Effectiveness of an educational program in reducing the incidence of wrong-site tooth extraction

Objectives. The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of an educational program on the reduction of the incidence of wrong-site tooth extraction at the outpatient department of a university hospital in Taiwan. Study design. Data collected from cases of wrong-site tooth extraction during 1996 to 1998 were used to develop a specific educational intervention that was implemented from 1999 to 2001. The annual incidence of erroneous extraction was compared between the preintervention and intervention periods. The factors contributing to wrong tooth extraction were also analyzed. Results. The annual incidence rates of erroneous extraction from 1996 to 1998 were 0.026%, 0.025%, and 0.046%, respectively. During the intervention period from 1999 to 2001, wrong-site tooth extraction did not occur at the department. There was a significant difference in the incidence of erroneous extraction between the preintervention and intervention periods (P<.01). Cognitive failure was the most frequent form of active failure responsible for wrong-site tooth extraction, whereas communication and training were found to be major latent factors contributing to these errors. Conclusions. Our results suggest the effectiveness of an educational program comprising case-based materials, information feedback, and clinical guidelines in reducing the incidence of wrong-site tooth extraction.