From dental science to clinical practice: Knowledge translation and evidence-based dentistry principles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelvin I. Afrashtehfar

2017-07-01

Full Text Available It has been claimed that in order to decrease the gap between what we know and what we do, research findings must be translated from knowledge to action. Such practices better enable dentists to make evidence-based decisions instead of personal ideas and judgments. To this end, this literature review aims to revisit the concepts of knowledge translation and evidence-based dentistry (EBD and depict their role and influence within dental education. It addresses some possible strategies to facilitate knowledge translation (KT, encourage dental students to use EBD principles, and to encourage dental educators to create an environment in which students become self-directed learners. It concludes with a call to develop up-to-date and efficient online platforms that could grant dentists better access to EBD sources in order to more efficiently translate research evidence into the clinic.

From dental science to clinical practice: Knowledge translation and evidence-based dentistry principles.

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Afrashtehfar, Kelvin I; Assery, Mansour K

2017-07-01

It has been claimed that in order to decrease the gap between what we know and what we do, research findings must be translated from knowledge to action. Such practices better enable dentists to make evidence-based decisions instead of personal ideas and judgments. To this end, this literature review aims to revisit the concepts of knowledge translation and evidence-based dentistry (EBD) and depict their role and influence within dental education. It addresses some possible strategies to facilitate knowledge translation (KT), encourage dental students to use EBD principles, and to encourage dental educators to create an environment in which students become self-directed learners. It concludes with a call to develop up-to-date and efficient online platforms that could grant dentists better access to EBD sources in order to more efficiently translate research evidence into the clinic.

Parent Refusal of Topical Fluoride for Their Children: Clinical Strategies and Future Research Priorities to Improve Evidence-Based Pediatric Dental Practice.

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Chi, Donald L

2017-07-01

A growing number of parents are refusing topical fluoride for their children during preventive dental and medical visits. This nascent clinical and public health problem warrants attention from dental professionals and the scientific community. Clinical and community-based strategies are available to improve fluoride-related communications with parents and the public. In terms of future research priorities, there is a need to develop screening tools to identify parents who are likely to refuse topical fluoride and diagnostic instruments to uncover the reasons for topical fluoride refusal. This knowledge will lead to evidence-based strategies that can be widely disseminated into clinical practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Restorative treatment thresholds for occlusal primary caries among dentists in the dental practice-based research network

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gordan, Valeria V; Bader, James D; Garvan, Cynthia W

2010-01-01

: The investigators surveyed dentists enrolled in a dental practice-based research network who reported performing at least some restorative dentistry. In the survey, dentists were asked to indicate whether they would intervene surgically in a series of cases involving occlusal caries. Each case presentation included...... a photograph of an occlusal surface displaying typical characteristics of caries penetration and a written description of a patient at a specific level of risk of developing caries. Using logistic regression, the authors analyzed associations between surgical treatment with dentists' and practices......' characteristics and patients' caries risk levels. RESULTS: A total of 517 DPBRN practitioner-investigators responded to the questionnaire. Sixty-three percent of the respondents (326 of 517) indicated that in patients at low risk of developing caries, they would surgically restore teeth with lesions located...

The landscape for women leaders in dental education, research, and practice.

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Whelton, Helen; Wardman, Margaret J

2015-05-01

Following early limitations on women becoming educated in and practicing dentistry, the proportion of women enrolled in dental schools around the world has increased dramatically over the past decades. Dental schools have undergone a transformation from male dominance to almost equal numbers in the United States and female predominance in other countries including the United Kingdom. However, this change in student gender distribution has not been matched among academic leaders. Data from across the globe indicate a clear disproportion in favor of males in leadership positions in dentistry-and the more senior the position, the greater the imbalance. This article reviews the evolving changes in gender distribution across the landscape of dental education, research, and practice and some initiatives to address the gender imbalance in leadership. Such initiatives can help to ensure that, in the future, the profession benefits from the spectrum of influences brought to bear by the leadership of both women and men.

Concordance between patient satisfaction and the dentist’s view: findings from the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network

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Riley, Joseph L.; Hudak-Boss, Susan; Fellows, Jeffery L.; Rindal, Brad; Gilbert, Gregg H.

2014-01-01

Objectives This study examined the dentist’s view of the patient’s experience and concordance with the patient’s rating of satisfaction. Methods Practitioners from 197 practices in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network recruited consecutively seen patients who had defective restorations that were replaced or repaired. At the end of the treatment visit, the treating dentist and 5,879 patients completed and returned a survey that asked about the patient’s satisfaction. Results Dentists viewed their patients as satisfied with their treatment experience (89% n=4,719) and that they had been perceived as friendly (97%, n=5,136). Dentists had less strong feelings about whether patients had a preference for the restorative material (43%, n=2,271) or an interest in information about the procedure (33%, n=1,757). Overall, patients were satisfied, and most of the time dentists correctly predicted this. Among patients who were less than satisfied, there was a substantial subset of cases where dentists were not aware. Conclusion For improved patient-centered care, patient desires, expectations and perception of the dental care experience need to be assessed by the dentist and then managed or corrected as needed. Practice implications By taking a patient-centered approach, dentists should seek to understand how patients evaluate and rate the service provided, thereby enabling themselves to focus on what each patient values most. PMID:24686969

Practice Location Characteristics of Non-Traditional Dental Practices.

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Solomon, Eric S; Jones, Daniel L

2016-04-01

Current and future dental school graduates are increasingly likely to choose a non-traditional dental practice-a group practice managed by a dental service organization or a corporate practice with employed dentists-for their initial practice experience. In addition, the growth of non-traditional practices, which are located primarily in major urban areas, could accelerate the movement of dentists to those areas and contribute to geographic disparities in the distribution of dental services. To help the profession understand the implications of these developments, the aim of this study was to compare the location characteristics of non-traditional practices and traditional dental practices. After identifying non-traditional practices across the United States, the authors located those practices and traditional dental practices geographically by zip code. Non-traditional dental practices were found to represent about 3.1% of all dental practices, but they had a greater impact on the marketplace with almost twice the average number of staff and annual revenue. Virtually all non-traditional dental practices were located in zip codes that also had a traditional dental practice. Zip codes with non-traditional practices had significant differences from zip codes with only a traditional dental practice: the populations in areas with non-traditional practices had higher income levels and higher education and were slightly younger and proportionally more Hispanic; those practices also had a much higher likelihood of being located in a major metropolitan area. Dental educators and leaders need to understand the impact of these trends in the practice environment in order to both prepare graduates for practice and make decisions about planning for the workforce of the future.

Evidence-Based Practice Knowledge, Attitude, Access and Confidence: A comparison of dental hygiene and dental students.

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Santiago, Victoria; Cardenas, Melissa; Charles, Anne Laure; Hernandez, Estefany; Oyoyo, Udochukwu; Kwon, So Ran

2018-04-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether current educational strategies at a dental institution in the United States made a difference in dental hygiene (DNHY) and dental students' (D3) learning outcomes in the four domains of evidence-based practice (EBP), knowledge, attitude, accessing evidence, and confidence (KACE), following a 12-week research design course. Methods: All participants DNHY (n=19) and D3 (n=96) enrolled in the research design course at Loma Linda University completed a paper KACE survey distributed on the first day of class. Students completed the KACE survey once more at the end of the 12-week course. Pre- and post-survey results were compared both within and between the DNHY and D3 student groups to identify the learning outcomes in the four domains of EBP; knowledge, attitude, accessing evidence, and confidence in EBP. Descriptive statistics were conducted to profile all variables in the study; the level of significance was set at α=0.05. Results: All DNHY students (n=19) completed the pre and post KACE surveys; of the D3 (n=96) students enrolled in the course 82% (n=79) competed the post-survey. Comparison of the survey results showed that both DNHY and D3 students demonstrated statistically significant increases in their level of knowledge and attitude (p 0.05). Conclusion: DNHY and D3 students increased their knowledge and developed more positive attitudes towards EBP following a 12-week research design course. Study results identify improvement areas for EBP knowledge acquisition including determining levels of evidence, analysis of study results, and evaluating the appropriateness of research study designs through the use of validated EBP survey instrument. Copyright © 2018 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

U.S. dental students' attitudes toward research and science: impact of research experience.

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Holman, Shaina Devi; Wietecha, Mateusz S; Gullard, Angela; Peterson, Jon M B

2014-03-01

This study aimed to provide a first nationwide assessment of dental students' attitudes toward the importance of research and its integration into the dental curriculum. For this purpose, the American Association for Dental Research National Student Research Group developed an online survey that was distributed to 89 percent of U.S. dental students in May 2012. The survey consisted of twenty-one Likert-type items divided into three groups: importance of research in dentistry, barriers to research involvement, and exposure to research in the dental curriculum. There were 733 responses (3.9 percent response rate), including students in all stages of education representing fifty-eight out of sixty-one dental schools. Age and race/ethnic distributions corresponded with U.S. dental school enrollees. Results showed that 63 percent of respondents had conducted research before matriculation, and of the 34 percent that participated in research during dental school, only 27 percent were newcomers. Respondents strongly agreed that scientific research enabled their progress in dentistry. Inadequate time in the curriculum was an obstacle they perceived to research involvement during dental school. Respondents agreed that dental curricula emphasize evidence-based practices but may be inadequately teaching biostatistics and research methodologies. Students with research experience tended to have stronger positive opinions about the importance of research in dental education. Efforts to foster research in schools have been well received by students, but several issues remain for enriching dental education through greater involvement of students in research.

Dentist Material Selection for Single-Unit Crowns: Findings from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network

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Makhija, Sonia K.; Lawson, Nathaniel C.; Gilbert, Gregg H.; Litaker, Mark S.; McClelland, Jocelyn A.; Louis, David R.; Gordan, Valeria V.; Pihlstrom, Daniel J.; Meyerowitz, Cyril; Mungia, Rahma; McCracken, Michael S.

2016-01-01

Objectives Dentists enrolled in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network completed a study questionnaire about techniques and materials used for single-unit crowns and an enrollment questionnaire about dentist/practice characteristics. The objectives were to quantify dentists’ material recommendations and test the hypothesis that dentist’s and practice’s characteristics are significantly associated with these recommendations. Methods Surveyed dentists responded to a contextual scenario asking what material they would use for a single-unit crown on an anterior and posterior tooth. Material choices included: full metal, porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM), all-zirconia, layered zirconia, lithium disilicate, leucite-reinforced ceramic, or other. Results 1,777 of 2,132 eligible dentists responded (83%). The top 3 choices for anterior crowns were lithium disilicate (54%), layered zirconia (17%), and leucite-reinforced glass ceramic (13%). There were significant differences (p<0.05) by dentist’s gender, race, years since graduation, practice type, region, practice busyness, hours worked/week, and location type. The top 3 choices for posterior crowns were all-zirconia (32%), PFM (31%), and lithium disilicate (21%). There were significant differences (p<0.05) by dentist’s gender, practice type, region, practice busyness, insurance coverage, hours worked/week, and location type. Conclusions Network dentists use a broad range of materials for single-unit crowns for anterior and posterior teeth, adopting newer materials into their practices as they become available. Material choices are significantly associated with dentist’s and practice’s characteristics. Clinical Significance Decisions for crown material may be influenced by factors unrelated to tooth and patient variables. Dentists should be cognizant of this when developing an evidence-based approach to selecting crown material. PMID:27693778

Treatment Recommendations for Single-Unit Crowns: Findings from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network

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McCracken, Michael S.; Louis, David R.; Litaker, Mark S.; Minyé, Helena M.; Mungia, Rahma; Gordan, Valeria V.; Marshall, Don G.; Gilbert, Gregg H.

2016-01-01

Background Objectives were to: (1) quantify practitioner variation in likelihood to recommend a crown; and (2) test whether certain dentist, practice, and clinical factors are significantly associated with this likelihood. Methods Dentists in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network completed a questionnaire about indications for single-unit crowns. In four clinical scenarios, practitioners ranked their likelihood of recommending a single-unit crown. These responses were used to calculate a dentist-specific “Crown Factor” (CF; range 0–12). A higher score implies a higher likelihood to recommend a crown. Certain characteristics were tested for statistically significant associations with the CF. Results 1,777 of 2,132 eligible dentists responded (83%). Practitioners were most likely to recommend crowns for teeth that were fractured, cracked, endodontically-treated, or had a broken restoration. Practitioners overwhelmingly recommended crowns for posterior teeth treated endodontically (94%). Practice owners, Southwest practitioners, and practitioners with a balanced work load were more likely to recommend crowns, as were practitioners who use optical scanners for digital impressions. Conclusions There is substantial variation in the likelihood of recommending a crown. While consensus exists in some areas (posterior endodontic treatment), variation dominates in others (size of an existing restoration). Recommendations varied by type of practice, network region, practice busyness, patient insurance status, and use of optical scanners. Practical Implications Recommendations for crowns may be influenced by factors unrelated to tooth and patient variables. A concern for tooth fracture -- whether from endodontic treatment, fractured teeth, or large restorations -- prompted many clinicians to recommend crowns. PMID:27492046

Quality and content of dental practice websites.

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Nichols, L C; Hassall, D

2011-04-09

To investigate the quality and content of dental practice websites by constructing an audit framework based on regulations, guidance and expert advice, and applying this framework to a random sample of UK dental practices' websites. An audit framework was constructed and in-depth data collected from a random sample of 150 UK dental practices. Thirty-five percent of dental practices in this study were found to have websites. Compliance with rules and regulations regarding dental practice websites was generally poor. Use of advised content for practice promotion was variable. Many websites were poorly optimised. Eighty-nine percent of the websites advertised tooth whitening, despite the issues surrounding its legality; 25% of the websites advertised Botox even though advertising of prescription only medicines is illegal. Some websites gave misleading information about the specialist status of their dentists. Those responsible for dental practice websites need to be aware of a wide range of regulations and guidance, and are advised to follow expert advice on content and optimisation in order to maximise the potential of their websites.

Community-based dental education and the importance of faculty development.

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McAndrew, Maureen

2010-09-01

Community-based dental education offers a variety of positive learning experiences for students while providing needed dental services for the underserved. More dental students are being instructed by a growing body of largely volunteer community-based faculty who practice in a wide range of community settings including community hospitals and clinics, nursing homes, and private practices. These geographically dispersed instructors may have little experience as educators. Their practice styles and their motivation to improve teaching effectiveness are likely to differ from the styles and motivation of school-based faculty members. Moreover, many dental schools have begun to emphasize practices that may be unfamiliar to community-based faculty such as evidence-based practice. Providing faculty development for them is challenging, yet crucial to the success of these programs and dental education in general. Fundamental elements that must be considered for effective community faculty development programming include fostering a culture of respect between school-based and community faculty members, basing programs on the actual needs of these educators, integrating principles of adult learning theory, and establishing ongoing institutional support. This article provides background on this movement, reviews the literature for faculty development programs geared specifically to community-based educators, makes recommendations for development programs for these dental educators, and includes suggestions for future research.

Inaccurate Dental Charting in an Audit of 1128 General Dental Practice Records.

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Brown, Nathan L; Jephcote, Victoria E L

2017-03-01

Fourteen dentists at different practices in the UK assessed the dental charts of 1128 patients who were new to the dentist but not new to the practice; 44% of the dental charts were found to be inaccurate. Inaccuracy of the individual practice-based charts ranged between 16% for the best performing practices to 83% for the worst: 5% of dental charts had too many teeth charted and 5% had too few teeth charted; 13% of charts had missed amalgam restorations and 18% had missed tooth-coloured restorations; 5% of charts had amalgam restorations recorded but with the surfaces incorrect (eg an MO restoration charted but a DO restoration actually present); 9% of charts had tooth-coloured restoration surfaces incorrectly recorded. For 7.5% of charts, amalgams were charted but not actually present. Other inaccuracies were also noted. The authors reinforce the requirements of the GDC, the advice of defence organizations, and the forensic importance of accurate dental charts. Clinical relevance: Dental charting forms part of the patient’s dental records, and the GDC requires dentists to maintain complete and accurate dental records.

Expanded function allied dental personnel and dental practice productivity and efficiency.

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Beazoglou, Tryfon J; Chen, Lei; Lazar, Vickie F; Brown, L Jackson; Ray, Subhash C; Heffley, Dennis R; Berg, Rob; Bailit, Howard L

2012-08-01

This study examined the impact of expanded function allied dental personnel on the productivity and efficiency of general dental practices. Detailed practice financial and clinical data were obtained from a convenience sample of 154 general dental practices in Colorado. In this state, expanded function dental assistants can provide a wide range of reversible dental services/procedures, and dental hygienists can give local anesthesia. The survey identified practices that currently use expanded function allied dental personnel and the specific services/procedures delegated. Practice productivity was measured using patient visits, gross billings, and net income. Practice efficiency was assessed using a multivariate linear program, Data Envelopment Analysis. Sixty-four percent of the practices were found to use expanded function allied dental personnel, and on average they delegated 31.4 percent of delegatable services/procedures. Practices that used expanded function allied dental personnel treated more patients and had higher gross billings and net incomes than those practices that did not; the more services they delegated, the higher was the practice's productivity and efficiency. The effective use of expanded function allied dental personnel has the potential to substantially expand the capacity of general dental practices to treat more patients and to generate higher incomes for dental practices.

Patient-centred care in general dental practice - a systematic review of the literature

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2014-01-01

Background Delivering improvements in quality is a key objective within most healthcare systems, and a view which has been widely embraced within the NHS in the United Kingdom. Within the NHS, quality is evaluated across three key dimensions: clinical effectiveness, safety and patient experience, with the latter modelled on the Picker Principles of Patient-Centred Care (PCC). Quality improvement is an important feature of the current dental contract reforms in England, with “patient experience” likely to have a central role in the evaluation of quality. An understanding and appreciation of the evidence underpinning PCC within dentistry is highly relevant if we are to use this as a measure of quality in general dental practice. Methods A systematic review of the literature was undertaken to identify the features of PCC relevant to dentistry and ascertain the current research evidence base underpinning its use as a measure of quality within general dental practice. Results Three papers were identified which met the inclusion criteria and demonstrated the use of primary research to provide an understanding of the key features of PCC within dentistry. None of the papers identified were based in general dental practice and none of the three studies sought the views of patients. Some distinct differences were noted between the key features of PCC reported within the dental literature and those developed within the NHS Patient Experience Framework. Conclusions This systematic review reveals a lack of understanding of PCC within dentistry, and in particular general dental practice. There is currently a poor evidence base to support the use of the current patient reported outcome measures as indicators of patient-centredness. Further research is necessary to understand the important features of PCC in dentistry and patients’ views should be central to this research. PMID:24902842

The Top 10 ethical challenges in dental practice in indian scenario: Dentist perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vanishree M Kemparaj

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Aim: This exploratory qualitative research is an attempt to assess the health care ethical challenges in dental practice in an Indian scenario. Methodology: Qualitative indepth interview was conducted on 20 dental professionals to assess the ethical challenges prevailing in dental practice in Indian scenario. After obtaining the responses the verbatims were categorized into categories and finally 36 themes emerged. Later from two group of 6 panellists each after conducting focus group discussion the themes of ethical issues occurring in dental practice were ranked based on order of significance impact on the practice, patient and society using Delphi method. Result: The top ten ethical challenges listed by the panellists are inadequate sterilization and waste management in dental clinics, poor knowledge and attitude towards ethics among our dental practitioners, in competence among dental professional, increase in cost of oral health service, poor informed consent process, requirement of consensus about the treatment procedures among dentists, Conflict in Advertising, clustering of dental clinics in urban areas, disagreement with treatment modalities among dentist and patient, poor medical record maintenance among our dental practitioners. Conclusion: The study attempts to bring the prevailing ethical challenges in oral health care practice in Indian scenario.

Use of caries-preventive agents in children: findings from the dental practice-based research network

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Riley, J L; Richman, Joshua S; Rindal, D Brad

2010-01-01

Scientific evidence supports the application of caries-preventive agents in children and adolescents, and this knowledge must be applied to the practice of dentistry. There are few multi-region data that allow for comparisons of practice patterns between types of dental practices and geographical...... regions. The objective of the present study was to characterise the use of specific caries-preventive agents for paediatric patients in a large multi-region sample of practising clinicians....

Virtual Reality-Based Technologies in Dental Medicine: Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice among Students and Practitioners

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Sabalic, Maja; Schoener, Jason D.

2017-01-01

Virtual reality-based technologies have been used in dentistry for almost two decades. Dental simulators, planning software and CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing) systems have significantly developed over the years and changed both dental education and clinical practice. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes…

Dental students' part-time jobs in dental practices in the Netherlands.

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Poorterman, J H G; Dikkes, B T; Brand, H S

2010-08-01

In the Netherlands, the Individual Health Care Professions Act (IHCP Act) allows dental students, amongst other non-qualified individuals, to work under certain conditions in a dental practice. The aim of the study was to determine how many dental students have part-time employment in dental practice and which professional tasks they carry out. We also asked the dental students their opinion about the IHCP Act. All the enrolled dental students at the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) in the Netherlands received a questionnaire by e-mail. Within 1 month, two reminders were sent. The response was 44% (427 students). Of the responding students, 71% had paid employment in addition to their study. Twenty-five per cent of all students worked in a dental practice, usually 8 h a week. Study year and age were positively related to working part-time in dental practice. Activities frequently performed were providing chair side assistance, giving oral hygiene instruction, fluoride applications, scaling and root planning. The self-reported knowledge about the IHCP Act was positively related to study year and working in a dental practice. Hardly any information about the requirements of the IHCP Act with regard to delegation of tasks was provided by the employer. Many Dutch dental students work in a dental practice, taking over a variety of tasks. Although the self-reported knowledge about the IHCP Act was relatively high, many dental students expressed the need for more detailed information about the legal aspects of their tasks.

The Changing Character of Dental Practice and Its Impact on Dental Education.

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Kerr, I. Lawrence

1981-01-01

The "practice" aspect of the dental profession is reviewed. It is suggested that there is no way to separate education, practice, research, financing, government, science, business, management, motivation, and the public from one another. Retail dentistry, health maintenance organizations, franchising, advertising, and denturism are…

Mini dental implants retaining mandibular overdentures: A dental practice-based retrospective analysis.

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Schwindling, Franz Sebastian; Schwindling, Franz-Peter

2016-07-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the survival of mini dental implants (MDI) and to measure prosthetic maintenance needs in a dental practice-based setting. Patients with mandibular removable dentures were provided with MDI to improve denture retention. Complications and maintenance were analyzed by use of patient records and evaluated with Kaplan-Meier curves and the log rank test at a significance level of 0.05. Ninety-nine MDI were placed in 25 patients (mean age: 72 years). Two MDI fractured during placement and eight implants failed during the first weeks. No more implants were lost for up to seven years, resulting in 92% survival. Implant survival differed significantly depending on whether the maxilla was provided with complete dentures (94.9%) or with partial dentures (81%). All prostheses were in use at the time of data extraction. Denture base fractures were observed in six cases, an incidence of fractures of 24%. Some minor intervention was necessary: one resin tooth fractured, retention rings were changed in five cases, and repeated relining was required for 16% of the dentures. After mid-term observation, survival of MDI was good. However, the incidence of denture base fractures and of minor prosthetic complications should not be under-estimated. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Teaching Cell Biology to Dental Students with a Project-Based Learning Approach.

