tooth, the paper calls for endodontic care to address a broader set of health outcomes directly affecting the patient, including teeth retention and impact on overall health. Patients are concerned with eliminating pain and keeping the affected tooth healthy and strong over the long term. Considering the patient’s perspective in providing endodontic care has significant implications for existing treatment guidelines, FDI says.
“A comprehensive approach to endodontic care puts the patient first. We need to shift away from treatment outcomes that focus solely on technical goals and clinical symptoms after treatment and take a closer look at how we can deliver better care to our patients,” said Dr. Kathryn Kell, FDI president.
The paper summarizes the results of a survey conducted by FDI member national dental associations to identify obstacles to providing endodontic care. Members reported that limited access to care is an ongoing challenge in many companies, and misconceptions of endodontics as a complex or painful procedure frequently deter patients from seeking treatment.
“Untreated endodontic conditions can drastically affect one’s quality of life, causing craniofacial pain, difficulty chewing, and trouble sleeping. We are proud to support FDI’s work to actively address these challenges and propose tangible solutions to improve endodontic health worldwide,” said Dr. Terri Dolan, vice president and chief clinical officer at Dentsply Sirona.
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