Use of coolant for high-speed tooth preparation: a survey of pediatric dentistry residency program directors in the United States.

PURPOSE: To determine current teaching policies regarding the use of coolant type during tooth preparation with high-speed hand-pieces in pediatric dental residency programs in the US. METHODS: A 17-question survey was electronically mailed to 63 program directors with one follow-up. Multiple-choice questions asked about school and program teaching of cavity preparation with or without water coolant, including hypothetical clinical situations. RESULTS: Fifty-two (83%) program directors returned the survey. Fifty-two percent taught both dry and water coolant methods, 6% taught dry cutting exclusively, and 42% did not teach the dry method and always used water coolant. Dry techniques were used primarily for special needs patients with poor swallow reflexes (50%) and for young children undergoing sedation (41%). Air coolant was taught more frequently in programs in the Midwest (77%) and South (85%) vs. the Northeast (32%) and West (50%) (P<.01). Forty-four percent of combined programs and 60% of hospital programs taught water spray use exclusively, while all university programs taught the dry cutting technique (P<.01). CONCLUSIONS: A majority of program directors teach the use of air coolant alone for high-speed preparation of teeth. University and combined programs were more likely to teach the method compared with hospital based ones.