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Costa-Silva, Daniela; Côrtes, Juliana A; Bachinski, Rober F; Spiegel, Carolina N; Alves, Gutemberg G

2018-03-01

Although the discipline of cell biology (CB) is part of the curricula of predoctoral dental schools, students often fail to recognize its practical relevance. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a practical-theoretical project-based course in closing the gaps among CB, scientific research, and dentistry for dental students. A project-based learning course was developed with nine sequential lessons to evaluate 108 undergraduate dental students enrolled in CB classes of a Brazilian school of dentistry during 2013-16. To highlight the relevance of in vitro studies in the preclinical evaluation of dental materials at the cellular level, the students were challenged to complete the process of drafting a protocol and performing a cytocompatibility assay for a bone substitute used in dentistry. Class activities included small group discussions, scientific database search and article presentations, protocol development, lab experimentation, and writing of a final scientific report. A control group of 31 students attended only one laboratory class on the same theme, and the final reports were compared between the two groups. The results showed that the project-based learning students had superior outcomes in acknowledging the relevance of in vitro methods during biocompatibility testing. Moreover, they produced scientifically sound reports with more content on methodological issues, the relationship with dentistry, and the scientific literature than the control group (p<0.05). The project-based learning students also recognized a higher relevance of scientific research and CB to dental practice. These results suggest that a project-based approach can help contextualize scientific research in dental curricula.

Ethical checklist for dental practice.

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Rinchuse, D J; Rinchuse, D J; Deluzio, C

1995-01-01

A checklist for verification of unethical business practices, originally formulated by Drs. Blanchard and Peale, is adapted to dental practice. A scenario is used as a model to demonstrate the applicability of this instrument to dental practice. The instrument asks three questions in regards to an ethical dilemma: 1) Is it legal? 2) Is it fair? 3) How does it make you feel? The paper concludes the giving of gifts to general dentists by dental specialists for the referral of patients is unethical.

Is liberal independent dental practice in danger? Assessing forms of dental practice in the European Regional Organization (ERO) zone of the FDI World Dental Federation.

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Wolf, Thomas Gerhard; Seeberger, Gerhard Konrad; Callaway, Angelika; Briseño-Marroquín, Benjamín; Rusca, Philippe; Frank, Michael; Otterbach, Ernst-Jürgen

2018-02-26

A trend towards increasingly new forms of dental practice has been observed in the FDI World Dental Federation. Elementary foundations such as the free dentist and therapy choice, and independent, free, self-responsible professional practice may be undermined. The current study is aimed at analyzing the general training framework, organization, and professional types of dental practice in the European Regional Organization (ERO) zone and at critically discussing selected aspects of changes in the dental profession. A questionnaire was developed by the ERO Working-Group "Liberal Dental Practice." Information about dental schools, professional organizations, dental practice regulations, and ambulatory healthcare centers was analyzed. Self-employed dental practice is the most common type of practice (51.7%). Dentists are allowed to work independently immediately after graduation (72.7%). Approximately one-third are organized as compulsory members in chambers/corporations. The density of dentists has a mean of 1,570 inhabitants per dentist. In most countries, there are no special rules for founding dental ambulatory healthcare centers. In a total of 353 universities of the ERO countries surveyed, 16,619 dentists per year were trained, with a trend toward a higher percentage of female students (63%). Despite modern forms of dental practice, the charter of the individual liberal dental profession (CED et al, 2013) should be respected and taken into account on the basis of ethical principles. The commercialization of the dental profession can be neutralized only by establishing and following well-defined ethical principles; oral healthcare quality can thus be ensured without the influence of third parties.

Attitude and awareness of medical and dental students towards collaboration between medical and dental practice in Hong Kong.

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Zhang, Shinan; Lo, Edward C M; Chu, Chun-Hung

2015-05-02

Medical-dental collaboration is essential for improving resource efficiency and standards of care. However, few studies have been conducted on it. This study aimed to investigate the attitude and awareness of medical and dental students about collaboration between medical and dental practices in Hong Kong. All medical and dental students in Hong Kong were invited to complete a questionnaire survey at their universities, hospitals and residential halls. It contained 8 questions designed to elicit their attitudes about the collaboration between medical and dental practice. Students were also asked about their awareness of the collaboration between dentistry and medicine. The questionnaires were directly distributed to medical and dental students. The finished questionnaires were immediately collected by research assistants on site. A total of 1,857 questionnaires were distributed and 809 (44%) were returned. Their mean attitude score (SD) towards medical-dental collaboration was 6.37 (1.44). Most students (77%) were aware of the collaboration between medical and dental practice in Hong Kong. They considered that Ear, Nose & Throat, General Surgery and Family Medicine were the 3 most common medical disciplines which entailed collaboration between medical and dental practice. In this study, the medical and dental students in general demonstrated a good attitude and awareness of the collaboration between medical and dental practice in Hong Kong. This established an essential foundation for fostering medical-dental collaboration, which is vital to improving resource efficiency and standards of care.

Dental hygiene students' part-time jobs in dental practices in the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Poorterman, J H G; Dikkes, B T; Brand, H S

2010-05-01

Many students have paid employment while studying. In the Netherlands, the Individual Health Care Professions Act (IHCP Act) allows dental hygiene students to work under certain conditions in a dental practice. The aim of the study was to determine how many dental hygiene students have part-time job employment in dental practice and which professional tasks they carry out. We also asked the dental hygiene students their opinion of the IHCP Act. All the enrolled dental hygiene students (n = 341) at a School of Health in the Netherlands received a questionnaire by email. The response was 52% (176 students). Of the responding students, 75% had paid employment in addition to their study. A proportion of the students (35%) worked in a dental practice. The median number of hours worked per week was eight. Study year, age and prior education were positively related to working part-time in dental practice. Activities frequently performed were giving oral hygiene instruction, fluoride applications, scaling and root planning, providing chair side assistance and giving local anaesthesia. Although the self-reported knowledge about the IHCP Act was high, almost half of the students expressed the need for more detailed legal information. Many dental hygiene students work in a dental practice, taking over a number of tasks usually performed by the dentist. More information in the dental hygiene curriculum about the requirements of the IHCP Act seems desirable.

Models of practice organisation using dental therapists: English case studies.

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Sun, N; Harris, R V

2011-08-12

A new dental remuneration system based on bands of activity has changed the reward system operating in dental practices and influenced practitioner behaviour in relation to the delegation of tasks to English dental therapists (DTs). Since dental practitioners operate as independent contractors they are free to innovate. A variety of models incorporating DTs in general practice teams exist, some of which may overcome the apparent delegation constraints embedded within this system of remuneration. To describe the way different practices are organised to take account of DTs in their teams and identify whether any of these models address delegation disincentives arising from the system of remuneration. A purposive sample of six dental practices was identified, comprising two small, two medium and two large dental practices, including a variety of models of practice organisation. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with principal dentists, associate dentists, DTs, practice managers and dental hygienists (35 participants in total). A thematic analysis was applied to interview transcripts. The six dental practices demonstrated six different models of practice organisation which could be grouped into 'practice payment' and 'dentist payment' models according to whether the salary costs of the DT were met by a central practice fund or from the income of individual dentists in the team. In both of the large practices only some of the dentists in the team referred work to the DT because of reimbursement issues. In two practices the system was perceived to be satisfactory to all parties, one of these being a single-handed practice with two DTs. Although the remuneration system contained some potential disincentives to DT delegation, some practices innovated in their organisations to overcome these issues.

The business of dental practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Niken Widyanti Sriyono

2006-06-01

Full Text Available Globalization including General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS and Asia Fair Trade Agreement (AFTA are a new free trade system. In globalization era, there will be an intense and free competition in looking for jobs throughout the world. This new system will affect the health services system in which health services tend to follow an industrial model. Meaning that dentistry or dental health services tend to be part of a business system, and this system has caused controversy among the community and the profession itself. The results of the discussion revealed that professional and business of dentistry is compatible and complementary. The tendency of increasing number of legal form of practice (group and a professional corporation and the worldwide advertisement of these practices supported the premise that delivering dental practice tends to follow the industrial model. Dentists should not only more focus on achieving financial success in running the business of practice but profession should have the most concern for the people who seek their services. Delivering quality of dental care depends on the high skill of the dentist and on the satisfactory income for the survival of the practice in the long run, and this make the practice will be viewed by the public and profession as being appropriate and of high quality. Facing the globalization, besides possessing high clinical skill, dentists must have a firm understanding of management concepts and apply them in their practice. In conclusion: The profession and the business of dentistry are compatible and complementary. The delivery of the dental services tends to follow the industrial model, which is a current reality. Dentist should concern more on the delivering high quality of dental services, not only focus on the business of the practice, although the satisfactory income is important for the survival growth of the practice in the long run. It is suggested for dentists to follow as

Mandatory Clinical Practice for Dental and Dental Hygiene Faculty.

Science.gov (United States)

Cameron, Cheryl A.; And Others

1982-01-01

Dental and dental hygiene faculty should maintain their clinical skills through regular practice, to improve their ability to relate to students through instruction, provide an additional source of income, and improve their image in the community. Institutional policies fostering and regulating faculty practice plans are suggested. (Author/MSE)

Dentist-Perceived Barriers and Attractors to Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Provided by Mental Health Providers in Dental Practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Heyman, R E; Wojda, A K; Eddy, J M; Haydt, N C; Geiger, J F; Slep, A M Smith

2018-02-01

Over 1 in 5 dental patients report moderate to severe dental fear. Although the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for dental fear has been examined in over 20 randomized controlled trials-with 2 meta-analyses finding strong average effect sizes ( d > 1)-CBT has received almost no dissemination beyond the specialty clinics that tested it. The challenge, then, is not how to treat dental fear but how to disseminate and implement such an evidence-based treatment in a way that recognizes the rewards and barriers in the US health care system. This mixed-method study investigated the potential of disseminating CBT through care from a mental health provider from within the dental home, a practice known as evidence-based collaborative care (EBCC). Two preadoption studies were conducted with practicing dentists drawn from a self-organized Practice-Based Research Network in the New York City metropolitan area. The first comprised 3 focus groups ( N = 17), and the second involved the administration of a survey ( N = 46). Focus group participants agreed that CBT for dental fear is worthy of consideration but identified several concerns regarding its appeal, feasibility, and application in community dental practices. Survey participants indicated endorsement of factors promoting the use of EBCC as a mechanism for CBT dissemination, with no factors receiving less than 50% support. Taken together, these findings indicate that EBCC may be a useful framework through which an evidence-based treatment for dental fear treatment can be delivered.

What Will Dental Practice Be Like In 2025? Will You Help Dental Hypotheses Find Answers

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Edward F. Rossomando

2011-02-01

Full Text Available As a result of the rapid acceptance of digital dental equipment, the dental office of 2011 looks very different from that of 1900. Despite these changes, the general dentist of 2011 performs almost the same functions as in 1900 namely the restoration of decayed teeth and the replacement of those lost due to disease. In addition to changes in technology, the last few decades of the 20th century ushered in a revolution in biology leading to the development of a genomic basis of dental disease and the development of bio-based diagnostics and therapeutics. In 2011 few if any of these bio-discoveries have changed dental practice but by 2025 we expect they will. In this editorial, Dental Hypotheses asks readers to “hypothesize” on what dental practice will be like in 2025.

A survey of US dental practices' use of social media.

Science.gov (United States)

Henry, Rachel K; Molnar, Amy; Henry, Jon C

2012-03-01

Social media is becoming the way for businesses, including health care professionals, to communicate with consumers. The study examines the use of social media by dental practices in the US. An electronic survey was sent to 22,682 dentists in the United States. The survey consisted of questions related to the use of social media in the dental practice. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and comparisons were made using a Fisher's exact test. A total of 573 responses were received. Social media was used in 52% of dental practices, the most common being Facebook. The use of social media was most commonly for marketing purposes (91%). Dentists younger than 45 years old were more likely to use social media in their practice than dentists 45 years or older (p > 0.001). Dental practices actively use social media for marketing and communication. Many dentists are unsure how to measure the success of social media in their practice. Additional research is needed to measure the success of social media in a dental practice. Social media is a common way practices market and interact with their patients. There are some difficulties in determining what appropriate content for social media is and how to evaluate the success.

The “Wal-Martization” of Dental Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David O. Willis

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The economic environment of dental practices is undergoing rapid change. Franchise and network practices are increasing in number because of many underlying economic factors, including supply and demand for services, banking requirements, student debt, proliferation of managed care plans, and healthcare reform. These franchise practices compete very effectively with traditional solo dental practices, leading to the “Wal-Martization“ of dental practice, in which dental services are bought and sold more as a commodity than as an individually unique service. These chains compete with private practices on efficiency, convenience, insurance plan participation, and aggressive marketing. There are advantages and disadvantages for both the patients and dental practitioners for participating in this practice mode. This paper explores the reasons that these entities are growing, and offers suggestions for independent solo practitioners to compete with them.

Marketing the dental practice: eight steps toward success.

Science.gov (United States)

McGuigan, Patrick J; Eisner, Alan B

2006-10-01

The authors provide a suggested framework for completing a comprehensive evaluation of practice processes and routines. Their approach focuses on improving the professional image of dentists and the methods they use to market themselves. A practice can benefit by implementing a program to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the practice and how these strengths and weaknesses affect patients' experiences. A word-of-mouth marketing campaign relies on the cultivation of opinion leaders, but opinion leaders cannot be cultivated until they have been identified. Dental practice marketing campaigns cannot be based on assumptions; they must be based on facts. Practice Implications. Improving relationships with patients will lead to increased patient retention, reduced marketing costs and greater personal satisfaction. By focusing on strengths, clinicians will improve patients' experiences in the dental office.

Motivational interviewing in general dental practice: A review of the evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Kay, E J; Vascott, D; Hocking, A; Nield, H

2016-12-16

Objectives The objective of this study was to systematically review the evidence regarding the use of motivational interviewing in the context of general dental practice, in order that practitioners can decide whether it might be an important skill to develop within their practices.Data sources The results reported in this study form part of a larger systematic review which sought to identify whether oral health promotion within dental practice is effective and how its effects can be optimised. Here, we focus on the papers describing motivational interviewing in dental practice published since 1994. The systematic review included searches of 20 online resources (including Ovid Medline and Embase).Data selection Papers which were not about oral health promotion and did not apply the behavioural and psychological theories, which underpin motivational interviewing, were excluded.Data synthesis This review included eight papers all of which were considered to be of robust quality, in terms of their research methods and seven of which were considered to offer externally valid findings. Five described randomised controlled trials and all of these RCTs demonstrated that interventions including motivational interviewing had a positive effect on oral health and health behaviour.Conclusions This review shows that the motivational interviewing technique, which is based on the concept of autonomy support, has potential for helping patients with poor oral health. Training in motivational interviewing for dental personnel could be a very useful addition to the skill set of practitioners and dental teams.

Medical emergencies in dental practice.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Wilson, M H

2009-06-01

Serious medical emergencies are fortunately a rare occurrence in the dental practice environment; however, if an emergency situation is encountered a delay in treatment may result in potentially avoidable consequences. The risk of mortality or serious morbidity can be reduced by ensuring that basic emergency equipment and medications are in place, and that the dental team is appropriately trained in basic life support measures. This article aims to provide an overview of the basic emergency medications and equipment that should be present in dental practices, and to discuss specific responses to some of the more common adverse medical events that can present while providing dental treatment.

The translation research in a dental setting (TRiaDS programme protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McKee Lorna

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background It is well documented that the translation of knowledge into clinical practice is a slow and haphazard process. This is no less true for dental healthcare than other types of healthcare. One common policy strategy to help promote knowledge translation is the production of clinical guidance, but it has been demonstrated that the simple publication of guidance is unlikely to optimise practice. Additional knowledge translation interventions have been shown to be effective, but effectiveness varies and much of this variation is unexplained. The need for researchers to move beyond single studies to develop a generalisable, theory based, knowledge translation framework has been identified. For dentistry in Scotland, the production of clinical guidance is the responsibility of the Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme (SDCEP. TRiaDS (Translation Research in a Dental Setting is a multidisciplinary research collaboration, embedded within the SDCEP guidance development process, which aims to establish a practical evaluative framework for the translation of guidance and to conduct and evaluate a programme of integrated, multi-disciplinary research to enhance the science of knowledge translation. Methods Set in General Dental Practice the TRiaDS programmatic evaluation employs a standardised process using optimal methods and theory. For each SDCEP guidance document a diagnostic analysis is undertaken alongside the guidance development process. Information is gathered about current dental care activities. Key recommendations and their required behaviours are identified and prioritised. Stakeholder questionnaires and interviews are used to identify and elicit salient beliefs regarding potential barriers and enablers towards the key recommendations and behaviours. Where possible routinely collected data are used to measure compliance with the guidance and to inform decisions about whether a knowledge translation intervention is

Financial due diligence in purchasing a dental practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiederman, Arthur S

2008-06-01

Purchasing a dental practice can be a minefield. The office you are looking at could be the most beautiful office with all of the newest technology. But if it is not profitable, it will be a nightmare. This article will help navigate what the dentist and his or her CPA should be looking at when reviewing the books and records, based on the author's experience of reviewing more than 400 dental practices on behalf of buyers.

The Impact of Research on the Future of Dental Education: How Research and Innovation Shape Dental Education and the Dental Profession.

Science.gov (United States)

Slavkin, Harold C

2017-09-01

Scientific inquiry and discovery are the fuel for education, research, technology, and health care in all the health professions: dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health sciences. The progression of discoveries from basic or fundamental to clinical research is followed by the progression from clinical to implementation and improved health outcomes and processes. Generally, implementation science is the scientific study of methods to promote the systematic uptake of research findings (e.g., basic, translational, behavioral, socioeconomic, and clinical) as well as other related evidence-based practices into standards of care, thereby improving the quality, effectiveness, and cost benefits of health care services. There is little doubt that science has and will continue to provide the essential fuel for innovations that lead to new and improved technologies for risk assessment, prevention, diagnosis, treatments and therapeutics, and implementation for addressing oral and craniofacial diseases and disorders. The history of the U.S. dental profession reviewed in this article gives testimony to the continued need for investments in scientific inquiry that accelerate progress in comprehensive health care for all people. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21 st Century."

Organisational aspects of dental practices: do dental students think like patients or like general dental practitioners?

Science.gov (United States)

Sonneveld, R E; Brands, W G; Bronkhorst, E M; Welie, J V M; Truin, G J

2013-02-01

In view of transparency in health care, the widespread desire for more patient-centred care, and in an attempt to facilitate educational programmes that effectively respond to these changes, two research questions are formulated: (i) How do dental students rate the importance of various organisational aspects of dental practices compared with dental patients and general dental practitioners (GDPs), and what prescripts, defined as specific operational responsibilities of GDPs in these matters, do dental students propose? and (ii) In doing so, do students resemble patients or GDPs? In two survey studies, dental students (n = 198), patients (n = 3127) and GDPs (n = 303) were asked to rate by questionnaire the importance of 41 organisational aspects of a general dental practice and proposed specific operational responsibilities ('prescripts'). Seven of 41 aspects were rated as important by the majority of the students. Although in a different rank order, three aspects were predominantly selected by all three groups: continuing education, accessibility by telephone and Dutch-speaking GDP. For most aspects, significant differences were found between the prescripts proposed by students and those proposed by patients, and few differences were found between students and GDPs. The findings do not permit the general conclusion that the views of dental students resemble those of patients or GPDs. Looking at the overall rank order, the three respondent groups showed a great resemblance although significant differences were found for specific aspects. With regard to the proposed prescripts, students showed realistic views and the majority wants to participate in continuing education and work with protocols and guidelines. In this, they tend to resemble GDPs more than they resemble patients. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Factors Associated with the Economic Sustainability of the Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Coppola, Sara L; Furgeson, Danielle; Fontana, Margherita; Kinney, Janet S; Gwozdek, Anne E

2017-10-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate key factors associated with the economic sustainability of the Registered Dental Hygienist in Alternative Practice (RDHAP). Methods: An invitation to participate in a 38-question electronic survey was sent via postal mail to 440 RDHAP licentiate addressees obtained through the Dental Hygiene Committee of California (DHCC). Legal restrictions did not allow for obtaining the RDHAP licentiate email addresses from the DHCC. The survey was disseminated via email to the 254 RDHAPs who were members of the California Dental Hygienists' Association. Additional invitations to participate were made via flyer distribution at an RDHAP symposium, and on RDHAP only social media sites. Results: The response rate was an estimated 16%. While 44% of the RDHAPs reported some employment in a traditional dental practice, given the opportunity, 61% of these respondents indicated that they would practice exclusively as an RDHAP. With regard to practice strategic planning and alliances, 31% felt that dentists lacked knowledge of the RDHAP, and 25% indicated dentists were resistant to this workforce model. Regarding RDHAP practice staffing patterns, 75% indicated not having any employees. When asked about business systems, 64% had solo, portable practices and 16% had standalone practices. Economic sustainability challenges included practice business/equipment expenses (29%), insurance/reimbursement issues (21%), patient flow (19%) and RDHAP visibility (14%). Conclusions: RDHAP practices face challenges including the need for strategic planning and intra- and inter-professional alliances, efficient and effective patient flow, optimal staffing patterns and effective business systems. Focus on enhancing RDHAP visibility within the dental and medical communities should be a priority. In addition, further research should explore RDHAPs aligning with community-based clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Dental Support Organizations

Identifying barriers to receiving preventive dental services: expanding access to preventive dental hygiene services through affiliated practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Gross-Panico, Michelle L; Freeman, Wilbur K

2012-01-01

Minority children and children from lower income families are more likely to experience the burden of oral disease. Since oral disease reduces quality of life, it is a priority to utilize preventive dental services. The research questions ask if affiliated practice increases utilization of preventive dental services by underserved children from birth to 18 years of age, and what the barriers to receiving preventive dental services are and their level of importance. A survey was administered to parents/guardians of patients from birth to 18 years of age who received preventive dental services from Catholic Healthcare West East Valley Children's Dental Clinic, an affiliated practice dental clinic in Chandler, Arizona. Thirty-four surveys were completed: 21 completed in English and 13 completed in Spanish. The data was analyzed to provide descriptive statistics and non-parametrically analyzed using the Friedman's, Kendall's W and Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Tests. The cost of preventive dental services is more important to this population than both convenience of appointment time and distance traveled. As the cost increases for preventive dental services, this population will utilize preventive dental services less frequently. The study indicated that the increase of self-reported utilization of preventive dental services by underserved children, ranging in age from birth to 18 years old, in Arizona affiliated practice dental clinics, was primarily impacted by perceived reduced costs of receiving care. Funding efforts, reimbursement mechanisms and legislative policies should support this dental care delivery model to provide care to underserved children, adults and seniors throughout the U.S.

