Assessment of radiographic errors and repetition rates in undergraduate endodontic education: a retrospective clinical study

The study conducted to assess the frequency of radiographic retakes during endodontic procedures among undergraduate dental students and to identify common imaging errors, intending to propose strategies to increase radiographic accuracy and minimize unnecessary exposure. A retrospective analysis conducted using data from 4786 intraoperative periapical radiographs taken by fourth-year students during root canal treatment. The incidence and reasons behind repeating radiographs were examined on the basis of tooth type and treatment step. The imaging errors were categorized, then chi-square tests and one-way analysis of variance were performed. The overall repeat rate was 37.2%, with the highest frequency occurring during the master cone selection (54.6%) and working length determination (47.4%). The most prevalent error leading to repetition was missing the apical area (38%), which was significantly associated with radiographic repetition (p = 0.0001). Other common errors included incorrect working length adjustment (9.6%) and master apical cone positioning (20%). There was no significant difference in overall repeat rates between maxillary and mandibular teeth (p > 0.05). The high radiographic repetition rate highlights the need for enhanced radiographic training, improved faculty supervision, and greater reliance on electronic apex locators (EALs) with the radiographs to reduce unnecessary imaging. Implementing structured radiographic education and promoting the use of parallel devices can increase students’ diagnostic accuracy. Clinically, reducing radiographic repetition minimizes radiation exposure and improves procedural efficiency.