Differential diagnosis of dental fluorosis made by undergraduate dental students

OBJECTIVE To check knowledge of undergraduate dental students to make diagnosis of dental fluorosis with varying degrees of severity and choose its appropriate treatment. METHODS Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire addressing knowledge of undergraduates based on ten images of mouths presenting enamel changes. RESULTS Only three images were correctly diagnosed by most undergraduates; the major difficulty was in establishing dental fluorosis severity degree. CONCLUSION Despite much information about fluorosis conveyed during the Dentistry training, as defined in the course syllabus, a significant part of the students was not able to differentiate it from other lesions; they did not demonstrate expertise as to defining severity of fluorosis and indications for treatment, and could not make the correct diagnosis of enamel surface changes.