FDI: Endodontics white paper calls for treatment to consider impact on patient health and well-being

Geneva, 11 March 2019 – FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) released its first white paper on endodontic care today, providing an important resource for dentists, national dental associations (NDAs) and other oral health actors.

Endodontic care treats the damage done to the blood vessels, nerves, and tissues in and around the tooth. This damage is often caused by untreated dental caries, which affects a staggering 2.4 billion people worldwide.

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. The paper was published as part of FDI’s Endodontics in General Practice initiative, supported by Dentsply Sirona.

Rather than focusing purely on the roots of the tooth, this paper calls for endodontic care to address a broader set of health outcomes that directly affect 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 the provision of endodontic care has significant implications for existing treatment guidelines.

“A comprehensive approach to endodontic care puts the patient first,” said FDI President Dr Kathryn Kell. “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.”

The paper summarizes results of a survey completed by FDI member NDAs to identify obstacles to providing endodontic care. Members reported that limited access to care is an on-going challenge in many countries, 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,” said Dr Terri Dolan, VP and Chief Clinical Officer at Dentsply Sirona. “We are proud to support FDI’s work to actively address these challenges and propose tangible solutions to improve endodontic health worldwide.”

Endodontics (in Greek, ‘endo’ means ‘inside’ and ‘odont’ means ‘tooth’) is the branch of dentistry concerning the conservation and treatment of dental pulp and tissues surrounding the roots of the tooth. FDI’s Endodontics in General Practice project guides general dentists on the provision of endodontic care.

About FDI World Dental Federation

FDI is the main representative body for more than 1 million dentists worldwide, with a vision of leading the world to optimal oral health. Its membership comprises some 200 national member associations and specialist groups in over 130 countries.

About Dentsply Sirona

Dentsply Sirona is the world’s largest manufacturer of professional dental products and technologies, with over a century of innovation and service to the dental industry and patients worldwide. Dentsply Sirona develops, manufactures, and markets dental and oral health products as well as consumable medical devices under a portfolio of world class brands.

CONTACT:

Charanjit Jagait

phone +41 79 796 76 13

e-mail:cjagait@fdiworlddental.org