[Identification of the scope of practice for dental nurses with Delphi method].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yu-Hong; Lu, Yue-Cen; Huang, Yao; Ruan, Hong; Wu, Zheng-Yi

2016-10-01

To identify the practice scope of dental nurses under the new situations. The draft of scope of practice for dental nurses was based on theoretical analysis, literature review and consultation of advisory panel, and the final scope of practice for dental nurses was established by using the Delphi method. Statistical analysis was implemented using coefficient of variation, Kendall W with SPSS 17.0 software package. Thirty experts were consulted twice by using the Delphi method. The effective rates of two rounds of questionnaire were 100% and 73.3%, respectively. The authority coefficient was 0.837, and the P value of expert coordination coefficients W was less than 0.05. There were totally 116 suggestions from the experts, and 96 were accepted. The scope of practice for dental nurses was finally established, including 4 primary indexes and 25 secondary indexes. The scope of practice for dental nurses under the new situations is established in China through scientific methods. It is favorable for position management of dental nurses and may promote the development of nurse specialists in dental clinic.

The relevance of behavioural sciences in dental practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schou, L

2000-01-01

includes compliance with certain oral hygiene regimens or specific dental visiting patterns. The outcome of the treatment depends on both the dental professional's knowledge and skills and the patient's skills, objectives and expectations. Furthermore, dental professionals and patients should be satisfied......The aim of this paper is to illustrate how knowledge from behavioural sciences is necessary and relevant in creating a successful dental practice, benefitting patients and dental professionals. There are many ways to create a successful dental practice, the products of which are the various...... treatments performed by dentists or dental hygienists for their patients. Advanced technologies and methods are constantly improving these treatments and thus the technical and managerial aspects of dentistry. However, the success of dental practice is not only dependent on the technique applied...

Case based dental radiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Niemiec, Brook A

2009-02-01

Dental radiology is quickly becoming integral to the standard of care in veterinary dentistry. This is not only because it is critical for proper patient care, but also because client expectations have increased. Furthermore, providing dental radiographs as a routine service can create significant practice income. This article details numerous conditions that are indications for dental radiographs. As you will see, dental radiographs are often critical for proper diagnosis and treatment. These conditions should not be viewed as unusual; they are present within all of our practices. When you choose not to radiograph these teeth, you leave behind painful pathology. Utilizing the knowledge gained from dental radiographs will both improve patient care and increase acceptance of treatment recommendations. Consequently, this leads to increased numbers of dental procedures performed at your practice.

Correlation between symptoms and external characteristics of cracked teeth: Findings from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network.

Science.gov (United States)

Hilton, Thomas J; Funkhouser, Ellen; Ferracane, Jack L; Gilbert, Gregg H; Baltuck, Camille; Benjamin, Paul; Louis, David; Mungia, Rahma; Meyerowitz, Cyril

2017-04-01

Cracked teeth are ubiquitous in the adult dentition. The objective of this study was to determine which patient traits and behaviors and external tooth and crack characteristics correlate with cracked teeth being symptomatic. Dentists in The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network enrolled a convenience sample of patients each with a single, vital posterior tooth with at least 1 observable external crack in this observational study; they enrolled 2,975 cracked teeth from 209 practitioners. The authors collected data at the patient level, tooth level, and crack level. They used generalized estimating equations to obtain significant (P crack. Characteristics positively associated with cracked tooth symptoms, after adjusting for demographics, included patients who clenched, ground, or pressed their teeth together (OR, 1.30; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-1.50), molars (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.30-1.92), teeth with a wear facet through enamel (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.01-1.40), carious lesions (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.07-1.60), cracks that were on the distal surface of the tooth (OR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.13-1.52), and cracks that blocked transilluminated light (OR, 1.31, 95% CI, 1.09-1.57). Teeth with stained cracks were negatively associated with having cracked tooth symptoms (OR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.55-0.84). The greatest likelihood of a cracked tooth being symptomatic was found when patients reported clenching or grinding their teeth and had a molar with a distal crack that blocked transilluminated light. This information can help inform dentists in the decision-making process regarding the prognosis for a cracked tooth. Copyright © 2017 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

APPLICATION OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN DENTAL PRACTICE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Todor T. Uzunov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of the study is to determine the extent of the use of photography by dentists for the needs of everyday practice. Material and methods: The survey was conducted among 254 dentists practicing in Sofia, 64 (25.2% - men and 190 (74.8% - women. The average age of respondents is 43.21 years. Questionnaire was developed, consisting of 9 questions, divided into two parts. The first part covers questions about the nature of the dental practice of respondent doctor. The second part includes questions about the use of photography for the purpose of daily practice. Results: A statistical data processing is made. The average values of the responses received by groups of questions are analyzed. The factors that affect the use of dental photography were defined. The results show that from all of the surveyed persons, 82 (32.28% people use photography for dental practice and 172 (67.72% dentists do not to apply this method in their daily work. It was found that the reasons for not using the photography by dentists are: fear of cross-infection - 4 persons (1.57%; lack of need to use photography - 14 persons (5.51%; lack of interest - 18 persons (7.09%; cost of clinical time - 24 persons (9.45%; additional training - 58 (22.83%; expensive investment - 98 persons (38.58%. Conclusion: The extent and reasons for use of photography for the dental practice were found. The factors that are relevant to the use of dental photography by dentists were investigated.

Drivers Advancing Oral Health in a Large Group Dental Practice Organization.

Science.gov (United States)

Simmons, Kristen; Gibson, Stephanie; White, Joel M

2016-06-01

Three change drivers are being implemented to high standards of patient centric and evidence-based oral health care within the context of a large multispecialty dental group practice organization based on the commitment of the dental hygienist chief operating officer and her team. A recent environmental scan elucidated 6 change drivers that can impact the provision of oral health care. Practitioners who can embrace and maximize aspects of these change drivers will move dentistry forward and create future opportunities. This article explains how 3 of these change drivers are being applied in a privately held, accountable risk-bearing entity that provides individualized treatment programs for more than 417,000 members. To facilitate integration of the conceptual changes related to the drivers, a multi-institutional, multidisciplinary, highly functioning collaborative work group was formed. The document Dental Hygiene at a Crossroads for Change(1) inspired the first author, a dental hygienist in a unique position as chief operating officer of a large group practice, to pursue evidence-based organizational change and to impact the quality of patient care. This was accomplished by implementing technological advances including dental diagnosis terminology in the electronic health record, clinical decision support, standardized treatment guidelines, quality metrics, and patient engagement to improve oral health outcomes at the patient and population levels. The systems and processes used to implement 3 change drivers into a large multi-practice dental setting is presented to inform and inspire others to implement change drivers with the potential for advancing oral health. Technology implementing best practices and improving patient engagement are excellent drivers to advance oral health and are an effective use of oral health care dollars. Improved oral health can be leveraged through technological advances to improve clinical practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc

Code of ethics for dental researchers.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

The International Association for Dental Research, in 2009, adopted a code of ethics. The code applies to members of the association and is enforceable by sanction, with the stated requirement that members are expected to inform the association in cases where they believe misconduct has occurred. The IADR code goes beyond the Belmont and Helsinki statements by virtue of covering animal research. It also addresses issues of sponsorship of research and conflicts of interest, international collaborative research, duty of researchers to be informed about applicable norms, standards of publication (including plagiarism), and the obligation of "whistleblowing" for the sake of maintaining the integrity of the dental research enterprise as a whole. The code is organized, like the ADA code, into two sections. The IADR principles are stated, but not defined, and number 12, instead of the ADA's five. The second section consists of "best practices," which are specific statements of expected or interdicted activities. The short list of definitions is useful.

Dental Health Services Research Unit celebrates 30 years: Report of conference to mark the 30th anniversary of the Dental Health Services Research Unit (DHSRU) at Dundee, held on 1st December 2008.

Science.gov (United States)

Eaton, Kenneth A; Pitts, Nigel B

2009-04-01

Over the years, several members of the staff of the Dental Health Services Research Unit (DHSRU) at Dundee have published papers in Primary Dental Care. Furthermore, its Director, Professor Nigel Pitts, together with Drs Jan Clarkson and Gail Topping have co-edited a number of the Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK)'s standards manuals and contributed to others. It had been suggested to the Unit by several parties that, having been in funded existence for some 30 years, it would be appropriate to mark this anniversary with a conference to explore 'Dental Health Services Research: After 30 years, what was the impact, what have we learned and where are we going?' So, following a range of consultations, the conference was convened at the West Park Conference Centre in Dundee with a mixed audience representing both dental research and dental practice.

Application of X-rays to dental age estimation in medico-legal practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorota Lorkiewicz-Muszyńska

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Aim of the study: The paper addresses the use of dental age assessment methods based on radiographs in medico-legal practice. Different cases of practical application of the methods are presented including identification of human remains, dental age assessment in a living person and one archaeological case. Material and methods : The study material consisted of cases involving dental age assessment performed in the Department of Forensic Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences in Poznan. Depending on the preliminary assessment of age, the Liversidge or the Kvaal et al. methods were applied. Dental age was estimated on the basis of available pantomograms. In the case of the living person, it was a radiograph supplied for expert evaluation. In the other cases, dental computed tomography was performed. Results : Dental age was successfully estimated in all of the cases. Various methods based on the analysis of X-ray images were applied. Dental age was shown to be correlated with skeletal age. Conclusions : The methods based on radiographs were demonstrated to be useful, and the results they yield are fully correlated with results of anthropological analyses.

Adult Dental Anxiety: Recent Assessment Approaches and Psychological Management in a Dental Practice Setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Humphris, Gerry; Spyt, James; Herbison, Alice G; Kelsey, Thomas W

2016-05-01

Dental anxiety of patients is a common feature of the everyday experience of dental practice. This article advocates the use of regular assessment of this psychological construct to assist in patient management. Various tools, such as the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), are available to monitor dental anxiety that are quick to complete and easy to interpret. Patient burden is low. A new mobile phone assessment system (DENTANX) is being developed for distribution. This application and other psychological interventions are being investigated to assist patients to receive dental care routinely. Clinical relevance: This article provides evidence and expert opinion on the worth of regular dental anxiety assessment in dental practice using structured tools, such as the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale, and consideration of psychological intervention development.

Collaborative Dental Hygiene Practice in New Mexico and Minnesota.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodges, Kathleen O; Rogo, Ellen J; Cahoon, Allison C; Neill, Karen

2016-06-01

This descriptive, comparative study was conducted to examine characteristics, services, models and opinions among collaborative dental hygiene practitioners in New Mexico and Minnesota. A self-designed online questionnaire, distributed via SurveyMonkey®, was utilized to collect data from 73 subjects who met the inclusion criteria. A multi-phase administration process was followed. Content validity and reliability was established. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis of 6 research questions. The Mann-Whitney U, Pearson Chi-Square and Fisher's Exact tests were employed to analyze 4 null hypotheses (p=0.05). Most participants (n=36) were experienced clinicians who chose to work in an alternative setting after 28 years or more in the field and reported increased access to care as the reason for practicing collaboratively. A variety of services were offered and private insurance and Medicaid were accepted, although many practitioners did not receive direct reimbursement. The majority of New Mexico participants worked in private dental hygiene practices, earned advanced degrees and serviced Health Provider Shortage Areas. The majority of Minnesota respondents worked in various facilities, earned associate's degrees and were uncertain if Health Provider Shortage Areas were served. There were no significant differences in the variables between practitioners in both states. New Mexico and Minnesota collaborative dental hygiene practitioners are similar in characteristics, services, and opinions although models of practice vary. Collaborative dental hygiene practice is a viable answer to increasing access to care and is an option for patients who might otherwise go without care, including the unserved, underserved, uninsured and underinsured. Copyright © 2016 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Dental Sealants: Knowledge, Value, Opinion, and Practice among Dental Professionals of Bathinda City, India

OpenAIRE

Asawa, Kailash; Gupta, Vivek V.; Tak, Mridula; Nagarajappa, Ramesh; Chaturvedi, Pulkit; Bapat, Salil; Mishra, Prashant; Roy, Santanu Sen

2014-01-01

Objective. The purpose of the study was to assess the knowledge, value, opinion, and practice regarding use of dental sealants among private dental practitioners in Bathinda City, Punjab, India. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among all private dental practitioners in Bathinda City, Punjab. A self-administered structured questionnaire consisting of 28 items was used to assess their knowledge, value, opinion, and practice regarding dental sealants. One-way analysi...

Dental practice satisfaction with preferred provider organizations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schilling Elizabeth A

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Despite their increasing share of the dental insurance market, little is known about dental practices' satisfaction with preferred provider organizations (PPOs. This analysis examined practice satisfaction with dental PPOs and the extent to which satisfaction was a function of communications from the plan, claims handling and compensation. Methods Data were collected through telephone surveys with dental practices affiliated with MetLife between January 2002 and December 2004. Each respondent was asked a series of questions related to their satisfaction with a systematically selected PPO with which they were affiliated. Six different PPO plans had sufficient observations to allow for comparative analysis (total n = 4582. Multiple imputation procedures were used to adjust for item non-response. Results While the average level of overall satisfaction with the target plan fell between "very satisfied" and "satisfied," regression models revealed substantial differences in overall satisfaction across the 6 PPOs (p Conclusion Results demonstrate the importance of compensation to dental practice satisfaction with PPOs. However, these results also highlight the critical role of service-related factors in differentiating plans and suggest that there are important non-monetary dimensions of PPO performance that can be used to recruit and retain practices.

Dental hygiene students’ part-time jobs in dental practices in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poorterman, J.H.G.; Dikkes, B.T.; Brand, H.S.

2010-01-01

Objective:  Many students have paid employment while studying. In the Netherlands, the Individual Health Care Professions Act (IHCP Act) allows dental hygiene students to work under certain conditions in a dental practice. The aim of the study was to determine how many dental hygiene students have

An Idea for the Future of Dental Research: A Cloud-Based Clinical Network and Database

Science.gov (United States)

Owtad, Payam; Taichman, Russell; Park, Jae Hyun; Yaibuathes, Sorn; Knapp, John

2013-01-01

Evidence-based dentistry (EBD) is an approach to oral healthcare requiring systematic assessment of relevant scientific evidence to clinical practice and patients' needs. EBD attempts to globally establish personalized dental care based upon the most recent and highest order scientific evidence. However, some times the EBD does not consider local…

Radiological protection in dental practice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1975-01-01

Intended to be complementary to the more comprehensive document, ''Code of Practice for the protection of persons against ionizing radiations arising from medical and dental use'' (CIS 74-423), the purpose of this booklet is to give dentists some basic information on the safe use of X-rays. Contents: why protection from X-rays; responsibility for radiation protection; protection during a dental examination; ensuring a safe installation; sources of further information. Appendices: maximum permissible doses; useful addresses; summary of relevant recommendations from the Code of Practice; notes on film processing.

Smart dental practice: capitalising on smart mobile technology.

Science.gov (United States)

Plangger, K; Bredican, J; Mills, A J; Armstrong, J

2015-08-14

To keep pace with consumer adoption of smart mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and the applications ('apps') developed for these devices, dental professionals should consider how this technology could be used to simultaneously improve both patient service experiences and dental practice management. Using U-Commerce as a theoretical lens, this article discusses the potential value of smart mobile technology to the dental practice context, with a particular focus on the unique and customisable capabilities of apps. To take full advantage of this technology, a process is outlined for identifying and designing bespoke dental apps that takes into account the unique advantages of these devices. Dental practices, with increasing financial and competitive pressures, may improve the efficiency and profitability of operations and better manage patients, employees and stakeholders by integrating smart mobile technology.

The perceived impact of the group practice model on enhancing interpersonal skills of predoctoral dental students.

Science.gov (United States)

Errante, Margaret R; Gill, Gurjinder S; Rodriguez, Tobias E

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess if a clinical group practice model has an impact on enhancing the interpersonal skills of predoctoral dental students, what factors may influence the development of these skills, and what, if any, are innovative and technological solutions that can potentially influence interpersonal skills in predoctoral dental students. This study surveyed the faculty responsible for teaching the dental students in a recently developed group practice model. Out of 18 eligible group practice leaders at one US dental school, 17 respondents (94.4%) completed the survey. In addition, this study asked the faculty to provide qualitative response and recommendations to improve interpersonal skills. Based on the feedback, a focus group was conducted to explore opportunities to further enhance the skills. The results of the study suggest that the group practice model has a positive and distinct impact on the development of overall interpersonal skills for students. Further research suggests that the greatest impacted areas of personal development are critical thinking skills and teamwork. However, as a way to make the model more effectual, most faculty suggested the need for additional time, for both students and faculty. To some extent, using technology and innovative teaching pedagogies could potentially address the challenge of limited time. Based on the results of the survey, one may conclude that with adequate design and conditions, the group practice model can have a positive effect on the interpersonal skills of its students.

The perceived impact of the group practice model on enhancing interpersonal skills of predoctoral dental students

Science.gov (United States)

Errante, Margaret R; Gill, Gurjinder S; Rodriguez, Tobias E

2018-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess if a clinical group practice model has an impact on enhancing the interpersonal skills of predoctoral dental students, what factors may influence the development of these skills, and what, if any, are innovative and technological solutions that can potentially influence interpersonal skills in predoctoral dental students. Methods This study surveyed the faculty responsible for teaching the dental students in a recently developed group practice model. Out of 18 eligible group practice leaders at one US dental school, 17 respondents (94.4%) completed the survey. In addition, this study asked the faculty to provide qualitative response and recommendations to improve interpersonal skills. Based on the feedback, a focus group was conducted to explore opportunities to further enhance the skills. Results The results of the study suggest that the group practice model has a positive and distinct impact on the development of overall interpersonal skills for students. Further research suggests that the greatest impacted areas of personal development are critical thinking skills and teamwork. However, as a way to make the model more effectual, most faculty suggested the need for additional time, for both students and faculty. To some extent, using technology and innovative teaching pedagogies could potentially address the challenge of limited time. Conclusion Based on the results of the survey, one may conclude that with adequate design and conditions, the group practice model can have a positive effect on the interpersonal skills of its students. PMID:29720884

Updated posters to help manage medical emergencies in the dental practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Jevon, P

2015-09-11

Medical emergencies can occur in the dental practice. Medical Emergencies in the Dental Practice and Emergency Drugs in the Dental Practice posters have been designed to help dental practitioners to respond effectively and safely to a medical emergency. These posters, endorsed by the British Dental Association, are included with this issue of the British Dental Journal. Further copies can be downloaded from: https://www.walsallhealthcare.nhs.uk/medical-education.aspx.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Dental Professionals in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Keywords: Teledentistry, attitude, knowledge, practice, dental professionals. Background. Oral health disparities are a global issue with most dental specialists located in urban areas. Limited number of dental professionals in rural area leaves people without access to quality dental care in those areas (Berndt, Leone, &.

An ontology-based method for secondary use of electronic dental record data

Science.gov (United States)

Schleyer, Titus KL; Ruttenberg, Alan; Duncan, William; Haendel, Melissa; Torniai, Carlo; Acharya, Amit; Song, Mei; Thyvalikakath, Thankam P.; Liu, Kaihong; Hernandez, Pedro

A key question for healthcare is how to operationalize the vision of the Learning Healthcare System, in which electronic health record data become a continuous information source for quality assurance and research. This project presents an initial, ontology-based, method for secondary use of electronic dental record (EDR) data. We defined a set of dental clinical research questions; constructed the Oral Health and Disease Ontology (OHD); analyzed data from a commercial EDR database; and created a knowledge base, with the OHD used to represent clinical data about 4,500 patients from a single dental practice. Currently, the OHD includes 213 classes and reuses 1,658 classes from other ontologies. We have developed an initial set of SPARQL queries to allow extraction of data about patients, teeth, surfaces, restorations and findings. Further work will establish a complete, open and reproducible workflow for extracting and aggregating data from a variety of EDRs for research and quality assurance. PMID:24303273

An ontology-based method for secondary use of electronic dental record data.

Science.gov (United States)

Schleyer, Titus Kl; Ruttenberg, Alan; Duncan, William; Haendel, Melissa; Torniai, Carlo; Acharya, Amit; Song, Mei; Thyvalikakath, Thankam P; Liu, Kaihong; Hernandez, Pedro

2013-01-01

A key question for healthcare is how to operationalize the vision of the Learning Healthcare System, in which electronic health record data become a continuous information source for quality assurance and research. This project presents an initial, ontology-based, method for secondary use of electronic dental record (EDR) data. We defined a set of dental clinical research questions; constructed the Oral Health and Disease Ontology (OHD); analyzed data from a commercial EDR database; and created a knowledge base, with the OHD used to represent clinical data about 4,500 patients from a single dental practice. Currently, the OHD includes 213 classes and reuses 1,658 classes from other ontologies. We have developed an initial set of SPARQL queries to allow extraction of data about patients, teeth, surfaces, restorations and findings. Further work will establish a complete, open and reproducible workflow for extracting and aggregating data from a variety of EDRs for research and quality assurance.

A survey of United States dental hygienists' knowledge, attitudes, and practices with infection control guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Garland, Kandis V

2013-06-01

To assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of U.S. dental hygienists with infection control guidelines (ICG). Research has shown improved compliance with specific aspects of dental ICG is needed. This study supports the American Dental Hygienists' Association National Research Agenda's Occupational Health and Safety objective to investigate methods to decrease errors, risks and or hazards in health care. Data are needed to assess compliance, prevention and behavioral issues with current ICG practices. A proportional stratified random sample (n=2,500) was recruited for an online survey. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic characteristics and knowledge, attitudes and practices responses. Spearman's rho correlations determined relationships between knowledge, attitudes and practices responses (pexpectations for using ICG (rs=0.529) and no time to use (rs=-0.537). Themes from comments indicated time is a barrier, and respondents' perceived a need for involvement of all co-workers. Dental hygienists are adhering with most aspects of the ICG. High compliance with ICG among respondents in this study was associated with positive safety beliefs and practices, whereas lower compliance with ICG was associated with less positive safety beliefs and practices. A safety culture appears to be a factor in compliance with ICG.

