Knowledge and Attitudes Among Portuguese Dentists Regarding the Use of Safety Checklists

Introduction: Safety checklists have been widely adopted in medicine to reduce adverse events and standardize clinical procedures, but their use in dentistry remains inconsistent. Understanding how dentists perceive these tools is essential to promote a safer and more structured clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and self‑reported practices of Portuguese dentists regarding the use of safety checklists in dentistry.

Methods: A cross‑sectional study was conducted between June and November 2025 using an online questionnaire distributed to licensed dentists in Portugal. A total of 155 responses were analysed, assessing participants’ familiarity with safety checklists, their perceived usefulness, current implementation in clinical practice, and the main barriers to their adoption.

Results: Of the respondents, 61.6% were female and 38.1% male, with the majority having more than 10 years of professional experience. Overall, 56.1% reported being familiar with safety checklists; among these 87 respondents, 72.4% stated that they use them in clinical practice, most frequently in oral surgery, followed by endodontics, prosthodontics, and radiology. Dentists expressed generally positive attitudes toward the benefits of checklists, particularly their contribution to improved communication, error reduction, and enhanced clinical outcomes. The main barriers identified were insufficient training, limited information on their use, and the perception that checklists increase consultation time (16%). Nevertheless, most participants agreed on the importance of learning more about checklists (90%), receiving additional training (80%), and increasing their use in future clinical practice (90%).

Conclusion: Portuguese dentists show favourable attitudes towards safety checklists but limited practical adoption. The findings highlighted the need for targeted training, institutional support, and the development of dentistry‑specific checklists to facilitate broader integration into daily practice. Strengthening a culture of safety in dentistry may contribute to improve clinical consistency and optimize patient outcomes.