Types of Canadian dentists who are more likely to provide dental implant treatment.

OBJECTIVE: We designed to determine the variables that influence the adoption rate of implant technology amongst Canadian dentists.

METHODS AND MATERIAL: In this cross-sectional study, an anonymous survey questionnaire was sent to all licensed Canadian dentists, both general practitioners and specialists. A 3-part questionnaire accompanied by a postage prepaid envelope was sent to all licensed Canadian dentists. No second mailing was performed. The plan was to measure the effects of age, gender, language, type of specialties, ownership, association with other dentists, and the location of practice on the adoption of dental implant technology.

RESULTS: The multivariate regression analyses indicate that the dentists' gender, province of practice, specialty, and whether they practice alone or in association with other practitioners are significant factors associated with the adoption of implant technology in providing both surgical and prosthetic aspects of implant therapy. Female dentists provided significantly less implant prostheses than their male counterparts (OR: 1.75, P < 0.05). Canadian dentists in Atlantic regions were significantly less likely than those in other provinces to surgically place an implant or restore implant prostheses (OR: 0.34, OR: 0.30). In addition, those dentists who owned their practices were 2.35 (P < 0.05) times more likely to provide implant prostheses.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an evidence that the rate of adoption of implant technology among Canadian dentists depends mainly on practitioners' age, practice ownership, and their specialties.