Knowledge of Enamel Developmental Defects Amongst Brazilian Dentists and Dental Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Enamel development defects (EDD) are characterized as qualitative or quantitative disturbances that occur during amelogenesis. The correct diagnosis is important to offer the best treatment options for patients presenting such conditions; however, these defects are still not well recognized by dental professionals. This study evaluated the knowledge of a group of dentists and dental students concerning the diagnosis of EDD. Dentists and dental students were invited to participate in this cross-sectional survey through electronic invitations distributed via email and social media platforms. Participation was voluntary. The survey required responses to questions regarding sociodemographics and diagnosis of EDD. Poisson regression was used to verify the association of the number of correct answers with independent variables, and the Mann–Whitney test was used to determine the existence of significant differences between the knowledge of dentists and dental students (α = 5%). A total of 402 dentists and 208 dental students participated in this study. For the entire sample, the mean number of correct answers was 9.58 (SD = 2.79) out of 15 questions. Molar–incisor hypomineralization had the lowest percentage of correct diagnosis (48%). Moreover, an association was found between the knowledge regarding the diagnosis of the EDD and the independent variables tested, and dentists achieved higher diagnostic scores than dental students in the present sample (p < 0.05). Participants demonstrated variable diagnostic performance across EDD categories, with particular difficulties in recognizing MIH and hypoplasia. These findings reinforce the importance of more in-depth and practical training on EDD in both the continuing education of dental professionals and undergraduate dental education.