Is dosimetry still a necessity in current dental practice?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reddy, S S; Rakesh, N; Clint, Joseph Ben; Sharma, Shivani; Chauhan, Pallavi

2015-01-01

Today, dentists have a wide range of imaging modalities to choose from, the film based techniques, digital techniques, and the recent introduction of 3D volumetric or cone beam computed tomography (CBCT). The inherent design features of the new generation dental x-ray equipment has significantly improved over the years with no evidence of substandard x-ray units in operation. In dental facilities radiological workload is comparatively low, newer radiation equipments and accessories follow safety guidelines and employ better radiation protection measures for the patient and the operator. Dentists’ knowledge and expertise in radiation protection measures is good, enabling them to carry out riskfree radiation procedures in their practice. Therefore, the present study is aimed at assessing the need for dosimeters in current dental scenario.‘Is there currently a significant risk from dental radiography to merit the use of personal dosimetery in dental practice.’Dental health professionals (Oral radiologists) and radiographic assistants of fourteen dental colleges in Karnataka state participated in this questionnaire study. The questionnaire consisted of the following questions—the make, type, year of manufacture of radiographic machines used in their setup, number of radiographs made per day in the institution, type of receptors used, number of personnel at risk for radiation exposure, radiation protection measures used, regular monitoring by personal dosimeters, equivalent dosage readings for the past 12 months and whether the reading of thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD) for any personnel had exceeded the recommended exposure value in the last 3 years.Dosimetry records of the radiology staff in the last three years shows doses no more than 1.50 mSv per year. The various institutions’ dose (person mSv) was in the range of 3.70 mSv–3.90 mSv.Personal monitoring for Dentists can be omitted in the dental colleges since the estimated dose of oral radiologists

Alternative Practice Dental Hygiene in California: Past, Present, and Future

Science.gov (United States)

MERTZ, ELIZABETH; GLASSMAN, PAUL

2012-01-01

This study examines the development of the registered dental hygienist in alternative practice in California through an analysis of archival documents, stakeholder interviews, and two surveys of the registered dental hygienist in alternative practice. Designing, testing and implementing a new practice model for dental hygienists took 23 years. Today, registered dental hygienists in alternative practice have developed viable alternative methods for delivering preventive oral health care services in a range of settings with patients who often have no other source of access to care. PMID:21337961

Qualitative description of dental hygiene practices within oral health and dental care perspectives of Mexican-American adults and teenagers.

Science.gov (United States)

Maupome, Gerardo; Aguirre-Zero, Odette; Westerhold, Chi

2015-01-01

The objectives of this study were to identify dental hygiene themes voiced by adults and teenagers of Mexican origin [or Mexican Americans (MAs)] and place these themes within the larger landscape of oral health and dental care perceptions. Interviews with urban-based MAs were analyzed to identify barriers, beliefs, and behaviors influencing engagement in dental hygiene practices. Adult (n = 16, ages 33-52) and teenage (n = 17, ages 14-19) MAs reported themes pertaining to structural factors (financial and economic-related barriers, the dual challenges of reduced access to care vis-à-vis successfully navigating the dental care system, and the effects of reduced social support derived from migration) and to individual factors (different agendas between MAs and health systems for dental care utilization and indications for oral self-care, including limited dental hygiene instruction from professionals and larger impacts from school-based and mass media). Also, prior experiences with dental hygiene, prevention, and associated themes were characterized by a range of attitudes from fatalistic to highly determined agency. Good family upbringing was instrumental for appropriate dental hygiene, anteceding good oral health; and outlining a loose structure of factors affecting oral health such as diet, having "weak" teeth, or personal habits. Themes from adults and teenagers in the Midwest United States were generally similar to other groups of MA parents and younger children. Dental hygiene was not salient relative to other oral health and dental care matters. Several opportunities for improvement of knowledge and enhancing motivation for dental hygiene practices were identified, both within and outside professional resources. © 2014 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

Management and marketing for the general practice dental office.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarkson, Earl; Bhatia, Sanjeev

2008-07-01

This article reviews trends in the dental marketplace. Marketing is an essential element of dentistry. Communicating treatment options with patients is one aspect of marketing. Treatment planning helps patients understand the relationships between oral health, occlusion, temporomandibular joint function, and systemic health. Through marketing, dental practice owners inform patients of ever-changing treatment modalities. Understanding treatment options allows patients to make better, informed choices. More options leads to a higher level of care and more comprehensive dental treatment. Managing a practice requires tracking its financial health. Economic statistics measure the effect of management decisions that mark the direction of a dental practice.

Perceptions of a simulated general dental practice facility - reported experiences from past students at the Maurice Wohl General Dental Practice Centre 2001-2008.

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, B R; Leung, A N; Dunne, S M

2009-10-24

This article assesses the perceived value of a simulated general dental practice centre as reported by past undergraduates over five years. Various aspects of teaching and related outcomes are explored based on responses received from anonymous questionnaires. A team based approach to cooperative learning led by current practitioners experienced in primary dental care was seen as pivotal to the huge success of the teaching model. Moreover the role of cooperative learning and its influence on building individual clinical confidence and acumen was considered highly beneficial as part of the transition from novice to expert. An anonymous questionnaire was distributed to students six months after qualification for a period of five years. The last registered postal address held by the Institute was used for this purpose. The years surveyed were: 2001-2002, 2002-2003, 2003-2004, 2005-2006 and 2007-2008. The questionnaire provided for both qualitative aspects of feedback and a quantitative representation of the overall perception of effectiveness of the General Dental Practice Centre, as expressed by a visual analogue scale. In total 135 questionnaires were returned representing a return rate of 53%. From the responses received 99% of the students reported that they enjoyed their sessions at the Centre with 96% expressing satisfaction with the teaching regime. The mean visual analogue scale rating the centre overall was reported as 83%, with a year on year increase ranging from 76-92%. Rich qualitative data were derived from free text responses. A simulated general dental practice centre was highly rated by past dental students in terms of the overall learning experience received and its relevance to later vocational training. By far the most consistently reported attribute was the opportunity to practise close support four handed dentistry with a nurse. Training in practice management and organisational skills were viewed as important with effective teamwork and a

Innovations in Pharmacy through Practice-Based Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jon C. Schommer

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The overall purpose of this article is to serve as an invitation for submissions to the 'Practice-Based Research' section of INNOVATIONS in pharmacy. To provide background about this section of the journal, this paper describes: (1 the concept of innovations that we will apply, (2 the practice-based research domain, and (3 the use of practice-based research networks for this area of inquiry. We propose that uncertainty surrounding an innovation often will result in the postponement of the decision regarding its adoption until further evidence can be obtained. Such evidence often is gathered through considering the advice and experiences of opinion leaders and members of social systems who have adopted the innovation. We invite authors to present ideas, arguments, and evidence for innovations in pharmacy that arise out of practice-based research. We propose that this journal will be an excellent communication vehicle for providing convincing arguments and sound evidence in favor of innovations. Discourse regarding new ideas in such a format can further develop the ideas, create a critical mass of evidence, and be used for convincing others that the innovation should be adopted. We welcome submissions to the INNOVATIONS in pharmacy, PRACTICE-BASED RESEARCH content area that: (1 provide convincing arguments and sound evidence in favor of innovations for pharmacy, (2 are based upon practice-based research from case studies of single patients on one end of the continuum to findings from large populations of patients on the other end of the continuum, and/or (3 introduce innovations for practice-based research networks. We encourage articles from all perspectives and from all methods of inquiry. Type: Invitation

Reliability of didactic grades to predict practical skills in an undergraduate dental college in Saudi Arabia.

Science.gov (United States)

Zawawi, Khalid H; Afify, Ahmed R; Yousef, Mohammed K; Othman, Hisham I; Al-Dharrab, Ayman A

2015-01-01

This longitudinal study was aimed to investigate the association between didactic grades and practical skills for dental students and whether didactic grades can reliability predict the dental students' practical performance. Didactic and practical grades for graduates from the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, between the years 2009 and 2011 were collected. Four courses were selected: Dental Anatomy, Operative Dentistry, Prosthodontics, and Orthodontics. Pearson product-moment correlation analyses between didactic and practical scores were conducted. There was only a significant correlation between didactic and practical scores for the Dental Anatomy course (Pdidactic scores (Pdidactic and practical scores for all subjects. Based on the findings of this study, the relationship between didactic grades and practical performance is course specific. Didactic grades do not reliably predict the students' practical skills. Measuring practical performances should be independent from didactic grading.

Practical implications of incentive systems are utilized by dental franchises.

Science.gov (United States)

Yavner, S B

1989-01-01

The success of any dental practice depends, among other factors, on the critical role of staff employees. In order to encourage desired staff behaviors, incentive systems can be designed for employee dentists, assistants/hygienists and managers. A survey of dental franchises was conducted in 1987 for the purpose of examining their incentive control systems. The specific incentives employed by these dental franchises for their employees are analyzed. The implications of these incentive systems used by dental franchise organizations for all dental practices are then discussed.

Assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice with regard to evidence-based dentistry among dental students in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Eslamipour, Faezeh; Ghaiour, Marzieh

2016-01-01

Aim: Evidence-based dentistry (EBD) is an approach to oral health that requires the application and examination of relevant scientific data related to the patient's oral health and his priorities. The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice of dental students of Isfahan about EBD. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive study, 168 dental students in 3 final years of their education who engaged in clinical practice by consensus sampling were recruited. For data collection, a validated questionnaire was used. The questionnaire was consisted of demographic questions and some questions about four issues: Knowledge of self-assess (KSA), evidence-based practice, actual knowledge and attitude about EBD. Data were analyzed with t-test, one-way ANOVA, Chi-square, and linear regression with SPSS 16. Results: One hundred and thirty-six students from 168 students were filled the questionnaire. The mean of KSA was 13 ± 4.3, mean of usage of useful references in EBD was 16.9 ± 7.6. One-third of students were studied their last article in last 6 months before. The mean of actual knowledge and attitude was 7.4 ± 2.3 and 24 ± 3.8, respectively. The relation between 4 main issues was significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: By considering overall interest and positive attitude toward learning EBD in dental students, it is highly recommended that practical educational courses about EBD be planned by dental faculties. PMID:27500165

Practice-based Research Network Research Good Practices (PRGPs): Summary of Recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Dolor, Rowena J; Campbell-Voytal, Kimberly; Daly, Jeanette; Nagykaldi, Zsolt J; O'Beirne, Maeve; Sterling, Pamela; Fagnan, Lyle J; Levy, Barcey; Michaels, LeAnn; Louks, Hannah A; Smith, Paul; Aspy, Cheryl B; Patterson, V Beth; Kano, Miria; Sussman, Andrew L; Williams, Robert; Neale, Anne Victoria

2015-12-01

Practice-based research networks (PBRNs) conduct research in community settings, which poses quality control challenges to the integrity of research, such as study implementation and data collection. A foundation for improving research processes within PBRNs is needed to ensure research integrity. Network directors and coordinators from seven U.S.-based PBRNs worked with a professional team facilitator during semiannual in-person meetings and monthly conference calls to produce content for a compendium of recommended research practices specific to the context of PBRNs. Participants were assigned to contribute content congruent with their expertise. Feedback on the draft document was obtained from attendees at the preconference workshop at the annual PBRN meeting in 2013. A revised document was circulated to additional PBRN peers prior to finalization. The PBRN Research Good Practices (PRGPs) document is organized into four chapters: (1) Building PBRN Infrastructure; (2) Study Development and Implementation; (3) Data Management, and (4) Dissemination Policies. Each chapter contains an introduction, detailed procedures for each section, and example resources with information links. The PRGPs is a PBRN-specific resource to facilitate PBRN management and staff training, to promote adherence to study protocols, and to increase validity and generalizability of study findings. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A study of statistics anxiety levels of graduate dental hygiene students.

Science.gov (United States)

Welch, Paul S; Jacks, Mary E; Smiley, Lynn A; Walden, Carolyn E; Clark, William D; Nguyen, Carol A

2015-02-01

In light of increased emphasis on evidence-based practice in the profession of dental hygiene, it is important that today's dental hygienist comprehend statistical measures to fully understand research articles, and thereby apply scientific evidence to practice. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate statistics anxiety among graduate dental hygiene students in the U.S. A web-based self-report, anonymous survey was emailed to directors of 17 MSDH programs in the U.S. with a request to distribute to graduate students. The survey collected data on statistics anxiety, sociodemographic characteristics and evidence-based practice. Statistic anxiety was assessed using the Statistical Anxiety Rating Scale. Study significance level was α=0.05. Only 8 of the 17 invited programs participated in the study. Statistical Anxiety Rating Scale data revealed graduate dental hygiene students experience low to moderate levels of statistics anxiety. Specifically, the level of anxiety on the Interpretation Anxiety factor indicated this population could struggle with making sense of scientific research. A decisive majority (92%) of students indicated statistics is essential for evidence-based practice and should be a required course for all dental hygienists. This study served to identify statistics anxiety in a previously unexplored population. The findings should be useful in both theory building and in practical applications. Furthermore, the results can be used to direct future research. Copyright © 2015 The American Dental Hygienists’ Association.

Comparing Practice Management Courses in Canadian Dental Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Schonwetter, Dieter J; Schwartz, Barry

2018-05-01

Practice management has become an increasingly important aspect of dental education over the years in order to better prepare students for the reality of practice. The aim of this study was to quantify and describe practice management courses taught at the ten Canadian dental schools in order to identify common approaches, compare hours, determine types of instructors, and assess the relationship between courses' learning objectives and the Association of Canadian Faculties of Dentistry (ACFD) competencies and Bloom's cognitive levels. The academic deans at these ten schools were surveyed in 2016; all ten schools responded for a 100% response rate. The authors also gathered syllabi and descriptions of the courses and analyzed them for themes. The results showed a total of 22 practice management courses in the ten Canadian dental schools. The courses provided 27 to 109 hours of teaching and were mostly taught in the third and fourth years and by dentists on three main topics: ethics, human resource management, and running a private practice. The courses were correlated to the ACFD competencies related to ethics, professionalism, application of basic principles of business practices, and effective interpersonal communication. Most of the courses' learning objectives addressed comprehension and knowledge in Bloom's cognitive levels of learning. These results can help to guide discussions on how practice management courses can be developed, improved, and refined to meet the challenges of preparing students for dental practice.

Attitudes among dentists and dental hygienists towards extended scope and independent practice of dental hygienists

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reinders, Jan J.; Krijnen, Wim; Onclin, Pieter; van der Schans, Cees P.; Stegenga, Boudewijn

2016-01-01

AIMS: Attitudes of dentists and dental hygienists towards extended scope and independent dental hygiene practice are described in several studies, but the results are heterogenous. The purpose of this systematic review was to compare the attitudes of dentists and dental hygienists towards extended

Attitudes among dentists and dental hygienists towards extended scope and independent practice of dental hygienists

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reinders, Jan J.; Krijnen, Wim P.; Onclin, Pieter; van der Schans, Cees P.; Stegenga, Boudewijn

Aims: Attitudes of dentists and dental hygienists towards extended scope and independent dental hygiene practice are described in several studies, but the results are heterogenous. The purpose of this systematic review was to compare the attitudes of dentists and dental hygienists towards extended

From research to practice: one organisational model for promoting research based practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Kitson, A

1997-01-01

This paper describes a framework used by the National Institute for Nursing in Oxford to integrate research, development and practice. With the increasing attention given to the topic of how research findings are implemented into clinical practice, it was felt important to share the challenges that have arisen in attempting to combine traditional research activities with more practice based development work. The emerging conceptual framework, structures and functions are described highlighting the variety of partnerships to be established in order to achieve the goal of integrating research into practice. While the underpinning principles of the framework--generating knowledge, implementing research into practice and evaluating the effectiveness of programmes--are not new, it is the way they have been combined within an organisational structure that could be helpful to others considering such a strategy. Both the strengths and weaknesses of the model are discussed, a number of conclusions drawn as to its robustness and consideration given to its replication.

Management of needlestick injuries in general dental practice

OpenAIRE

Smith, A.J.; Cameron, S.O.; Bagg, J.; Kennedy, D.

2001-01-01

The objective of this paper is to advise on the development of practical policies for needlestick injuries in general dental practice. Policies for dealing with occupational exposure to chronic blood borne viruses, namely, hepatitis B, C and HIV are evolving. This article was particularly prompted by recent changes in post exposure prophylaxis for HIV infection. A flow chart is also included which should be of possible use in general dental practice. Needlestick injuries are of increasing con...

A Review of Medical Emergencies in Dental Practice | Uyamadu ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A Review of Medical Emergencies in Dental Practice. ... are those adverse medical events that may present in the course of dental treatment. ... be available in a dental clinic, outline the prevention and management of such emergencies, ...

The ethics of social media in dental practice: challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Peltier, Bruce; Curley, Arthur

2013-07-01

This is the first of two essays written to consider several important trends in dental practice that result from innovations in digital and social media. This essay reviews ethical and legal implications of the use of websites, Facebook, review sites, email and other digital innovations in dental practice. The second essay provides ethical tools for analysis, illuminates areas of ethical concern in today's practice environment and offers recommendations for future practice.

Occupational Stress in Dental Practice amongst Government ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objectives: The aim of this study is to compare the level of occupational stress amongst government-employed and private dental practitioners in eastern Nigeria. Materials and methods: A total of 62 questionnaires were randomly distributed among government-employed and private practicing dental surgeons with five ...

Traumatic dental injury research: on children or with children?

Science.gov (United States)

Wallace, Ann; Rogers, Helen J; Zaitoun, Halla; Rodd, Helen D; Gilchrist, Fiona; Marshman, Zoe

2017-06-01

It is widely acknowledged that children should participate in healthcare decisions, service development and even setting research agendas. Dental traumatology is a major component of paediatric dentistry practice and research. However, little is known about young patients' contribution to new knowledge in this field. The aim of the study was to establish the extent to which children are involved in contemporary dental trauma research and to evaluate the quality of the related literature. A systematic review of the dental trauma literature was conducted from 2006 to 2014. The electronic databases, MEDLINE and Scopus, were used to identify relevant studies. The selected papers were independently examined by five calibrated reviewers. Studies were categorized by the degree of children's involvement and appraised using a validated quality assessment tool. The initial search yielded 4374 papers. After application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, only 96 studies remained. Research on children accounted for 87.5% of papers, and a proxy was involved in 4.2%. Children were engaged to some degree in only 8.3% of studies, and there were no studies where children were active research participants. In the quality assessment exercise, papers scored, on average, 57% (range = 14-86%). There is scope to encourage more active participation of children in dental trauma research in the future. Furthermore, there are some areas where the quality of research could be improved overall. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Musculoskeletal dysfunction in dental practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hakim A. Larbi and Dmitry Ye. Suyetenkov

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This article highlights the comparative statistics of musculoskeletal system deseases depending on a type of dental method. The practical recommendations on prevention of diseases of joints, ligaments and spine were done.

How to Protect Your Dental Practice from Unwarranted Intrusions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duane Schmidt

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Risk management is the study and practice of how to avoid liti-gious perils in dental practice. All too often risk management is shunted to a minor role in the frenzy of the today’s dental schools as they strive to graduate capable dentists. A sophisticated office risk management program can boast high rewards while minimizing risks in a dental practice.The genesis of this article is hinged on fifty years of dental practice, fourteen in the specialty of pediatric dentistry and the remainder in a large general practice (34 chairs, 55 employees, ten hygienists and seeing 200 patients daily and 400 new patients monthly. A practitioner can learn many key lessons in risk management when encountering so many patients and staff.What I learned was how to avoid the pitfalls, especially those perils springing from five sources: poorly informed patients, displeased patients, patients who owe you payment, dissatisfied (usually former staff members and patients whom you have let the settlement scheme drag untowardly. This paper outlines seven specific and proven risk management strategies to minimize these perils.

Future perspectives of resin-based dental materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Jandt, Klaus D; Sigusch, Bernd W

2009-08-01

This concise review and outlook paper gives a view of selected potential future developments in the area of resin-based biomaterials with an emphasis on dental composites. A selection of key publications (1 book, 35 scientific original publications and 1 website source) covering the areas nanotechnology, antimicrobial materials, stimuli responsive materials, self-repairing materials and materials for tissue engineering with direct or indirect relations and/or implications to resin-based dental materials is critically reviewed and discussed. Connections between these fields and their potential for resin-based dental materials are highlighted and put in perspective. The need to improve shrinkage properties and wear resistance is obvious for dental composites, and a vast number of attempts have been made to accomplish these aims. Future resin-based materials may be further improved in this respect if, for example nanotechnology is applied. Dental composites may, however, reach a completely new quality by utilizing new trends from materials science, such as introducing nanostructures, antimicrobial properties, stimuli responsive capabilities, the ability to promote tissue regeneration or repair of dental tissues if the composites were able to repair themselves. This paper shows selected potential future developments in the area of resin-based dental materials, gives basic and industrial researchers in dental materials science, and dental practitioners a glance into the potential future of these materials, and should stimulate discussion about needs and future developments in the area.

Evaluating a dental practice for purchase or associateship.

Science.gov (United States)

Diecidue, Robert J

2008-07-01

Private dental practice can be achieved through either outright ownership or an associateship in conjunction with senior dentists; the decision depends on personal and professional objectives and goals. Once a decision is made, the time and effort required to identify an appropriate practice, negotiate the terms of purchase or associateship, and transition to the new practice can be daunting. This article reviews the process and provides an overview of the general steps involved in the evaluation of a dental practice for purchase or associateship. With appropriate knowledge and preparation, due diligence, and ethical and sensitive behavior, transitioning to private practice can be successful and lead to professional and personal fulfillment.

Radiation in dental practice: awareness, protection and recommendations.

Science.gov (United States)

Praveen, B N; Shubhasini, A R; Bhanushree, R; Sumsum, P S; Sushma, C N

2013-01-01

Radiation is the transmission of energy through space and matter. There are several forms of radiation, including ionizing and nonionizing. X-rays are the ionizing radiation used extensively in medical and dental practice. Even though they provide useful information and aid in diagnosis, they also have the potential to cause harmful effects. In dentistry, it is mainly used for diagnostic purposes and in a dental set-up usually the practicing dentist exposes, processes and interprets the radiograph. Even though such exposure is less, it is critical to reduce the exposure to the dental personnel and patients in order to prevent the harmful effects of radiation. Several radiation protection measures have been advocated to ameliorate these effects. A survey conducted in the Bengaluru among practicing dentists revealed that radiation protection awareness was very low and the necessary measures taken to reduce the exposure were not adequate. The aim of the article is to review important parameters that must be taken into consideration in the clinical set-up to reduce radiation exposure to patients and dental personnel.

A national audit of Australian dental practice distribution: do all Australians get a fair deal?

Science.gov (United States)

Tennant, Marc; Kruger, Estie

2013-08-01

Australia is the sixth biggest (by area) country in the world, having a total area of about 7.5 million km(2) (3 million square miles). This study located every dental practice in the country (private and public) and mapped these practices against population. The total population of Australia (21.5 million) is distributed across 8,529 suburbs. On average about one-third of the population from each State lives in suburbs without practices and 46% live in suburbs with one to five dentists. Of those living within the study frameset, 86.6% live within 5 km of a private practice and 84.4% live within 10 km of a government practice. Australia's dental practices are distributed in a very uneven fashion across its vast area. Three-quarters of suburbs have no dental practice and over one-third of the population live in these suburbs. This research clearly identified that in a vast and uneven socio-geographically distributed country, service planning, if left to market forces, will end with a practice distribution that is fixed by economic drivers of scale and not that of disease burden. A more population health-driven approach to future design and construction of government safety net services is needed to address these disparities. © 2013 FDI World Dental Federation.

