Dental hygiene students and faculty may prefer traditional metal syringes over disposable safety syringes, according to a pilot study published by the American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA).
To compare the preferences of traditional metal syringes and disposable safety syringes, an 11-item questionnaire was given to three faculty members and 61 students, both after their first exposure to local anesthetic administration on a mannequin and after their final exposure on a live patient, according to a press release dated March 31 from the ADHA.
Results showed a preference for traditional syringes in terms of ease of use, comfort, and control during setup, aspiration, and injection. However, participants preferred disposable safety syringes for breakdown and cleanup.
Despite some limitations, the study found a clear preference for traditional syringes, highlighting the need to improve disposable syringe design for better user comfort and safety.
