Assessment of Dentists’ Knowledge of Local Anesthetic Hypersensitivity

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluated dentists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding local anesthetic allergy and anaphylaxis management.
METHODS: In this cross-sectional survey, 87 dentists working in public institutions in the Van region completed a questionnaire assessing demographics, preferred local anesthetic agents, responses to hypersensitivity-related scenarios, and knowledge of anaphylaxis diagnosis and emergency management.
RESULTS: Most participants were aged 25–35 years (82.8%), and 49.4% had less than five years of professional experience. Articaine was the most preferred local anesthetic (41.4%). For suspected local anesthetic allergy, 51.7% of dentists referred patients to an allergist, while 21.8% avoided treatment. A total of 57.4% reported that their undergraduate education on this topic was insufficient, and 16.1% had received recent anaphylaxis training. Only 23.0% of dentists correctly identified the diagnostic criteria for anaphylaxis. Although 77.0% recognized adrenaline as the established first-line treatment, correct dosing knowledge was limited for both pediatric (34.5%) and adult patients (14.9%). Designated emergency protocols were unavailable in 85.0% of clinics, and no essential emergency medications were available in 52.9% of clinics.


DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Dentists’ preparedness for managing local anesthetic-induced hypersensitivity reactions and anaphylaxis was insufficient.