Psychosocial impact of anterior dental esthetics on periodontal health, dental caries, and oral hygiene practices in young adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Solomon, Deborah; Katz, Ralph V; Bush, Anneke C; Farley, Victoria K; McGerr, Trevor J; Min, Hoon; Carbonella, Anthony M; Kayne, Joseph D

2016-01-01

This study sought to determine whether the self-perceived image of a young adult's anterior dental esthetics is linked with periodontal health, dental caries, and oral hygiene practices. Two hundred subjects were assessed via a clinical examination, including intraoral photographs. The subjects were questioned about their demographics and oral hygiene practices and given the Psychosocial Impact of Dental Aesthetics Questionnaire (PIDAQ) to measure their self-perceived variables related to dental esthetics. A high PIDAQ score indicates a negative image of one's own dental esthetics, while a low PIDAQ score indicates a positive outlook. A self-perceived negative psychosocial impact of anterior dental esthetics was detected in subjects with higher levels of dental caries and visible gingival inflammation in the anterior region of the mouth.

Practice Options and Decision Making for Dental Students.

Science.gov (United States)

Manski, Richard J.

1987-01-01

One dental school implemented in its fourth-year curriculum an intensive simulation exercise to teach students the application of fundamental economic concepts such as capital costs, leasehold improvements, operating expenses, working capital, and financial risk in dental practice. (MSE)

Assessing the current state of dental informatics in saudi arabia: the new frontier.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Nasser, Lubna; Al-Ehaideb, Ali; Househ, Mowafa

2014-01-01

Dental informatics is an emerging field that has the potential to transform the dental profession. This study aims to summarize the current applications of dental informatics in Saudi Arabia and to identify the challenges facing expansion of dental informatics in the Saudi context. Search for published articles and specialized forum entries was conducted, as well as interviews with dental professionals familiar with the topic. Results indicated that digital radiography/analysis and administrative management of dental practice are the commonest applications used. Applications in Saudi dental education included: web-based learning systems, computer-based assessments and virtual technology for clinical skills' teaching. Patients' education software, electronic dental/oral health records and the potential of dental research output from electronic databases are yet to be achieved in Saudi Arabia. Challenges facing Saudi dental informatics include: lack of IT infrastructure/support, social acceptability and financial cost. Several initiatives are taken towards the research in dental informatics. Still, more investments are needed to fully achieve the potential of various application of informatics in dental education, practice and research.

An Update on Practice Management Instruction in U.S. Dental Schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian M. Lange

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Over the last twenty-seven years, the evaluation of practice management in dental schools has been documented by three studies. In twenty-seven years the teaching of practice management has been influenced by changes in the definition of practice manage-ment, resources available to dental schools, technology, changes in accreditation standards and, more recently, the influence of corporations marketing to dental students. In an effort to determine what resources dental schools are utilizing to teach practice management, fifty-seven schools were contacted, and fifty faculty members with teaching responsibilities were identified. An on-line email survey was administered and results reported at the 2011 meeting of the American Dental Education Association Section on Practice Management. At the section meeting breakout groups discussed two questions. First, identify innovative tools, methods and ideas in the area of practice management. Second, what changes may be necessary to meet recently updated accredi-tation standards 2-17 through 2-19. The recommendations of the breakout groups are presented in detail.

An Update on Practice Management Instruction in U.S. Dental Schools

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brian M Lange

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Over the last twenty-seven years, the evaluation of practice man-agement in dental schools has been documented by three studies. In twenty-seven years the teaching of practice management has been influenced by changes in the definition of practice manage-ment, resources available to dental schools, technology, changes in accreditation standards and, more recently, the influence of corpora-tions marketing to dental students. In an effort to determine what resources dental schools are utilizing to teach practice management, fifty-seven schools were contacted, and fifty faculty members with teaching responsibilities were identi-fied. An on-line email survey was administered and results reported at the 2011 meeting of the American Dental Education Association Section on Practice Management. At the section meeting breakout groups discussed two questions. First, identify innovative tools, methods and ideas in the area of practice management. Second, what changes may be necessary to meet recently updated accredi-tation standards 2-17 through 2-19. The recommendations of the breakout groups are presented in detail.

Considerations for use of dental photography and electronic media in dental education and clinical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Stieber, Jane C; Nelson, Travis; Huebner, Colleen E

2015-04-01

Photography and electronic media are indispensable tools for dental education and clinical practice. Although previous research has focused on privacy issues and general strategies to protect patient privacy when sharing clinical photographs for educational purposes, there are no published recommendations for developing a functional, privacy-compliant institutional framework for the capture, storage, transfer, and use of clinical photographs and other electronic media. The aims of this study were to research patient rights relating to electronic media and propose a framework for the use of patient media in education and clinical care. After a review of the relevant literature and consultation with the University of Washington's director of privacy and compliance and assistant attorney general, the researchers developed a privacy-compliant framework to ensure appropriate capture, storage, transfer, and use of clinical photography and electronic media. A four-part framework was created to guide the use of patient media that reflects considerations of patient autonomy and privacy, informed consent, capture and storage of media, and its transfer, use, and display. The best practices proposed for capture, storage, transfer, and use of clinical photographs and electronic media adhere to the health care code of ethics (based on patient autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, and veracity), which is most effectively upheld by a practical framework designed to protect patients and limit institutional liability. Educators have the opportunity and duty to convey these principles to students who will become the next generation of dentists, researchers, and educators.

Exposure control practices for administering nitrous oxide: A survey of dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants.

Science.gov (United States)

Boiano, James M; Steege, Andrea L; Sweeney, Marie H

2017-06-01

Engineering, administrative, and work practice controls have been recommended for many years to minimize exposure to nitrous oxide during dental procedures. To better understand the extent to which these exposure controls are used, the NIOSH Health and Safety Practices Survey of Healthcare Workers was conducted among members of professional practice organizations representing dentists, dental hygienists and dental assistants. The anonymous, modular, web-based survey was completed by 284 dental professionals in private practice who administered nitrous oxide to adult and/or pediatric patients in the seven days prior to the survey. Use of primary engineering controls (i.e., nasal scavenging mask and/or local exhaust ventilation (LEV) near the patient's mouth) was nearly universal, reported by 93% and 96% of respondents who administered to adult (A) and pediatric (P) patients, respectively. However, adherence to other recommended precautionary practices were lacking to varying degrees, and were essentially no different among those administering nitrous oxide to adult or pediatric patients. Examples of work practices which increase exposure risk, expressed as percent of respondents, included: not checking nitrous oxide equipment for leaks (41% A; 48% P); starting nitrous oxide gas flow before delivery mask or airway mask was applied to patient (13% A; 12% P); and not turning off nitrous oxide gas flow before turning off oxygen flow to the patient (8% A; 7% P). Absence of standard procedures to minimize worker exposure to nitrous oxide (13% of all respondents) and not being trained on safe handling and administration of nitrous oxide (3%) were examples of breaches of administrative controls which may also increase exposure risk. Successful management of nitrous oxide emissions should include properly fitted nasal scavenging masks, supplemental LEV (when nitrous oxide levels cannot be adequately controlled using nasal masks alone), adequate general ventilation, regular

Interacting institutional logics in general dental practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Rebecca; Holt, Robin

2013-10-01

We investigate the organisational field of general dental practice and how agents change or maintain the institution of values associated with the everyday work of health care provision. Our dataset comprise archival literature and policy documents, interview data from field level actors, as well as service delivery level interview data and secondary data gathered (2011-12) from 16 English dental practices. Our analysis provides a typology of institutional logics (prevailing systems of value) experienced in the field of dental practice. Confirming current literature, we find two logics dominate how care is assessed: business-like health care and medical professionalism. We advance the literature by finding the business-like health care logic further distinguished by values of commercialism on the one hand and those of accountability and procedural diligence on the other. The logic of professionalism we also find is further distinguished into a commitment to clinical expertise and independence in delivering patient care on the one hand, and concerns for the autonomy and sustainability of a business enterprise on the other. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Practice-Based Interdisciplinary Approach and Environmental Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ranjan Kumar Datta

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Interdisciplinary researchers and educators, as community members, creators of knowledge, and environmental activists and practitioners, have a responsibility to build a bridge between community practice, academic scholarship, and professional contributions aimed at establishing environmental sustainability. In this paper, I focus on an undervalued area of environmental politics, practices, and often unarticulated assumptions which underlie human–environmental relations. This article challenges interdisciplinary studies that are not connected with practice by reconfiguring the meaning of a community-based, interdisciplinary approach. Drawing from works by Foucault, Latour, and Haraway, this paper first shows how to reconfigure the meaning of an interdisciplinary approach. Second, using Bourdieu and Brightman’s ethnographic studies as a framework, the paper situates practice as central to our efforts to deconstruct and replace current interdisciplinary initiatives with a practice-based approach. Through a practice-based interdisciplinary approach (PIA, environmental educators and researchers gain an awareness of and learn to make an investment in sustainable communities. As teams of environmental researchers practising in the local community, they are meaningfully involved with the community, with each other, and with the environment.

The importance of good time management in supporting succesful dental practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mita Juliawati

2016-06-01

Full Text Available n the globalization and Asean Economic Community (MEA era, especially in the era of  competition and modern dentistry, dentists need increasing services in order to maintain and increase patient visits. Especially in patient’s complain about dental services that caused by unmanaged time, such as late dentist, long queue of patients and time inefficiency in dental practice. The objective of this review is to discuss the importance of good time management ’in supporting successful dental pratice. Time management is the act or process of planning and exercising conscious control over the amount of time spent on specific activities, especially to increase  effectiveness, efficiency or productivity. Implementation in dental practice are as follow: planning, scheduling and time organizing to avoid wasted time. Proper time management resulted in greater efficiency and productivity, professional reputation,reduces stress and improves the image of dental practices. Routine evaluation is needed to increase time management quality. Efficient time management in dental practice requires organizing  individual tasks, analizing daily task, scheduling main projects, establishing deadlines and organizing workflow. The implementation in dental practice like organizing patients, medical and non medical employee daily schedule, managing the patient’s queue to get the minimum waiting time and avoiding doctors being late in giving services to patient. Setting good time management will make the dentist's work 'smarter not harder' to get more results with limited time. In principle all medical and non-medical personnel should support the implementation of service excellence in the health care services especially dental practice. The final objective in realizing good time management in dental clinic is concerning in quality service and aims to achieve patient satisfaction (customer satisfaction that the end goal is a loyal patient, customer loyalty and

An appraisal of the quality of published qualitative dental research.

Science.gov (United States)

Masood, Mohd; Thaliath, Ebin T; Bower, Elizabeth J; Newton, J Timothy

2011-06-01

To appraise the quality of published qualitative research in dentistry and identify aspects of quality, which require attention in future research. Qualitative research studies on dental topics were appraised using the critical appraisal skills programme (CASP) appraisal framework for qualitative research. The percentage of CASP criteria fully met during the assessment was used as an indication of the quality of each paper. Individual criteria were not weighted. Forty-three qualitative studies were identified for appraisal of which 48% had a dental public health focus. Deficiencies in detail of reporting, research design, methodological rigour, presentation of findings, reflexivity, credibility of findings and relevance of study were identified. Problems with quality were apparent irrespective of journal impact factor, although papers from low impact factor journals exhibited the most deficiencies. Journals with the highest impact factors published the least qualitative research. The quality of much of the qualitative research published on dental topics is mediocre. Qualitative methods are underutilized in oral health research. If quality guidelines such as the CASP framework are used in the context of a thorough understanding of qualitative research design and data analysis, they can promote good practice and the systematic assessment of qualitative research. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The possible usability of three-dimensional cone beam computed dental tomography in dental research

Science.gov (United States)

Yavuz, I.; Rizal, M. F.; Kiswanjaya, B.

2017-08-01

The innovations and advantages of three-dimensional cone beam computed dental tomography (3D CBCT) are continually growing for its potential use in dental research. Imaging techniques are important for planning research in dentistry. Newly improved 3D CBCT imaging systems and accessory computer programs have recently been proven effective for use in dental research. The aim of this study is to introduce 3D CBCT and open a window for future research possibilities that should be given attention in dental research.

Oral hygiene practices and dental service utilization among pregnant women.

Science.gov (United States)

Boggess, Kim A; Urlaub, Diana M; Massey, Katie E; Moos, Merry-K; Matheson, Matthew B; Lorenz, Carol

2010-05-01

Daily oral hygiene and regular dental visits are important components of oral health care. The authors' objective in this study was to examine women's oral hygiene practices and use of dental services during pregnancy. The authors developed a written oral health questionnaire and administered it to 599 pregnant women. They collected demographic information, as well as data on oral hygiene practices and use of dental services during pregnancy. They used chi2 and multivariable logistic regression models to assess associations between oral hygiene practice and dental service use during pregnancy and to identify maternal predictor variables. Of the 599 participants, 83 percent (n=497) reported brushing once or twice per day. Twenty-four percent (n=141) reported flossing at least once daily; Hispanic women were more likely to floss than were white or African American women (28 percent [52 of 183] versus 22 percent [54 of 248] versus 19 percent [23 of 121], respectively, Pdental care during pregnancy. Hispanic women were significantly less likely than were black or white women to receive routine dental care during pregnancy (13 percent versus 21 percent versus 36 percent, respectively, Pdental care when not pregnant were significantly associated with lack of routine dental care during pregnancy (adjusted odds ratios, 95 percent confidence intervals: 2.56 [1.33-4.92]; 2.19 [1.11-4.29]; 2.02 [1.12-3.65]; 1.86 [1.13-3.07]; and 4.35 [2.5-7.69], respectively). A woman's lack of receiving routine dental care when not pregnant was the most significant predictor of lack of receiving dental care during pregnancy. Racial, ethnic and economic disparities related to oral hygiene practices and dental service utilization during pregnancy exist. Medical and dental care providers who treat women of reproductive age and pregnant women need to develop policy strategies to address this population's access barriers to, and use of, dental care services.

The Role of Health Services Research in Developing Practice Policy: Development of Practice Guidelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Crall, James J.

1990-01-01

The paper offers guidance for the incorporation of treatment effectiveness research into clinical dental practice guidelines. Recommended is inclusion of patients' preferences for different outcomes as well as of clinical outcomes in development of valid practice guidelines. (DB)

Fiducial-based fusion of 3D dental models with magnetic resonance imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Abdi, Amir H; Hannam, Alan G; Fels, Sidney

2018-04-16

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is widely used in study of maxillofacial structures. While MRI is the modality of choice for soft tissues, it fails to capture hard tissues such as bone and teeth. Virtual dental models, acquired by optical 3D scanners, are becoming more accessible for dental practice and are starting to replace the conventional dental impressions. The goal of this research is to fuse the high-resolution 3D dental models with MRI to enhance the value of imaging for applications where detailed analysis of maxillofacial structures are needed such as patient examination, surgical planning, and modeling. A subject-specific dental attachment was digitally designed and 3D printed based on the subject's face width and dental anatomy. The attachment contained 19 semi-ellipsoidal concavities in predetermined positions where oil-based ellipsoidal fiducial markers were later placed. The MRI was acquired while the subject bit on the dental attachment. The spatial position of the center of mass of each fiducial in the resultant MR Image was calculated by averaging its voxels' spatial coordinates. The rigid transformation to fuse dental models to MRI was calculated based on the least squares mapping of corresponding fiducials and solved via singular-value decomposition. The target registration error (TRE) of the proposed fusion process, calculated in a leave-one-fiducial-out fashion, was estimated at 0.49 mm. The results suggest that 6-9 fiducials suffice to achieve a TRE of equal to half the MRI voxel size. Ellipsoidal oil-based fiducials produce distinguishable intensities in MRI and can be used as registration fiducials. The achieved accuracy of the proposed approach is sufficient to leverage the merged 3D dental models with the MRI data for a finer analysis of the maxillofacial structures where complete geometry models are needed.

Is a practice-based rural research network feasible in Europe?

Science.gov (United States)

Klemenc-Ketis, Zalika; Kurpas, Donata; Tsiligianni, Ioanna; Petrazzuoli, Ferdinando; Jacquet, Jean-Pierre; Buono, Nicola; Lopez-Abuin, Jose; Lionis, Christos

2015-01-01

Research in family medicine is a well-established entity nationally and internationally, covering all aspects of primary care including remote and isolated practices. However, due to limited capacity and resources in rural family medicine, its potential is not fully exploited yet. An idea to foster European rural primary care research by establishing a practice-based research network has been recently put forward by several members of the European Rural and Isolated Practitioners Association (EURIPA) and the European General Practice Research Network (EGPRN). Two workshops on why, and how to design a practice-based research network among rural family practices in Europe were conducted at two international meetings. This paper revisits the definition of practice-based research in family medicine, reflects on the current situation in Europe regarding the research in rural family practice, and discusses a rationale for practice-based research in rural family medicine. A SWOT analysis was used as the main tool to analyse the current situation in Europe regarding the research in rural family practice at both meetings. The key messages gained from these meetings may be employed by the Wonca Working Party on research, the International Federation of Primary Care Research Network and the EGPRN that seek to introduce a practice-based research approach. The cooperation and collaboration between EURIPA and EGPRN creates a fertile ground to discuss further the prospect of a European practice-based rural family medicine research network, and to draw on the joint experience.

Code of Practice for the Protection of Persons against Ionizing Radiations arising from Medical and Dental Use

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1972-01-01

This Code is a revision of the 1964 Code of Practice for the protection of persons against ionizing radiations arising from medical and dental use. This revised Code (which does not have the force of law) applies to the use of ionizing radiations arising from all forms of medical and dental practice and from allied research involving human subjects. It covers both workers, patients and members of the public. Although the arrangements recommended relate primarily to institutions they should be applied, as far as possible, by all medical and dental practitioners. The Code has been drawn up in the light of the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and of the views of the Medical Research Council's Committee on Protection against Ionizing Radiations.

Ohio dentists' awareness and incorporation of the dental home concept.

Science.gov (United States)

Hammersmith, Kimberly J; Siegal, Mark D; Casamassimo, Paul S; Amini, Homa

2013-06-01

The authors measured the awareness of the dental home concept among pediatric dentists (PDs) and general practice dentists (GPs) in Ohio and determined whether they included dental home characteristics for children 5 years and younger into their practices. The authors sent a pretested 20-question survey to all Ohio PDs and to a random sample of approximately 20 percent of GPs in Ohio. The authors designed the survey to elicit information about dental home awareness and the extent to which dental home characteristics were incorporated into dental practices. More than 90 percent of both GPs and PDs incorporated or intended to incorporate into their dental practices the specific dental home characteristics mentioned in 20 of 41 items related to dental home characteristics. Of the respondents who did not already incorporate dental home characteristics into their practices, however, most did not intend to do so. Less than 50 percent of respondents in both groups responded positively to some items in the culturally effective group, and GPs were less likely than were PDs to provide a range of behavior management services and to provide treatment for patients with complex medical and dental treatment needs. PDs were more likely than were GPs to accept Ohio Medicaid (64 versus 33 percent). PDs were more likely than were GPs (78 versus 18 percent) to be familiar with the term "dental home." More recent dental school graduates were more familiar with the term. Most Ohio PDs' and GPs' practices included characteristics found in the definition of dental home, despite a general lack of concept awareness on the part of GPs. Research is needed to provide an evidence base for the dental home. Practical Implications. Once an evidence base is developed for the important aspects of the dental home and the definition is revised, efforts should be made to incorporate these aspects more broadly into dental practice.

A discourse on the nature of dental hygiene knowledge and knowing.

Science.gov (United States)

Cobban, S J; Edgington, E M; Myrick, F; Keenan, L

2009-02-01

Historically, dental hygiene has adopted theory and research from other health disciplines, without adequately modifying these concepts to reflect the unique dental hygiene practice context, leaving dental hygiene's research and theory base underdeveloped. Dental hygiene has yet to articulate its epistemological assumptions--the nature, scope and object of dental hygiene knowledge--or to fully describe the patterns of knowing that are brought to practice. This paper uses a method of inquiry from philosophy to begin the discourse about dental hygiene ways of knowing. In nursing, Carper identified four fundamental patterns of knowing: empirics or the science of nursing; aesthetics or the art of nursing; personal knowledge and ethical or moral knowledge. These patterns were used to explore this concept within dental hygiene. There is more to the nature of dental hygiene knowledge and knowing than rote application of technique-related or research-based information in practice, including judgements about when and how to use different types of information that are used. Currently, empirical forms of knowledge seem to be disproportionately valued, yet evidence was found for all of Carper's four patterns of knowing. Carper's work on patterns of knowing in nursing provided a useful framework to initiate the discourse on ways of knowing in dental hygiene. These results are submitted for others to challenge, refine and extend, for continuing the discussion. Dental hygiene leaders and scholars need to engage in discourse about extending the epistemological assumptions to reflect reality.

From production to performance: solving the positioning dilemma in dental practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, James; Pitt, Leyland; Berthon, Pierre

2006-09-01

Thriving dental practices are excellent at providing a warm personal experience or are efficient, fast and cost-effective. Those that that attempt to do both end up being mediocre at just about everything. Introducing ideas from dramaturgy and service simultaneity in the services marketing literature, the authors provide a model for the conceptualization and redesign of the dental practice. Successful dental practices will be those that concentrate on low customization of activities in the back office or high customization of activities in the front office.

Setting up a mobile dental practice within your present office structure.

Science.gov (United States)

Morreale, James P; Dimitry, Susan; Morreale, Mark; Fattore, Isabella

2005-02-01

Different service models have emerged in Canada and the United States to address the issue of senior citizens' lack of access to comprehensive dental care. Over the past decade, one such model, the use of mobile dental service units, has emerged as a practical strategy. This article describes a mobile unit, operated as an adjunct to the general practitioner's office and relying mainly on existing office resources, both human and capital, to deliver services at long-term care institutions. The essential components of a profitable geriatric mobile unit are described, including education, equipment, marketing research and development, and human resource management. Issues related to patient consent and operating expenditures are also discussed. Data from one practitioner's mobile dental unit, in Hamilton, Ontario, are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and profitability of this approach.

Dental Care Knowledge and Practice of a Group of Health Workers ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

importance to oral health cannot be overemphasized. Dental care is the practice of ... Keywords: Dental care, Health workers, Knowledge, Practice. Access this article online ..... The role of diet and nutrition in the etiology and prevention of oral ...

Building the dental dream team: behavioral styles in the practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Boswell, S

2000-08-15

There are four different behavioral styles evident in a dental team and in patients. The styles are based on observable behaviors relating to degrees of "assertiveness" and "responsiveness." The Behavioral Style model helps to clarify why some people relate positively with each other and why others may conflict. Using finely tuned observational skills and an understanding of these styles, interpersonal transactions can be more effective, dental teams become more cohesive, and patients will be more satisfied with service provided in the dental practice. Each member of the team should understand his/her own personal style and those of teammates. Once that understanding is gained by all, it may be effectively applied to understanding patients. Behavior modification is at the heart of this concept. Adjusting your own behavior to the needs of others enables a patient to achieve more comfort with the dental team, and they are more likely to hear your verbal messages.

