Introduction:

The present study evaluated the frequency of root perforations caused by first- and second-year students of the Endodontics specialty of the Faculty of Dentistry of the UNAB University in Santiago (Chile), between January 2019 and March 2021.

Materials and Methods:

A descriptive observational study was carried out through data collected retrospectively in clinical records of patients treated in the Postgraduate Endodontics Clinic of the Andrés Bello University (UNAB) during 2019, 2020 and until March 2021.

Results:

A total of 569 patients were treated during the period, 118 patients were seen by first-year students and 451 by second-year students. The frequency of perforations in the first year was 0% and in the second year it was 2% (n=9). Considering the overall total number of patients, the relative frequency of perforations was only 1.6%. Regarding location, 3 perforations were in the cervical third of the root, 3 in the middle third, 2 in the apical third and 1 in the pulp chamber floor. No perforation resulted in the immediate indication of extraction and all were sealed with calcium silicate-based materials.

Conclusions:

Te frequency of root perforations by postgraduate students was very low, which could evidence the safety of institutional treatment and teaching protocols. The greatest occurrence of perforations was with second-year students, which can be attributed to the fact that they treat cases of greater complexity.

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