OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy of Aloe vera (AV) gel versus Ferric : Sulphate (FS) as a pulp medicament in vital pulpotomy of deciduous molars. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was conducted at Peshawar Dental College, Peshawar, Pakistan. One hundred and fourteen patients were randomized into interventional group (A): who received AV gel & control group (B): who received FS as pulpotomy medicament. Deciduous molars of patients of both genders were selected for this study. Clinical signs & symptoms and radiological findings were observed in both groups after a period of 6 months and then checked for their comparative efficacy. RESULTS: Out of 114 patients, 69 (60.5%) were males. Postoperative pain was reported be as no pain [AV=44/57 (77.2%); FS=43/57 (75.4%)], mild pain [AV=07/57 (12.3%); FS=11/57 (19.3%)], moderate pain [AV=03/57 (5.3%); FS=01/57 (1.8%)] and severe pain [AV=03/57 (5.3%); FS=02/57 (3.5%)]. Periapical abscess was observed in total of 04/114 (3.5%) patients (AV=03/57; FS=01/57). Pathological tooth mobility was also present as mild/normal [AV=52/57 (91.2%); FS=56/57 (98.2%)], moderate [AV=04/57 (7%); FS=01/57 (1.8%)] and severe [AV=01/57 (1.8%)]. Radiographic changes were found in total of 06/114 (5.3%) patients (AV=04/57; FS=02/57). Out of 114 patients, 51/57 (89.47%) cases remained successful in group A while in group B, 54/57 (94.73%) were successful. CONCLUSION: AV tends to prove favorable outcomes in terms of clinical signs and symptoms and radiological features comparable to ferric sulphate and could be a better & cheap alternative to other medicaments in future and can be used safely for pulpotomy.

Background: Infection control, which is considered to be the backbone of dentistry, has become a particularly essential piece of dental training because both the dentists and patients are at an expanded danger of cross-contamination. Dental clinical settings represent a high organic hazard of spreading a wide scope of microorganisms. The objective of this study is to gather information of different dentists regarding their practice of standard cross infection protocols and how can they improve the same in their private practices. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in dental clinics of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, KPK from January 2020 to July 2020 by distributing a questionnaire among dentists. It was a pre-designed questionnaire that was circulated in Google forms through Whatsapp and emails. The questionnaire was divided into 2 sections. Data was compiled and statistical tests were applied using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences SPSS® ver.23.0 Results: Regarding cross infection control measures, maximum dentists seem to have knowledge of cross infection control techniques. A significant difference was found (p= 0.05) between male & female dentists in disposing dental waste from clinical set up properly. A significant difference was also found between male & female dentists about rubber dam isolation (p=0.02). Conclusion: The result of this study showed that practice of dentists in KPK is not up to standard protocols of cross infection control. In this way, the need of great importance is to authorize and execute better proportions of infection control to improve dental practice in KPK. Key words: Infection control, Dental practice, Sterilization