Patient exposure in general dental practice in the Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velders, X.L.; Selling, H.A.

1988-01-01

To estimate the population risk due to dental radiography an investigation was started among 1200 dental practitioners. A questionnaire was set up to inventory commonly applied indications of X-ray examinations, the number of examinations and the organizational actions taken by the dentists to limit radiation doses to the patients. Information was gathered on the type of X-ray machines, the use of aiming devices, protective measurements for patients and dental staff, developing procedures and the type of films. A number of practical tests was applied to obtain a quantitative impression of patient doses in accordance with special circumstances. For the practical tests films and lithium fluoride TLD-100 chips (Harshaw) were used to determine the beam diameter, the exposure of the X-ray machine and the scatter at a set distance of the middle of the beam, developing circumstances as well as entrance and exist skin doses measured on the skin of a patient. The results of 544 dental practices will be discussed. Finally an estimation of the possible extent of reduction in patient exposure in the Netherlands will be made

Advocacy for the Provision of Dental Hygiene Services Within the Hospital Setting: Development of a Dental Hygiene Student Rotation.

Science.gov (United States)

Juhl, Jacqueline A; Stedman, Lynn

2016-06-01

Educational preparation of dental hygiene students for hospital-based practice, and advocacy efforts promote inclusion of dental hygienists within hospital-based interdisciplinary health care teams. Although the value of attending to the oral care needs of patients in critical care units has been recognized, the potential impact of optimal oral health care for the general hospital population is now gaining attention. This article describes a hospital-based educational experience for dental hygiene students and provides advocacy strategies for inclusion of dental hygienists within the hospital interdisciplinary team. The dental hygienist authors, both educators committed to evidence-based oral health care and the profession of dental hygiene, studied hospital health care and recognized a critical void in oral health care provision within that setting. They collaboratively developed and implemented a hospital-based rotation within the curriculum of a dental hygiene educational program and used advocacy skills to encourage hospital administrators to include a dental hygiene presence within hospital-based care teams. Hospital-based dental hygiene practice, as part of interprofessional health care delivery, has the potential to improve patient well-being, shorten hospital stays, and provide fiscal savings for patients, institutions, and third party payers. Advocacy efforts can promote dental hygienists as members of hospital-based health care teams. Further research is needed to document: (1) patient outcomes resulting from optimal oral care provision in hospitals; (2) best ways to prepare dental hygienists for career opportunities within hospitals and other similar health care settings; and (3) most effective advocacy strategies to promote inclusion of dental hygienists within care teams. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Code of Practice for the Protection of Persons against Ionizing Radiations arising from Medical and Dental Use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1972-01-01

This Code is a revision of the 1964 Code of Practice for the protection of persons against ionizing radiations arising from medical and dental use. This revised Code (which does not have the force of law) applies to the use of ionizing radiations arising from all forms of medical and dental practice and from allied research involving human subjects. It covers both workers, patients and members of the public. Although the arrangements recommended relate primarily to institutions they should be applied, as far as possible, by all medical and dental practitioners. The Code has been drawn up in the light of the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and of the views of the Medical Research Council's Committee on Protection against Ionizing Radiations. (NEA) [fr

Contributions of qualitative research to evidence-based practice in nursing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ailinger Rita L.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available AIM: This article aims to identify the contributions of qualitative research to evidence-based practice in nursing. BACKGROUND: Qualitative research dates back to the 1920s and 1930s, when anthropologists and sociologists used qualitative research methods to study human phenomena in naturalistic settings and from a holistic viewpoint. Afterwards, other subject matters, including nursing, adopted qualitative methods to answer their research questions. The restructuring of health care over the past decade has brought about increased accountability in nursing research. One method for increasing this accountability is evidence-based practice. METHOD: The method used was a search in the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature database from 1999-present. The search resulted in 61 citations for evidence-based practice in nursing research; however, only 5 citations focused on evidence-based practice and qualitative research. FINDINGS: The authors' findings revealed six contributions of qualitative research to evidence-based practice: generation of hypotheses; development and validation of instruments; provision of context for evaluation; development of nursing interventions; development of new research questions; and application of Qualitative Outcome Analysis. CONCLUSION: Qualitative research makes important contributions to the quality of evidence-based practice.

[Men who have sex with men and human immunodeficiency virus testing in dental practice].

Science.gov (United States)

Elizondo, Jesús Eduardo; Treviño, Ana Cecilia; Violant, Deborah; Rivas-Estilla, Ana María; Álvarez, Mario Moisés

To explore the attitudes of men who have sex with men (MSM) towards the implementation of rapid HIV-1/2 testing in the dental practice, and to evaluate MSM's perceptions of stigma and discrimination related to sexual orientation by dental care professionals. Cross-sectional study using a self-administered, anonymous, structured analytical questionnaire answered by 185 MSM in Mexico. The survey included sociodemographic variables, MSM's perceptions towards public and private dental providers, and dental services, as well as their perception towards rapid HIV-1/2 testing in the dental practice. In addition, the perception of stigma and discrimination associated with their sexual orientation was explored by designing a psychometric Likert-type scale. The statistical analysis included factor analysis and non-hierarchical cluster analysis. 86.5% of the respondents expressed their willingness to take a rapid HIV-1/2 screening test during their dental visit. Nevertheless, 91.9% of them considered it important that dental professionals must be well-trained before administering any rapid HIV-1/2 tests. Factor analysis revealed two factors: experiences of sexual orientation stigma and discrimination in dental settings, and feelings of concern about the attitude of the dentist and dental staff towards their sexual orientation. Based on these factors and cluster analysis, three user profiles were identified: users who have not experienced stigma and discrimination (90.3%); users who have not experienced stigma and discrimination, but feel a slight concern (8.1%), and users who have experienced some form of discrimination and feel concern (1.6%). The dental practice may represent a potential location for rapid HIV-1/2 testing contributing to early HIV infection diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Are advertisements in dental journals supported by an appropriate evidence-base?

Science.gov (United States)

Chestnutt, Ivor G; Hardy, Robert

2013-09-01

Dental professionals are constantly exposed to advertisements in the dental literature. These promote products, either for use in the operatory or to recommend to patients. In an era of evidence-based practice, what references are provided to support claims made by the advertisers? This study aimed to determine if advertisements in four major dental journals, whose target audience is general dental practitioners, were supported by an appropriate evidence-base, readily accessible to readers. The 2010 printed volumes of the Australian Dental Journal, British Dental Journal, Dental Update and the Journal of the American Dental Association were hand searched to identify advertisements which made a claim of clinical benefit or superiority to competing products. Advertisements were categorized according to type of product being promoted and the availability, nature and number of any supporting references was recorded. Repeated advertisements were analyzed only once. A total of 390 advertisements were identified and 369 made a claim of benefit or superiority. When the 222 duplicates of the same advertisement were removed, 147 unique advertisements remained. Of these: 54 (37%) were advertisements related to dental devices for in-surgery use; 44 (30%) for dental materials, and 27 (18%) for dentifrices/medicaments. 113 (76.9%) advertisements offered no evidential support for claims made. Of the 34 advertisements that provided evidential support, only 20 provided a complete reference that could readily be sourced by an interested reader: 15 articles in refereed journals; 5 data on file; 3 in-house studies and combinations thereof. Four references were not accessible due to incomplete referencing. Two advertisements provided evidence that was not relevant to the product being advertised. The majority of advertisements in the dental literature do not provide an adequate evidence-base, readily available to readers, to support the claims being made. If evidence-based practice is

Infection control practice in private dental laboratories in Riyadh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

AlKheraif, Abdulaziz A; Mobarak, Fahmy A

2008-01-01

In view of the risk of infection of dental health care workers and patients, interruption of possible chains of infection is to be demanded. The objective of this study was to assess infection control practice in private dental laboratories in Riyadh City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted on thirty-two private dental laboratories in Riyadh City regarding infection control practiced by these laboratories. The instrument of the study consisted of ten open-ended questions that were asked from the laboratories directors. A large percentage of the surveyed laboratories (87.5 %) did not implement any infection control protocol during their practice. The mean number of impressions received per week was 16. Most of the surveyed laboratories (90.6 %) had no way of communication with the clinics regarding the disinfection procedures. The results indicated that 62.5 % of the laboratories reported that they were aware that they may get infection from non-disinfected items. Only a small percentage (6.2%) of the laboratories added disinfecting agent to pumice slurry. Wearing laboratory coats was reported by 75% of the laboratory workers. The use of gloves during work was reported by 59.3% of the laboratories while 56.2% reported the use protective eyewear. Only 21.8% of the laboratories use face masks during work. Construction of infection control manuals that contain updated and recommended guidelines to ensure aseptic practice in private dental laboratories is highly recommended. Also, a way of communication between dentists and dental technicians regarding disinfection of laboratory items should be strongly encouraged. (author)

Alternative practices of achieving anaesthesia for dental procedures: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Angelo, Zavattini; Polyvios, Charalambous

2018-04-01

Managing pain and anxiety in patients has always been an essential part of dentistry. To prevent pain, dentists administer local anaesthesia (LA) via a needle injection. Unfortunately, anxiety and fear that arise prior to and/or during injection remains a barrier for many children and adults from receiving dental treatment. There is a constant search for techniques to alleviate the invasive and painful nature of the needle injection. In recent years, researchers have developed alternative methods which enable dental anaesthesia to be less invasive and more patient-friendly. The aim of this review is to highlight the procedures and devices available which may replace the conventional needle-administered local anaesthesia. The most known alternative methods in providing anaesthesia in dentistry are: topical anaesthesia, electronic dental anaesthesia, jet-injectors, iontophoresis, and computerized control local anaesthesia delivery systems. Even though these procedures are well accepted by patients to date, it is the authors' opinion that the effectiveness practicality of such techniques in general dentistry is not without limitations.

Physician opportunity costs for performing practice-based research.

Science.gov (United States)

Hahn, D L

2000-11-01

An inverse association has been documented between the magnitude of patient care responsibilities (health maintenance organization penetration) and the amount of clinical research produced by academic medical centers. The output of academic family practice research is affected by this calculus. This article presents evidence that current market-place demands to increase patient care services may have an even greater impact on nonacademic family practice clinician researchers involved in practice-based research (PBR).

[Assessment of decontamination processes: cleaning, disinfection and sterilization in dental practice in Poland in the years 2011-2012].

Science.gov (United States)

Röhm-Rodowald, Ewa; Jakimiak, Bozenna; Chojecka, Agnieszka; Zmuda-Baranowska, Magdalena; Kanclerski, Krzysztof

2012-01-01

Effective decontamination of instruments is a key element of infection control and the provision of high quality in dental care. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficiency of decontamination procedures including cleaning, disinfection and sterilization of re-usable instruments in dental practices in Poland. The efficiency of disinfection and sterilization processes have been evaluated on the results of the questionnaires. The following information were taken into account: setting where disinfection and sterilization had been performed, preparation of dental equipment for sterilization (disinfection, washing and cleaning, packaging), the types of autoclaves and used types of sterilization cycles, routine monitoring and documentation of sterilization processes, treatment of handpieces and the frequency of surface decontamination. Data were collected from 43 dental practices (35 dental offices and 8 clinics). Disinfection and cleaning processes were performed manually in 63% of dental offices and ultrasonic baths were used in 53% of settings. Washer disinfectors were used in 23% of dental practices: in every researched clinic and in a few dental offices. All sterilization processes were performed in steam autoclaves, mainly in small steam sterilizers (81%). Dental handpieces were sterilized in 72% of practices, but only 33% of them performed sterilization in recommended cycle B. Sterilization processes were monitored with chemical indicators in 33% of practices. Biological monitoring of the processes was carried out at different intervals. Incorrect documentation of instruments and surfaces decontamination was recorded in several settings. There is still a need for improvement of decontamination processes in dental practice in Poland. Areas for improvement include: replacement of manual cleaning and disinfection processes with automatic processes, sterilization of dental handpieces after each patient, monitoring of a sterilization process with chemical and

Evidence-based practice curriculum in allied health professions for teaching-research-practice nexus.

Science.gov (United States)

Asokan, G V

2012-11-01

Allied healthcare workers are from diverse professions and the key skill required is providing evidence-based care but this concept has not permeated enough for using it skillfully in their professions. A well structured curriculum in allied health professions is needed to strengthen concerted teaching, research, and practice to empower their professionals and make considerable differences in the lives of people by adopting evidence-based practice. Information sources for allied health professionals have relied on advice of their supervisors and colleagues, personal experiences, authoritative theory and texts for practice. Because of "research-practice" gap, often the use of evidence is not reflected in an individual day to day professional practice. Although allied health professionals work in resource and evidence challenged settings, there are certain barriers and facilitators, which need to be addressed. To implement practice-related research findings and uptake of evidence requires two essential components, namely, practical component and knowledge component. Research bench marking and research metrics for quality assurance and standardization through evidence-based practice will promote academic status and credibility of allied health profession. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

Dental Hygiene Realpolitik Affecting Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Bader, James D.

1991-01-01

Current conditions in dental hygiene influencing professional education are discussed. Workplace/practice issues include dental hygiene care as a component of dental practice, content, effects, and quality of care, hygienist supply and demand, and job satisfaction. Professional issues include the knowledge base, definitions of practice, and…

Developing a national dental education research strategy: priorities, barriers and enablers.

Science.gov (United States)

Ajjawi, Rola; Barton, Karen L; Dennis, Ashley A; Rees, Charlotte E

2017-03-29

This study aimed to identify national dental education research (DER) priorities for the next 3-5 years and to identify barriers and enablers to DER. Scotland. In this two-stage online questionnaire study, we collected data with multiple dental professions (eg, dentistry, dental nursing and dental hygiene) and stakeholder groups (eg, learners, clinicians, educators, managers, researchers and academics). Eighty-five participants completed the Stage 1 qualitative questionnaire and 649 participants the Stage 2 quantitative questionnaire. Eight themes were identified at Stage 1. Of the 24 DER priorities identified, the top three were: role of assessments in identifying competence; undergraduate curriculum prepares for practice and promoting teamwork. Following exploratory factor analysis, the 24 items loaded onto four factors: teamwork and professionalism, measuring and enhancing performance, dental workforce issues and curriculum integration and innovation. Barriers and enablers existed at multiple levels: individual, interpersonal, institutional structures and cultures and technology. This priority setting exercise provides a necessary first step to developing a national DER strategy capturing multiple perspectives. Promoting DER requires improved resourcing alongside efforts to overcome peer stigma and lack of valuing and motivation. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

First aid in the dental practice: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Jevon, P

2016-06-24

First aid encompasses a wide range of scenarios ranging from simple reassurance following a minor mishap to dealing with a life-threatening emergency. Dentists may need to provide first aid in their dental practice to a patient, relative or member of staff. This article provides an overview to first aid in the dental practice, including priorities, responsibilities when providing first aid, assessment of the environment and the casualty (primary survey &secondary survey). The new A3 'First Aid in the Workplace' poster is now available and is included as an insert in this issue (BDJ Vol. 220, Issue 12).

Mercury and Other Biomedical Waste Management Practices among Dental Practitioners in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raghuwar D. Singh

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives. The objective of the study was to assess the awareness and performance towards dental waste including mercury management policy and practices among the dental practitioners in North India. Materials and Methods. An epidemiologic survey was conducted among 200 private dental practitioners. The survey form was composed of 29 self-administered questions frame based on knowledge, attitude, and those regarding the practices of dentists in relation to dental health-care waste management. The resulting data were coded and a statistical analysis was done. Results and Discussion. About 63.7% of the dentists were not aware of the different categories of biomedical waste generated in their clinics. Only 31.9% of the dentists correctly said that outdated and contaminated drugs come under cytotoxic waste. 46.2% said they break the needle and dispose of it and only 21.9% use needle burner to destroy it. 45.0% of the dentists dispose of the developer and fixer solutions by letting them into the sewer, 49.4% of them dilute the solutions and let them into sewer and only 5.6% return them to the supplier. About 40.6% of the dentists dispose of excess silver amalgam by throwing it into common bin. Conclusion. It was concluded that not all dentists were aware of the risks they were exposed to and only half of them observe infection control practices.

Prevalence of Recommendations Made Within Dental Research Articles Using Uncontrolled Intervention or Observational Study Designs.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, M K; Chestnutt, I G

2016-03-01

Evidence to inform clinical practice is reliant on research carried out using appropriate study design. The objectives of this work were to (i) identify the prevalence of articles reporting on human studies using uncontrolled intervention or observational research designs published in peer-reviewed dental journals and (ii) determine the nature of recommendations made by these articles. Six peer-reviewed dental journals were selected. Issues published in January to June 2013 were examined and the types of articles published categorized. Following pre-defined inclusion/exclusion criteria, human studies classified as using uncontrolled intervention or observational research designs were subject to detailed review by two independent investigators, to examine if they presented clinical, policy or research recommendations and if these recommendations were supported by the data presented. 52.9% (n = 156) of studies published during the time period met the inclusion criteria. Studies with uncontrolled intervention or observational research designs comprised a larger proportion of the primary research studies published in the journals with lower impact factors (73.3%; n = 107) compared to the high impact journals (38.9%; n = 49). Analysis showed that 60.9% (n = 95) of the included studies made recommendations for clinical practice/dental policy. In 28.2% (n = 44) of studies, the clinical/policy recommendations made were judged to not be fully supported by the data presented. Many studies published in the current dental literature, which are not considered to produce strong evidence, make recommendations for clinical practice or policy. There were some cases when the recommendations were not fully supported by the data presented. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Uniform-related infection control practices of dental students

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Aljohani Y

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Yazan Aljohani,1 Mohammed Almutadares,1 Khalid Alfaifi,1 Mona El Madhoun,1 Maysoon H Albahiti,2 Nadia Al-Hazmi3 1Internship Program, Faculty of dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, 2Department of Endodontics, King Abdulaziz University, 3Department of Oral Biology, King Abdulaziz University, Faculty of Dentistry, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Background: Uniform-related infection control practices are sometimes overlooked and underemphasized. In Saudi Arabia, personal protective equipment must meet global standards for infection control, but the country’s Islamic legislature also needs to be taken into account. Aim: To assess uniform-related infection control practices of a group of dental students in a dental school in Saudi Arabia and compare the results with existing literature related to cross-contamination through uniforms in the dental field. Method: A questionnaire was formulated and distributed to dental students at King Abdulaziz University Faculty of Dentistry in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which queried the students about their uniform-related infection control practices and their methods and frequency of laundering and sanitizing their uniforms, footwear, and name tags. Results: There is a significant difference between genders with regard to daily uniform habits. The frequency of uniform washing was below the standard and almost 30% of students were not aware of how their uniforms are washed. Added to this, there is no consensus on a unified uniform for male and female students. Conclusion: Information on preventing cross-contamination through wearing uniforms must be supplied, reinforced, and emphasized while taking into consideration the cultural needs of the Saudi society. Keywords: cross-contamination, infection control, dental students, uniforms

Survey of radiologic practices among dental practitioners

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goren, A.D.; Sciubba, J.J.; Friedman, R.; Malamud, H.

1989-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence and contribute to patient exposure in radiologic procedures performed in the offices of 132 staff members within the dental department of a teaching hospital. A questionnaire was prepared in which data were requested on brands of film used, type of x-ray unit used, processing, and use of leaded apron, cervical shield, and film holder. Offices were also visited to evaluate performance of existing dental x-ray equipment. Both the Dental Radiographic Normalizing and Monitoring Device and the Dental Quality Control Test Tool were evaluated. The average exposure was equivalent to the class D film (220 mR), but only 13% of those surveyed used the faster class E film, which would reduce patient exposure in half. The survey indicates that dentists are not using the newer low-exposure class E film in their practices

How to do a grounded theory study: a worked example of a study of dental practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Sbaraini, Alexandra; Carter, Stacy M; Evans, R Wendell; Blinkhorn, Anthony

2011-09-09

Qualitative methodologies are increasingly popular in medical research. Grounded theory is the methodology most-often cited by authors of qualitative studies in medicine, but it has been suggested that many 'grounded theory' studies are not concordant with the methodology. In this paper we provide a worked example of a grounded theory project. Our aim is to provide a model for practice, to connect medical researchers with a useful methodology, and to increase the quality of 'grounded theory' research published in the medical literature. We documented a worked example of using grounded theory methodology in practice. We describe our sampling, data collection, data analysis and interpretation. We explain how these steps were consistent with grounded theory methodology, and show how they related to one another. Grounded theory methodology assisted us to develop a detailed model of the process of adapting preventive protocols into dental practice, and to analyse variation in this process in different dental practices. By employing grounded theory methodology rigorously, medical researchers can better design and justify their methods, and produce high-quality findings that will be more useful to patients, professionals and the research community.

How to do a grounded theory study: a worked example of a study of dental practices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evans R

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Qualitative methodologies are increasingly popular in medical research. Grounded theory is the methodology most-often cited by authors of qualitative studies in medicine, but it has been suggested that many 'grounded theory' studies are not concordant with the methodology. In this paper we provide a worked example of a grounded theory project. Our aim is to provide a model for practice, to connect medical researchers with a useful methodology, and to increase the quality of 'grounded theory' research published in the medical literature. Methods We documented a worked example of using grounded theory methodology in practice. Results We describe our sampling, data collection, data analysis and interpretation. We explain how these steps were consistent with grounded theory methodology, and show how they related to one another. Grounded theory methodology assisted us to develop a detailed model of the process of adapting preventive protocols into dental practice, and to analyse variation in this process in different dental practices. Conclusions By employing grounded theory methodology rigorously, medical researchers can better design and justify their methods, and produce high-quality findings that will be more useful to patients, professionals and the research community.

Preparedness and Practice Management Skills of Graduating Dental Students Entering the Work Force

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Jane Manakil

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Dental education aims to produce competent graduates with the ability to provide quality care to the patients and facilitate the smooth integration into professional practice. The objective of this study was to explore the overall preparedness of graduands for integrating into professional practice. The survey was tested for reliability and analysed the career paths, learning preferences, overall knowledge, and confidence amongst graduating dentists in integrating and managing a dental practice on graduation. Sixty-nine students (89.6% in age group of 20–50 years participated in the study. Students indicated a high level of confidence in their skills and ability to work in a team in a practice or collaboratively with other colleagues and specialists but expressed some reservation on their practice management skills (73.1%. Challenges in gaining employment and pressures to repay educational debts are amongst the reasons for graduands preferring a paid job immediately on graduation regardless of demographics. Students indicated that an increase in speciality training and clinical/outreach placements could enhance employability. This study explores the students’ perception of their confidences, knowledge, learning preferences, and practice management skills as a method of evaluating their preparedness to practice on graduation and provides a base line for curriculum structuring to prepare graduands to enter the competitive dental work force.

