# Exploring the ambiguity in the anatomical terminology among Dental professionals

## TL;DR

This study shows that dental professionals use anatomical terms with varying meanings, which can lead to confusion in clinical practice.

## Contribution

The study reveals new interpretations of anatomical terms by dentists not previously documented in textbooks.

## Key findings

- Seventy-eight dentists provided multiple interpretations for each anatomical term, with some terms having up to eight meanings.
- Most interpretations aligned with existing literature, but some were novel and not found in textbooks.
- Variability in terminology use was influenced by dentists' subspecialties.

## Abstract

Anatomical terms in medical literature have been used with varying meanings, leading to confusion in clinical practice. This study aims to investigate the ambiguity of anatomical terms in clinical dentistry.

Dentists who have undergone specialised training with at least one year of clinical experience were recruited to participate in the study. They were requested to localize specific terms on a skull and provide explanations based on their experience or opinion. All data were recorded, and then descriptive statistics were used for analysis.

Seventy-eight participating dentists gave their consent and were eligible to study. For each anatomical term presented to dentists at least two meanings were provided, with some terms having up to eight interpretations. While most meanings were consistent with medical or dental literature, some responses revealed new interpretations not documented in textbooks.

Dentists expressed anatomical terms with diverse meanings, possibly influenced by their various subspecialties. It is crucial to acknowledge this variability to prevent confusion. Emphasizing the consistent use of anatomical terms among dental professionals in the future is essential.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12909-024-05878-1.