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Background: Unlike in the past, caries nowadays, is stressed to be treated by employing preventive strategies. Though in many countries, treating caries by surgical intervention is reducing but surprisingly most dentists in Karachi, Pakistan continue to treat it by drilling and placing a restoration as primary measure. A question comes to one's mind is whether the graduating dentist from dental colleges in Karachi receive information and training to management caries using preventive strategies or not? This study therefore, was planned to assess the status of teaching about these preventive protocols. Clinical students of dental colleges were chosen as study subjects as they in few months' time become clinicians and practice what they have learnt in their colleges. Aims and Objectives: To assess the knowledge and practices of dental students regarding caries management and practices. Methods: A face and content validated and pretested questionnaire with close-ended questions was used as a study tool. 250 Clinical dental students studying in five dental colleges in Karachi were the study subjects. Results: 215 responses were received at a healthy response rate of 86 %. The most responding students have the knowledge about currently recommended caries preventive strategies but its clinical implementation is very low. Fissure sealing and fluoride applications are the only preventive measures followed by sizeable amount of the responders. Conclusion: Participants of this study despite having knowledge about preventive caries management don't practice it in their clinics. For its implementation, CRA based curricula should be introduced.

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Aim: Teeth maintain the functionality and esthetic of oral cavity, they are also important for psychological and social well-being. This study aims to assess awareness of patients toward replacement of missing teeth. People with unrestored or missing teeth tend to have poor self-esteem and oral health-related quality of life; hence, their knowledge toward restoring and replacing teeth is an important aspect to be measured. Materials and methods:It was an observational study having a cross-sectional design. Face-and content-validated questionnaire was used as study tool. Nonprobability, convenient sampling technique was employed that yielded information from 183 respondents residing in various areas of Hail city. Data were collected after written informed consent. The study was approved by the University of Hail ethical committee.Results: Two hundred questionnaires were distributed, out of which 183 were returned. Regarding knowledge of restoring missing teeth, 145 (79.2%) respondents know that function and esthetic can be maintained by replacing missing teeth. Information about the availability of various types of prosthesis was mostly obtained by them through their dentist (70; 48.3%), while books/magazines/Internet was the second source (38; 26.2%) and 37 (25.5%) heard it from someone who has already undergone the replacement of teeth. Conclusion:The present study indicated that a good number of respondents have the knowledge of teeth replacement, and dentists were the most common source of information to the patients in terms of education about different treatment options.Clinical significance: Evaluate and plan treatment options based on patients' expectations and perceptions.

Aim: To assess the treatment preference of dentists working in Karachi for clinically managing pulp exposures and their choice of material for Direct Pulp Capping. Methods: A cross-sectional survey performed from 1st Nov 2018 to 15th April 2019 by selecting a simple random sample of 600 dentists from the 15 dental colleges. Total of 600 questionnaires was sent to the participants with the request to return it on or before 15th April 2019. Results: Significantly high number of responders, regardless of their clinical experience, handle pulp exposures with RCT in case of exposure ≤ 1mm (p=0.001), carious exposure (p=0.001) and mechanical exposure(p=0.001). The frequency of practitioners performing total caries excavation with definitive restoration was significantly higher (p=.001). The frequency of using Calcium Hydroxide (CH) for DPC was significantly higher (p=.001) as compared to other materials. Conclusion: It appears as if current evidence-based philosophy of conservative approach to deal with pulp exposures has not yet been completely adopted by responding clinicians and tendency to treat pulp exposure through RCT prevails. The majority of the dentists still employs CH as a material of choice for DPC. Keywords: Dental Pulp Capping (MeSH); Pulp Capping Agents (MeSH).