Methods dentists use to diagnose primary caries lesions prior to restorative treatment: findings from The Dental PBRN

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rindal, D Brad; Gordan, Valeria V; Litaker, Mark S

2010-01-01

To (1) quantify the diagnostic techniques used by Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN) dentists before they decide to treat primary caries lesions surgically and (2) examine whether certain dentist, practice, and patient characteristics are associated with their use.......To (1) quantify the diagnostic techniques used by Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN) dentists before they decide to treat primary caries lesions surgically and (2) examine whether certain dentist, practice, and patient characteristics are associated with their use....

Periodontic course effects on knowledge, attitude, and practice of dentistry students and its impact on mouth and dental care

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Mahmoud Shamaiee

2002-10-01

Full Text Available Background In the field of education, a great deal of quality improvement is remained to be achieved Assessment of educational courses appears to be necessary for quality improvement in all curriculums, therefore studies for assessment of educational outcomes and impacts are of high priority. In a dentistry faculty, the mouth and dental health care among dentistry students can be considered as a potential indicator of students' educational achievement. Purpose To study knowledge, attitude and practice impact on mouth and dental health care among dentistry faculty students both before and after passing practical periodontic courses in Shaheed University of Medical Sciences during academic year 2001-2002 Methods In this cross-sectional study 140 students of dentistry faculty of Shaheed University of Medical Sciences took part. Necessary data were collected by means of a questionnaire. Knowledge of the subjects on mouth and dental health care were assessed by 10 close-ended questions and their altitude on mouth and dental health care were assessed by 5 Likert scale questions. Assessment of practice was performed in a 3-step researcher-administrated interview. Results Demographic data gathered via questionnaires indicated that 49.6 % {6-1 students of the students who took part in the study were male and 50.4% (65 students were female. of our participants, 59.7% were admitted through Shahed quota, while the rest were admitted through free quota. There was no significant difference in students' knowledge, attitude and practice on mouth and dental health care between the students who had not passed practical courses in periodontics and those who had passed these courses. Conclusions There was no significant association between knowledge, altitude and practice on mouth and dental health care and passing practical courses in periodontics among dentistry faculty students in Shahed University of Medical Science. Our results suggest that students' practice

How Research Training Will Shape the Future of Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research.

Science.gov (United States)

D'Souza, Rena N; Colombo, John S

2017-09-01

This is a critical time in the history of the dental profession for it to fully embrace the responsibility to safeguard its reputation as a learned profession. In this golden era of scientific and technological advances, opportunities abound to create new diagnostics, preventions, treatments, and cures to improve oral health. Dental schools are the largest national resource entrusted with the responsibility to educate, train, and retain oral health researchers who can leverage such technologies and research opportunities that will benefit the profession at large as well as patients. This article reemphasizes the theme that research training and scholarship must be inextricably woven into the environment and culture in dental schools to ensure the future standing of the profession. An overview of the history of support provided by the National Institutes of Health and National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research for the training and career development of dentist-scientists is presented. In addition, new data on the outcomes of such investments are presented along with a comparison with other health professions. This overview underscores the need to expand the capacity of a well-trained cadre of oral health researchers through the reengineering of training programs. Such strategies will best prepare future graduates for team science, clinical trials, and translational research as well as other emerging opportunities. The urgent need for national organizations like the American Dental Association, American Dental Education Association, and American Association for Dental Research to create new alliances and novel initiatives to assist dental schools and universities in fulfilling their research mission is emphasized. To ignore such calls for action is to disavow a valuable legacy inherited by the dental profession. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21 st Century."

Hygienic bases of professiographic assessment of dental specialties and prospects of its use in the practice of modern preventive medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panchuk O.Y.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Professiography of work activity is an important part of a modern system of professional orientation. In the course of research aimed at developing hygienic bases of professiographic assessment of the major dental specialties and determining prospects for its use in the practice of modern preventive medicine it was found, that in the structure of psychophysiological functions, reflecting peculiarities of higher nervous activity of the organism and necessary for successful mastery of dental specialties, professionally-important functions should be considered such things as balance and mobility of nervous processes, strength of excitation and inhibition processes, speed of differentiated visual-motor reactions and endurance of the nervous system; in the structure of psychophysiological functions that reflect features of visual sensory system of the organism – the most important indicators are visual acuity, critical rate of fusion of light nictations, differentiated linear good eye, speed of visual perception and differential light sensitivity; in the structure of psychophysiological functions, reflecting features of somatosensory analyzer of the organism – the most important their characteristics are overall coordination, combined coordination of arm movements, coordination of arms under the control of vision and coordination of movements of the fingers.

Making Theory Come Alive through Practice-based Design Research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Markussen, Thomas; Knutz, Eva; Rind Christensen, Poul

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how practice-based design research is able not only to challenge, but also to push toward further development of some of the basic assumpstions in emotion theories as used within design research. In so doing, we wish to increase knolwedge on a central...... epistemological question for design research, namely how practice-based design research can be a vehicle for the construction of new theory for design research....

Prevalence of pain in the orofacial regions in patients visiting general dentists in the Northwest Practice-based REsearch Collaborative in Evidence-based DENTistry research network.

Science.gov (United States)

Horst, Orapin V; Cunha-Cruz, Joana; Zhou, Lingmei; Manning, Walter; Mancl, Lloyd; DeRouen, Timothy A

2015-10-01

This study aimed to measure prevalence of pain in the orofacial regions and determine association with demographics, treatment history, and oral health conditions in dental patients visiting clinics in the Northwest Practice-based REsearch Collaborative in Evidence-based DENTistry (PRECEDENT) research network. Data were recorded in a survey with systematic random sampling of patients (n = 1,668, 18 to 93 years old, 56% female) visiting 100 general dentists in the Northwest PRECEDENT research network. Prevalence ratios (PR) of orofacial pain by each variable were estimated by generalized estimating equations for Poisson regression. The prevalence of orofacial pain during the past year was 16.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.4-18.9), of which the most prevalent pain locations were dentoalveolar (9.1%; 95% CI, 7.0-11.2) and musculoligamentous tissues (6.6%; 95% CI, 4.5-8.7). Other locations included soft tissues (0.5%; 95% CI, 0.2-0.8) and nonspecific areas (0.6%; 95% CI, 0.2-1.0). The prevalence of dentoalveolar but not musculoligamentous pain decreased with age. When comparing the 18- to 29-year-old patients, dentoalveolar pain decreased significantly in 45- to 64-year-old patients (PR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.4-0.9) and in those 65 years or older (PR, 0.5; 95% CI, 0.3-0.9). Sex significantly affected the prevalence of musculoligamentous but not dentoalveolar pain. Women (PR, 3.2; 95% CI, 2.0-5.1) were more likely to have musculoligamentous pain. The prevalence of dentoalveolar and musculoligamentous pain did not vary significantly by ethnicity. Dentoalveolar pain was reported more frequently in patients who did not receive dental maintenance (PR, 2.9; 95% CI, 2.1-4.2) and those visiting community-based public health clinics (PR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.2-3.7). One in 6 patients visiting a general dentist had experienced orofacial pain during the past year. Dentoalveolar and musculoligamentous pains were the most prevalent types of pain. Pain in the muscles and

Protocol for Northern Ireland Caries Prevention in Practice Trial (NIC-PIP) trial: a randomised controlled trial to measure the effects and costs of a dental caries prevention regime for young children attending primary care dental services.

Science.gov (United States)

Tickle, Martin; Milsom, Keith M; Donaldson, Michael; Killough, Seamus; O'Neill, Ciaran; Crealey, Grainne; Sutton, Matthew; Noble, Solveig; Greer, Margaret; Worthington, Helen V

2011-10-10

Dental caries is a persistent public health problem with little change in the prevalence in young children over the last 20 years. Once a child contracts the disease it has a significant impact on their quality of life. There is good evidence from Cochrane reviews including trials that fluoride varnish and regular use of fluoride toothpaste can prevent caries. The Northern Ireland Caries Prevention in Practice Trial (NIC-PIP) trial will compare the costs and effects of a caries preventive package (fluoride varnish, toothpaste, toothbrush and standardised dental health education) with dental health education alone in young children. A randomised controlled trial on children initially aged 2 and 3 years old who are regular attenders at the primary dental care services in Northern Ireland. Children will be recruited and randomised in dental practices. Children will be randomised to the prevention package of both fluoride varnish (twice per year for three years), fluoride toothpaste (1,450 ppm F) (supplied twice per year), a toothbrush (supplied twice a year) or not; both test and control groups receive standardised dental health education delivered by the dentist twice per year. Randomisation will be conducted by the Belfast Trust Clinical Research Support Centre ([CRSC] a Clinical Trials Unit). 1200 participants will be recruited from approximately 40 dental practices. Children will be examined for caries by independent dental examiners at baseline and will be excluded if they have caries. The independent dental examiners will examine the children again at 3 years blinded to study group.The primary end-point is whether the child develops caries (cavitation into dentine) or not over the three years. One secondary outcome is the number of carious surfaces in the primary dentition in children who experience caries. Other secondary outcomes are episodes of pain, extraction of primary teeth, other adverse events and costs which will be obtained from parental

Practices participating in a dental PBRN have substantial and advantageous diversity even though as a group they have much in common with dentists at large

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Makhija, Sonia K; Gilbert, Gregg H; Rindal, D Brad

2009-01-01

, their importance is even further elevated. Our objective was to determine whether we met a key objective for The Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN): to recruit a diverse range of practitioner-investigators interested in doing DPBRN studies. METHODS: DPBRN participants completed an enrollment...... DPBRN-participating dentists, their practices, and their patient populations. CONCLUSION: Although as a group, participants have much in common with practices at large; their substantial diversity offers important advantages, such as being able to evaluate how practice differences may affect treatment...... outcomes, while simultaneously offering generalizability to dentists at large. This should help foster knowledge transfer in both the research-to-practice and practice-to-research directions....

The Role of Research in Advanced Dental Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Profitt, William R.; Vig, Peter S.

1980-01-01

Even though research is an integral part of quality advanced dental programs, many dental departments with postdoctoral programs lack faculty and other resources for research productivity. Programs to produce clinical faculty with research training are called for through the development of clinical research centers. (JSR)

The Evaluation of Relationship between Self-efficacy in Research and Research Performance of Dental Student, of Yazd Dental College in 2014

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AR Davari

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Achieve to maximum progress and improvement, just depends on addressing targeted research investment and investment of researchers and students. So, the present study was accomplished by the aim of evaluation of the relationship between self-efficacy in research and research performance of dental student of Yazd Dental College in 2014.   Methods: In this cross-sectional study, all interns and assistants in Yazd Dental School were participated. The required data were collected by using the Self-efficacy in Research and Research Performance questionnaire plus demographic variables (age, sex and duration of using denture. The data were analyzed by SPSS ver.16 using ANOVA, T-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient.   Results: In the present study, 80 students with the mean age 27.30±4.67 years were participated. Twenty-two students (27.5% were males and 58 (72.5% were females. The overall mean of self-efficacy in research was 159.79 ± 27.69. And the mean of research performance was 11.02 ± 16.37. The results showed that there was a significant and positive relationship between the overall scale of self-efficacy and research (p-value=0.004,r= .03. Based on the age, there was no significant difference in the mean score of self-efficacy in research in all aspects but in the areas of skills and expertise   (p>0.05. There was a significant difference in the mean score of research performance in terms of the age(p-value=0.023. There was no statistical significant between the overall mean score and the score of seven parts of self-efficacy in research and research performance in the terms of sex (P>0.05.   Conclusions: Regarding the association of self-efficacy in research with research performance of dental students, it can be stated that awareness of the level of self efficacy in research can lead to better planning for improving the research performance.

[Assessment of disinfection and sterilization processes in dental practice as an important factors in prevention of infections].

Science.gov (United States)

Podgórska, Marta; Jakimiak, Bozenna; Röhm-Rodowald, Ewa; Chojecka, Agnieszka

2009-01-01

The dental health-care settings is an environment where disease transmission occurs easily. Prevention of cross infection is therefore a crucial aspect of dental practice and dental clinic stuffmust adopt certain basic routines while practicing. Infections may be transmitted in the dental operatory through direct contact with blood, oral fluids or other secretions; via indirect contact with contaminated instruments, equipment or environmental surfaces; or by contact with airborne contaminants present in either droplet splatter or aerosols of oral and respiratory fluids. Strategies to prevent dental patient infections have focused on disinfection and sterilization. This study evaluates basic routines in prevention of cross-infection in the dentistry. The sample comprised 100 dentists, who completed questionnaires. Based on inquires the conditions for disinfection and sterilization of medical devices were assessed. The following issues were taken into consideration: the way of disinfection and preparation of the disinfectants, the localization of disinfection, preparing to disinfection, washing and packing of dental devices, the frequency of disinfection, methods of sterilization and the monitoring system, type of sterilizers and the available cycles. The dental practices are well equiped to proceed the steam sterilization, but 33% of dentists don't know the available cycles in their autoclaves. Only 35% of them made sterilization process protocols. Very common are three failures of instruments disinfections: multiple use of disinfectant, adding of disinfectant, adding new instruments. There is still need for improvement in disinfection and sterilization in dental practice, especially including: monitoring and documentation of sterilization process, proper use of disinfectants according to manufactures instructions, frequent disinfection of surfaces which contact with patients. Dental stuff should take part in advanced training courses about disinfection and

American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine

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... New Research AADSM Highlights Members More news... Dental Sleep Medicine: An area of dental practice that focuses on ... SomnoMed Silver Sponsors Copyright © American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine, All Rights Reserved. American Academy of Dental Sleep ...

Today's threat is tomorrow's crisis: advocating for dental education, dental and biomedical research, and oral health.

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Bresch, Jack E; Luke, Gina G; McKinnon, Monette D; Moss, Myla J; Pritchard, Daryl; Valachovic, Richard W

2006-06-01

The current political environment in the nation's capital threatens federal support for programs vital to the academic dental community. To develop a strong cadre of advocates who can deliver an effective and unified message to members of Congress on behalf of dental education and dental research, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) and the American Association for Dental Research (AADR) created a new organizational structure: the National Oral Health Advocacy Committee (NOHAC) and the National Advocacy Network (NAN). The basic skills and knowledge required to function as an effective advocate include an understanding of the political environment, a working knowledge of the legislative processes and the political players, and the ability to build and work with grassroots networks and coalitions. NOHAC and NAN are designed to provide leadership in these areas to support effective advocacy for dental education and dental research.

Design-based research – issues in connecting theory, research and practice

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kolmos, Anette

2015-01-01

the gap. But is this as easy as it sounds? The purpose of the article is to identify and discuss issues involved in applying DBR. The article is based on methodology chapters and essays from three PhD studies applying the DBR framework to implement problem and project based learning (PBL). The findings......During the last 20 years, design-based research (DBR) has become a popular methodology for connecting educational theory, research and practice. The missing link between educational theory, research and educational practice is an ongoing issue and DBR is seen as an integrated methodology to bridge...... indicate several key issues at both the scientific and personal level. Scientifically, the main issues are contribution to theory and the role of the researcher. At the personal level, it is an investment beyond normal research procedures to involve yourself as a researcher in curriculum change....

Concordance Between Clinical Practice and Published Evidence: Findings From Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry.

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Chiang, Harmeet K; Best, Al M; Sarrett, David C

2017-09-01

To evaluate the concordance between clinical practice and published evidence by dental faculty and graduating students of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. A questionnaire previously developed by the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network with 12 clinical scenarios was administered to VCU faculty and graduating students. Responses were scored as either consistent or inconsistent with published evidence and then analyzed for differences between dental faculty, graduating students, and the national results. There were 43 dental faculty members with at least half-time student contact who responded to the survey. Faculty concordance ranged from 33% to 100%, and general practice faculty had the highest concordance (82%). Eighty-five of the graduating class of 98 responded to the survey, and student concordance ranged from 18% to 92% and averaged 67%. General practice faculty had higher concordance with published evidence than recently graduated dental students. Graduating students and dental faculty demonstrated higher concordance with evidence-based practice than practitioners in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network. General practice dental faculty demonstrated adequate concordance, but students demonstrated only a medium-level concordance. Practitioners involved in teaching dental students are better able to keep up with evolving evidence and are better able to demonstrate evidence-based practice. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dental therapists: a global perspective.

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Nash, David A; Friedman, Jay W; Kardos, Thomas B; Kardos, Rosemary L; Schwarz, Eli; Satur, Julie; Berg, Darren G; Nasruddin, Jaafar; Mumghamba, Elifuraha G; Davenport, Elizabeth S; Nagel, Ron

2008-04-01

In 1921, New Zealand began training school dental nurses, subsequently deploying them throughout the country in school-based clinics providing basic dental care for children. The concept of training dental nurses, later to be designated dental therapists, was adopted by other countries as a means of improving access to care, particularly for children. This paper profiles six countries that utilise dental therapists, with a description of the training that therapists receive in these countries, and the context in which they practice. Based on available demographic information, it also updates the number of dental therapists practising globally, as well as the countries in which they practice. In several countries, dental therapy is now being integrated with dental hygiene in training and practice to create a new type of professional complementary to a dentist. Increasingly, dental therapists are permitted to treat adults as well as children. The paper also describes the status of a current initiative to introduce dental therapy to the United States. It concludes by suggesting that dental therapists can become valued members of the dental team throughout the world, helping to improve access to care and reducing existing disparities in oral health.

Practice patterns in prescribing oral care products by dental practitioners

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Alena B. Abdrashitova

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This paper describes the practice patterns of dental practitioners in how they choose oral care products for prescriptions to their patients. One hundred seventy-three respondents were selected for a medico-sociological study. They were divided into 3 groups based on their work experience: less than 5 years (30.0%, 5–9 years (40.0% and 10–14 years (30.0%. The majority of respondents were dental therapists (71.0%, and the rest were paedodontists, dental surgeons, periodontists and orthodontists (11.0%, 7.0%, 4.0% and 1.0%, respectively. The study was conducted using a questionnaire specially developed by us, which consisted of 34 questions grouped into several domains. Analysis of the obtained results has shown that the majority of dental practitioners (88.7% were competent in prescribing oral care products. Professionals with work experience over 10 years often choose oral care products incorrectly; 80.6% of them believe that long-term use of personal oral care products containing antiseptic components affects the oral microbial flora, which suggests that it is necessary to amend the existing classification of toothpastes.

Controlled Use of X-Ray in Dental Practice

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Lesbia Rosa Tirado-Amado

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Objective: To contribute in an informative and critical way to the promotion of controlled use of X-ray during dental consulting and dental care. Introduction: The practice of dentistry as a health care service requires the use of complementary tools for proper diagnosis, treatment and follow-up in patients with different clinical conditions. For that reason, the use of x-ray by dentists is common and very useful, but it involves radiation exposure to the patient and the dental professional or dental student. Although, often people do not pay attention to this exposition in regard to biological effects, because they are considered too low to generate significant biological effects. Conclusion: It is necessary to consider the risk of accumulative doses for constant exposure in dentist and dental students. Moreover, in patients, because a synergism with other radiations can occur, they can be exposed because of the attention in other areas of health. For these reasons, it is necessary to promote awareness and knowledge on basic aspects of the controlled use of X-ray in the dental care, being also aware of the need to strengthen the knowledge of the basics aspects that lead to decreased risk of biological effects from its proper use in the dental care.

[Application of PBL combined with SP method in during-course practice of endodontics for undergraduate dental students].

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Shao, Li-Na; Qiu, Li-Hong; Zhan, Fu-Liang; Xue, Ming

2016-10-01

To apply problem-based learning (PBL) combined with standardized patients(SP) in during-course practice of endodontics for undergraduate dental students, in order to improve the teaching quality. One hundred and four undergraduate dental students of China Medical University School of Stomatology were randomly divided into 2 groups, 52 students in each group. One group were taught with PBL combined with SP while the other group with lecture-based learning (LBL) alone. The teaching effect was measured with examination and questionnaire survey. The data were analyzed by Student's t test using SPSS 11.5 software package. Students in PBL combined with SP group was better than LBL group in case analysis, didactic tests, practical tests and total scores, and there was significant difference between the two groups (Pendodontics to undergraduate dental students.

Information retrieval, critical appraisal and knowledge of evidence-based dentistry among Finnish dental students.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieminen, P; Virtanen, J I

2017-11-01

One of the core skills of competent dentist is the ability to search and analyse high-quality evidence. Problems in understanding the basic aspects of knowledge-based information may impede its implementation into clinical practice. We examined how Finnish dental students acquire scientific information and how familiar they are with methods for evaluating scientific evidence related to clinical questions. All fifth-year dental students (n = 120) at the three universities in Finland received a self-administered questionnaire. The three most commonly used sources of information were colleagues, the commercial Health Gate Portal for dental practitioners and personal lecture notes. Although students rarely read scientific journals, they did find that they possess at least passable or even good skills in literature retrieval. Three questions related to the appraisal of evidence in dentistry revealed that students' knowledge of evidence-based dentistry was inadequate to critically evaluate clinical research findings. Most students seem to lack knowledge of key methodological evidence-based terms. The present curricula in dental schools fail to encourage the students to search and acquire knowledge wider than their patients themselves do. Universities have the responsibility to teach dentists various methods of critical appraisal to cope with scientific information. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Financial management practices and attitudes of dental hygienists: a descriptive study.

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Russell, Katherine; Stramoski, Sandra

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the financial management goals and practices of registered dental hygienists, their satisfaction with their current financial situations and their attitudes about savings, investments and retirement. A 40 question electronic survey was completed by 388 registered dental hygienists. The descriptive instrument assessed financial practices, attitudes, goals and beliefs, retirement mindset, savings habits, debt tendencies and demographic characteristics of respondents. Statistical analyses compared respondents' beliefs about their financial independence and security with their current financial practices. Analyses included: independent samples t-tests, chi-square analysis and ANOVA. Most dental hygienists believed themselves to be financially independent and reported satisfaction with their current financial situation. Significant relationships existed between respondents' satisfaction with their current financial situations and their financial attitudes and practices (saving regularly and having limited debt). Those who indicated they had personally saved for retirement were more likely to view these savings as their largest source of income during retirement, as opposed to Social Security benefits. A majority agreed that financial management education should be included in the dental hygiene curriculum, and that they would attend a continuing education course on the subject if offered. The results of this study suggest that hygienists have confidence in their ability to provide secure financial futures for themselves. Hygienists who practiced sound financial planning, such as adhering to monthly budgets, having wills, lowering debt and saving regularly, reported a higher level of financial security than those who did not. Most respondents expressed interest in receiving education about financial management through the dental hygiene curriculum and continuing education courses.

