Pulp protection protocols under posterior composite restorations: A survey of dentists in Palestine

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and practice of dentists in Palestine toward pulp protection protocols under composite restorations and to find any associations with age, years of experience, and gender. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was randomly distributed among 500 licensed dentists. It included six questions. The first three focused on demographic variables (gender, years of experience, and type of practice). The others focused on the protocols followed in three different Class I cavity scenarios: shallow (remaining dentine thickness [RDT] >1.5 mm), moderate (1.5 >RDT >0.5 mm), and deep (RDT <0.5 mm). For all scenarios, the questions were about using calcium hydroxide, resin‑modified glass ionomer (RMGI), flowable composite, and dentin bonding agents under composites as the final restoration. Results: The response rate was 61%. There was a significant difference in the protocols the respondents chose for restoring shallow (P < 0.001) and deep (P < 0.001) cavities. However, there was no significant difference in the protocols the respondents chose for moderate cavities (P = 0.576). There was a significant association between the time since graduation and the protocol used for all cavity scenarios (P < 0.001). There was a significant association between the gender and the protocol used in shallow (P = 0.001) and deep (P = 0.002) cases, but there was no association between gender and the protocol chosen in moderate cases (P < 0.418). There was no significant association between the protocol used and the type of practice in shallow (P < 0.236) and moderate (P < 0.055) cavities, but there was a significant association between the protocol used in deep cavities and the type of practice (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Irrespective of the cavity depth, there was an inconsistent implementation of pulp protection protocols among the respondents.