Smoking cessation advice: Knowledge, attitude, and practice among clinical dental students'

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Allama Prabhu

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Smoking is the single most important public health challenge facing the National Health Service. The detrimental effects on the general health of tobacco smoking are well documented. Smoking is a primary risk factor for oral cancer and many oral diseases. Dental professional scan plays an important role in preventing adverse health effects by promoting smoking cessation. Objective: To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice among clinical dental students in giving smoking cessation advice and to explore the barriers to this activity. Materials and Methods: A total of 262 clinical dental trainee of two dental colleges (College of Dental Sciences and Bapuji Dental College of Davangere city were included in the survey. A self-administered questionnaire was administered to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice toward Tobacco Cessation Advise. Results: Among the 262 participants in the study, around 51% said they know about Nicotine Replacement Therapy, and among them, only 4.6% were aware of the options available in the market. When asked about 5A's of tobacco cessation, only 35.5% were aware of it. Similarly, when asked about 5R's of tobacco cessation, 48.5% were unaware of it. Conclusions: The respondents did not have sufficient knowledge regarding tobacco cessation advice. With patient's disinterest and lack of time being quoted as the important barriers in providing tobacco cessation advice, it is highly recommended that there is need to incorporate few chapters on tobacco, its effect and cessation of habit in the undergraduate dental curriculum with simultaneous application of the same in clinical practice.

[Changing methods of pain- and fear-relief in dental treatments based on reports published in 'Fogorvosi Szemle'].

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Tarján, Ildikó; Gábris, Katalin

2008-12-01

In the dental practice--for more than a 100 years--it has been a vital topic how to prevent, eliminate, or at least relieve pain and fear associated with dental treatments. 'Fogorvosi Szemle,' the scientific journal of the Hungarian Dental Association is now a 100 years old. Authors present how the approaches and methods of relieving pain and fear have changed in the past century, based on the reports published in this journal. The reports are grouped in three main topics: local anaesthetics and sedatives; ambulatory narcosis and sedative analgesia; hypnosis and hypnotherapy. Based on the publications of the last one hundred years, it can be concluded that the Hungarian dental practice has followed the trends and principles of the well-known international dental schools.

The working practices and career satisfaction of dental therapists in New Zealand.

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Ayers, K M S; Meldrum, A; Thomson, W M; Newton, J T

2007-12-01

To describe the working practices and level of career satisfaction of dental therapists in New Zealand. Postal survey of dental therapists identified from the New Zealand Dental Council's dental therapy database. One mailing with one follow-up. Questionnaires were sent to 683 registered dental therapists. Replies were received from 566 (82.9%). Current working practice, career breaks, continuing education, career satisfaction. Respondents had a high career satisfaction, but were much less satisfied with their remuneration. After controlling for age and income satisfaction, therapists who felt that they were valued members of the dental community had over four times the odds of having higher overall job satisfaction. There were no differences in the mean career satisfaction scale score by age, but respondents aged 45 and over had a lower mean income satisfaction scale score than their younger counterparts (pmanagement/coordination (ppractice than their older colleagues (pproductivity of this workforce. Remuneration and career progression are key issues; therapists need to feel that they are valued members of the dental profession.

Protocol for Northern Ireland Caries Prevention in Practice Trial (NIC-PIP trial: a randomised controlled trial to measure the effects and costs of a dental caries prevention regime for young children attending primary care dental services

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Noble Solveig

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Dental caries is a persistent public health problem with little change in the prevalence in young children over the last 20 years. Once a child contracts the disease it has a significant impact on their quality of life. There is good evidence from Cochrane reviews including trials that fluoride varnish and regular use of fluoride toothpaste can prevent caries. The Northern Ireland Caries Prevention in Practice Trial (NIC-PIP trial will compare the costs and effects of a caries preventive package (fluoride varnish, toothpaste, toothbrush and standardised dental health education with dental health education alone in young children. Methods/Design A randomised controlled trial on children initially aged 2 and 3 years old who are regular attenders at the primary dental care services in Northern Ireland. Children will be recruited and randomised in dental practices. Children will be randomised to the prevention package of both fluoride varnish (twice per year for three years, fluoride toothpaste (1,450 ppm F (supplied twice per year, a toothbrush (supplied twice a year or not; both test and control groups receive standardised dental health education delivered by the dentist twice per year. Randomisation will be conducted by the Belfast Trust Clinical Research Support Centre ([CRSC] a Clinical Trials Unit. 1200 participants will be recruited from approximately 40 dental practices. Children will be examined for caries by independent dental examiners at baseline and will be excluded if they have caries. The independent dental examiners will examine the children again at 3 years blinded to study group. The primary end-point is whether the child develops caries (cavitation into dentine or not over the three years. One secondary outcome is the number of carious surfaces in the primary dentition in children who experience caries. Other secondary outcomes are episodes of pain, extraction of primary teeth, other adverse events and costs

Protocol for Northern Ireland Caries Prevention in Practice Trial (NIC-PIP) trial: a randomised controlled trial to measure the effects and costs of a dental caries prevention regime for young children attending primary care dental services

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Tickle, Martin

2011-10-10

Abstract Background Dental caries is a persistent public health problem with little change in the prevalence in young children over the last 20 years. Once a child contracts the disease it has a significant impact on their quality of life. There is good evidence from Cochrane reviews including trials that fluoride varnish and regular use of fluoride toothpaste can prevent caries. The Northern Ireland Caries Prevention in Practice Trial (NIC-PIP) trial will compare the costs and effects of a caries preventive package (fluoride varnish, toothpaste, toothbrush and standardised dental health education) with dental health education alone in young children. Methods\\/Design A randomised controlled trial on children initially aged 2 and 3 years old who are regular attenders at the primary dental care services in Northern Ireland. Children will be recruited and randomised in dental practices. Children will be randomised to the prevention package of both fluoride varnish (twice per year for three years), fluoride toothpaste (1,450 ppm F) (supplied twice per year), a toothbrush (supplied twice a year) or not; both test and control groups receive standardised dental health education delivered by the dentist twice per year. Randomisation will be conducted by the Belfast Trust Clinical Research Support Centre ([CRSC] a Clinical Trials Unit). 1200 participants will be recruited from approximately 40 dental practices. Children will be examined for caries by independent dental examiners at baseline and will be excluded if they have caries. The independent dental examiners will examine the children again at 3 years blinded to study group. The primary end-point is whether the child develops caries (cavitation into dentine) or not over the three years. One secondary outcome is the number of carious surfaces in the primary dentition in children who experience caries. Other secondary outcomes are episodes of pain, extraction of primary teeth, other adverse events and costs which will

Evaluation of activities aimed at preventing microbiological risks in dental practice

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Jolanta Szymańska

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Microbiological contamination of water in dental unit waterlines (DUWL creates a risk of cross-infections, and is a source of biological risk factors in the work environment of a dentist. The aim of the study was to evaluate dentists' knowledge on DUWL microbiological contamination and the scope of activities/procedures they undertake to monitor it. Material and Methods: The questionnaire survey was conducted in 2010 among 107 Polish dentists using dental units in everyday clinical practice. Results: It has been found that in their daily practice, dentists do not follow procedures leading to reduction or elimination of microbiological contamination of dental unit reservoir water. They are not aware of microbiological contamination of DUWL that supply working handpieces with water. They are unaware of the principles of dealing with dental water and water supply systems or the health risk posed by microbiological contamination of unit water for a dental team and patients. Conclusions: It is necessary to provide dentists with information on microbiological contamination of water in dental units, on the correct procedures of handling water and waterlines that supply working handpieces with water. Med Pr 2013;64(1:11–17

Child friendly colors in a pediatric dental practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Umamaheshwari, N; Asokan, Sharath; Kumaran, Thanga S

2013-01-01

The child's perception of the dental environment is a significant factor causing dental anxiety. If the color of the dental environment can have a positive impact on the child's behavior, it is possible that those colors may add to the comfort of a child, thus reducing dental anxiety. To evaluate the association between color and emotions of children in a pediatric dental set-up. A total of 300 children aged 6-12 years were divided into 2 groups: Younger children (6-9 years, n = 156) and older children (9-12 years, n = 144). All the children were asked to shade two cartoon faces representing happiness and fear with their most preferred color. For the positive emotion, 44% (n = 132) of the children preferred yellow, followed by blue 32.67% (n = 98). For negative emotion, 56.67% (n = 170) of the children preferred black and 42.67% (n = 128) preferred red. Association between color and emotion was highly significant (P color research to dental anxiety in children visiting a dental clinic. The use of child friendly colors like yellow and blue in the dental work place could enhance a positive dental attitude in the child's mind.

Career transition and dental school faculty development program.

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, Jeffery L; Hendricson, William D; Partida, Mary N; Rugh, John D; Littlefield, John H; Jacks, Mary E

2013-11-01

Academic dentistry, as a career track, is not attracting sufficient numbers of new recruits to maintain a corps of skilled dental educators. The Faculty Development Program (FDP) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Dental School received federal funds to institute a 7-component program to enhance faculty recruitment and retention and provide training in skills associated with success in academics including:(1) a Teaching Excellence and Academic Skills (TExAS)Fellowship, (2) training in research methodology,evidence-based practice research, and information management, (3) an annual dental hygiene faculty development workshop for dental hygiene faculty, (4) a Teaching Honors Program and Academic Dental Careers Fellowship to cultivate students' interest in educational careers, (5) an Interprofessional Primary Care Rotation,(6) advanced education support toward a master's degree in public health, and (7) a key focus of the entire FDP, an annual Career Transition Workshop to facilitate movement from the practice arena to the educational arm of the profession.The Career Transition Workshop is a cap stone for the FDP; its goal is to build a bridge from practice to academic environment. It will provide guidance for private practice, public health, and military dentists and hygienists considering a career transition into academic dentistry. Topics will be addressed including: academic culture, preparation for the academic environment,academic responsibilities, terms of employment,compensation and benefits, career planning, and job search / interviewing. Instructors for the workshop will include dental school faculty who have transitioned from the practice, military, and public health sectors into dental education.Objectives of the Overall Faculty Development Program:• Provide training in teaching and research skills,career planning, and leadership in order to address faculty shortages in dental schools and under representation of minority

PRINCIPLES OF HEAT STERILIZATION IN DENTAL PRACTICE

African Journals Online (AJOL)

PRINCIPLES OF HEAT STERILIZATION. IN DENTAL PRACTICE. W.H. van Palenstein Helderman. Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry,. Faculty of Dentistry, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences,. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Introduction. Sterilization is defined as the destruction of all forms of life ...

Managing caries: the need to close the gap between the evidence base and current practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwendicke, F; Doméjean, S; Ricketts, D; Peters, M

2015-11-13

Underpinned by a changing knowledge of the aetiology of caries and its sequelae, and assisted by established and advancing dental materials, there is growing evidence supporting less invasive management of dental caries based on the principles of minimal intervention dentistry. This narrative review assesses both the evidence and the adoption of less invasive caries management strategies and describes ways in which the gap between evidence and practice might be overcome. While there is increasing data supporting less invasive management of carious lesions, these are not standard in most dental practices worldwide. Usually, clinical studies focused on efficacy as outcome, and did not take into consideration the views and priorities of other stakeholders, such as primary care dentists, educators, patients and those financing services. Involving these stakeholders into study design and demonstrating the broader advantages of new management strategies might improve translation of research into practice. In theory, clinical dentists can rely on a growing evidence in cariology regarding less invasive management options. In practice, further factors seem to impede adoption of these strategies. Future research should address these factors by involving major stakeholders and investigating their prioritised outcomes to narrow or close the evidence gap.

Nigerian Dental Journal

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... needs of dental practitioners in Nigeria, Africa and international community interested in the dental practice in the developing world. The NDJ is published biannually and accepts reports of original research, review articles, clinical case reports and innovations in surgical techniques related to dentistry and allied subjects ...

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Oral and Dental Healthcare in Pregnant Women

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Sunita Bamanikar

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Objectives: Pregnant women are more susceptible to periodontal disease like gingivitis. Periodontal disease may be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. There is no published literature on dental health in pregnant women in Brunei, Darussalam. The objective of this study was to assess women’s knowledge and attitude towards oral and dental health during pregnancy and to examine their self-care practices in relation to oral and dental health. This study was carried out at the maternal child health clinic, Jubli Perak Sengkurong Health Centre, Brunei, Darussalam.Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive and analytical study conducted at the maternal child health center in Brunei, Darussalam. The study group was comprised of 95 pregnant women attending the MCH clinic, Jubli Perak Sengkurong Health Centre, September 2010, using convenience sampling method. A self-administered questionnaire was used, after it was pre-tested and validated. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version16.Results: Of the total study group, 97.9% responded to the questionnaire and participated in the study. All the women brushed at least twice daily. However, only 40.9% flossed daily, 31.2% brushed after meals and 26.9% had a dental check-up at least twice a year. The knowledge related to dental care was also poor among the pregnant women. Though the majority of them (96.8% agreed that women should have a dental check-up during pregnancy, only 55.9% actually practiced this. This raises serious concern since pregnant women may need extra oral and dental care due to susceptibility to gum diseases during pregnancy, which may contribute to low birth weight babies and premature births.Conclusion: This study highlights important gaps in dental knowledge and practices related to oral and dental healthcare among pregnant women in Brunei, Darussalam. More intense dental health education, including oral health promotion in maternal child health centers can lead to

Attitudes, experiences, and barriers to research and publishing among dental postgraduate students of Bengaluru City: A cross-sectional study

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Aditi Hegde

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Research experience not only enhances understanding but also instills evidence-based practice and improves skills. A natural successor to research is academic publishing. Unfortunately, student research itself is plagued by a number of barriers. Aim: To identify the attitudes, experiences, and barriers to research and publishing among dental postgraduate students of Bangalore city. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey using purposive sampling technique was conducted among the dental postgraduate students of all specialties in Bengaluru city in the months of July–August 2015. A prevalidated, close-ended, self-administered questionnaire consisting of 26 questions was used. Data from 638 completed questionnaires were entered into and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2013 and SPSS software version 14. Results: The majority of the students displayed a positive attitude towards research and stated that they would like more opportunities to take part in research (89%. Most students were positive toward publishing research; 94% agreed that it is important to publish, although only 43.7% had submitted an article for publication. The single most often stated barrier to conducting research was a lack of funding from the institution (15.7%, followed by workload and time constraints (15.0%. Lack of training and good mentorship was the most often (23.3% faced barrier to publishing, along with high publication fee for indexed journals (17.9%. Conclusion: Dental postgraduate students show an urge to conduct research and publish their results. Research-related workshops for teachers and students are suggestions for improving the status of research in dental colleges.

The impact of pharmacy services on opioid prescribing in dental practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Autumn; Zborovancik, Kelsey J; Stiely, Kara L

To compare rates of dental opioid prescribing between periods of full and partial integration of pharmacy services and periods of no integration. This observational study used a retrospective chart review of opioid prescriptions written by dental providers practicing in a free dental clinic for the medically underserved over a period of 74 months. Pharmacy services were fully integrated into the practice model for 48 of the 74 months under study. During this time frame, all dental opioid orders required review by the pharmacy department before prescribing. Outcomes related to prescribing rates and errors were compared between groups, which were defined by the level of integrated pharmacy services. Demographic and prescription-specific data (drug name, dose, quantity, directions, professional designation of individual entering order) and clinic appointment data were collected and analyzed with the use of descriptive and inferential statistics. A total of 102 opioids were prescribed to 89 patients; hydrocodone-acetaminophen combination products were the most frequently used. Opioid prescribing rates were 5 times greater when pharmacy services were not integrated (P dental practice. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Guidance for Researchers Developing and Conducting Clinical Trials in Practice-based Research Networks (PBRNs)

Science.gov (United States)

Dolor, Rowena J.; Schmit, Kristine M.; Graham, Deborah G.; Fox, Chester H.; Baldwin, Laura Mae

2015-01-01

Background There is increased interest nationally in multicenter clinical trials to answer questions about clinical effectiveness, comparative effectiveness, and safety in real-world community settings. Primary care practice-based research networks (PBRNs), comprising community- and/or academically affiliated practices committed to improving medical care for a range of health problems, offer ideal settings for these trials, especially pragmatic clinical trials. However, many researchers are not familiar with working with PBRNs. Methods Experts in practice-based research identified solutions to challenges that researchers and PBRN personnel experience when collaborating on clinical trials in PBRNs. These were organized as frequently asked questions in a draft document presented at a 2013 Agency for Health care Research and Quality PBRN conference workshop, revised based on participant feedback, then shared with additional experts from the DARTNet Institute, Clinical Translational Science Award PBRN, and North American Primary Care Research Group PBRN workgroups for further input and modification. Results The “Toolkit for Developing and Conducting Multi-site Clinical Trials in Practice-Based Research Networks” offers guidance in the areas of recruiting and engaging practices, budgeting, project management, and communication, as well as templates and examples of tools important in developing and conducting clinical trials. Conclusion Ensuring the successful development and conduct of clinical trials in PBRNs requires a highly collaborative approach between academic research and PBRN teams. PMID:25381071

Nationwide survey on barriers for dental research in India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kundendu Arya Bishen

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective: Research in the dental field is progressing at mightier speed worldwide, but an unfortunately representation of India at this platform is negligible. The present study was undertaken to unearth the barriers for dental research among dental professionals in Indian scenario. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted on 1514 participant′s (Master of Dental Surgery and Bachelor of Dental Surgery staff and postgraduates in 40 dental colleges of India selected by multistage random sampling. The response rate was 75.7%. The survey was undertaken from July 2013 to December 2013. The survey instrument was 24-item, investigator developed, self-structured, close-ended, and self-administered questionnaire grouped into four categories that are, institutional/departmental support related barriers, financial/training support related barriers, time-related barriers, and general barriers. Results: Among all respondents 47.23% informed that they are administrative and educational work rather than research work as (P < 0.001. Overall 57.53% of study participants reported lack of administrative and technical support for research work as (P < 0.001. Overall 64.9% reported meager college funding was the barrier (P < 0.001. Overall 61.5% respondents reported lack of time to do research work due to clinical and teaching responsibilities (P < 0.001 was the barrier for research. Largely 80.25% agreed that, the lack of documentation and record maintenance are an obvious barrier for research (P < 0.001. Conclusions: Present study unearths certain barriers for research in an Indian scenario, which includes administrative overburden, lack of funds, and lack of documentation of the dental data. Governing authorities of dentistry in India have to make major interventions to make research non-intensive environment to research-friendly environment.

Medical and dental students' attitude and practice of prevention ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... practiced universal standard precaution items. Conclusion: The uptake rate of HBV vaccination and practice of standard precaution among the students are commendable. However, there is need for improvement considering the level of HBV infection in Nigeria. Key words: Medical and dental students, hepatitis B vaccine ...

Institutional review board and regulatory solutions in the dental PBRN

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilbert, Gregg H; Qvist, Vibeke; Moore, Sheila D

2010-01-01

Effectively addressing regulatory and human participant protection issues with Institutional Review Boards (IRBs, or ethics committees) and grants administration entities is an important component of conducting research in large collaborative networks. A dental practice-based research network...

Factors affecting postgraduate dental students' performance in a biostatistics and research design course.

Science.gov (United States)

El Tantawi, Maha M A

2009-05-01

Comprehension of biostatistics and principles of research design is important for literature evaluation and evidence-based practice in dentistry as well as for researchers wishing to have their publications accepted by international journals. This study investigated the contribution of several factors to postgraduate dental student performance in a biostatistics and research design course. All of the subjects in this study were dental school graduates currently enrolled in postgraduate programs leading to master's or doctoral degrees. The seven factors selected for study were 1) learning style preferences assessed by the VARK questionnaire, 2) past academic performance at the bachelor's degree level, 3) age, 4) gender, 5) current postgraduate program (master's or Ph.D.), 6) lecture attendance, and 7) performance on a quiz conducted early in the course. Response rate was 64 percent. Using bivariate analysis, a statistically significant relationship was observed between final exam score and the following factors: bachelor's degree grade; having single or multiple learning preferences; having visual, aural, read-write, or kinesthetic learning style preference; percent of lectures attended; and quiz score (P<0.0001, 0.01, 0.02, 0.006, 0.04, 0.03, 0.03, and <0.0001 respectively). In regression analysis, significant predictors of final exam score were bachelor's degree grade, having aural learning preference, and quiz score. The findings suggest that dental educators should direct their attention to students who have difficulties at the beginning of the course and should match the learning preferences of as many students as possible by presenting information in different ways rather than focusing on a single method of delivering the course.

Introducing evidence-based dentistry to dental students using histology.

Science.gov (United States)

Lallier, Thomas E

2014-03-01

The expansion of evidence-based dentistry (EBD) is essential to the continued growth and development of the dental profession. Expanding EBD requires increased emphasis on critical thinking skills during dental education, as noted in the American Dental Education Association's Competencies for the New General Dentist. In order to achieve this goal, educational exercises must be introduced to increase the use of critical thinking skills early in the dental curriculum, with continued reinforcement as students progress through subsequent years. Described in this article is one approach to increasing student exposure to critical thinking during the early basic science curriculum-specifically, within the confines of a traditional histology course. A method of utilizing the medical and dental research literature to reinforce and enliven the concepts taught in histology is described, along with an approach for using peer-to-peer presentations to demonstrate the tools needed to critically evaluate research studies and their presentation in published articles. This approach, which could be applied to any basic science course, will result in a stronger foundation on which students can build their EBD and critical thinking skills.

The prevalence of dentin hypersensitivity in general dental practices in the northwest United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunha-Cruz, Joana; Wataha, John C; Heaton, Lisa J; Rothen, Marilynn; Sobieraj, Martin; Scott, JoAnna; Berg, Joel

2013-03-01

The prevalence of dentin hypersensitivity is uncertain, yet appropriate diagnosis and treatment of dentin hypersensitivity require accurate knowledge regarding its prevalence. The authors conducted a study to estimate the prevalence of dentin hypersensitivity in general dental practices and to investigate associated risk factors. The authors conducted a cross-sectional survey of 787 adult patients from 37 general dental practices within Northwest Practice-based Research Collaborative in Evidence-based DENTistry (PRECEDENT). Dentin hypersensitivity was diagnosed by means of participants' responses to a question regarding pain in their teeth and gingivae, and practitioner-investigators conducted a clinical examination to rule out alternative causes of pain. Participants recorded their pain level on a visual analog scale and the Seattle Scales in response to a one-second air blast. The authors used generalized estimating equation log-linear models to estimate the prevalence and the prevalence ratios. The prevalence of dentin hypersensitivity was 12.3 percent; patients with hypersensitivity had, on average, 3.5 hypersensitive teeth. The prevalence of dentin hypersensitivity was higher among 18- to 44-year olds than among participants 65 years or older; it also was higher in women than in men, in participants with gingival recession than in those without gingival recession and in participants who underwent at-home tooth whitening than in those who did not. Hypersensitivity was not associated with obvious occlusal trauma, noncarious cervical lesions or aggressive toothbrushing habits. One in eight participants from general practices had dentin hypersensitivity, which was a chronic condition causing intermittent, low-level pain. Patients with hypersensitivity were more likely to be younger, to be female and to have a high prevalence of gingival recession and at-home tooth whitening. Given dentin hypersensitivity's prevalence, clinicians should diagnose it only after

A critical discussion of the benefits of e-health in population-level dental research.

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, Raymond; Kruger, Estie; Tennant, Marc

2013-01-01

Population-level research is an essential area of health with the potential to affect quality of life and the broader economy. There are excellent epidemiological studies that have improved health services, but traditional research requires a considerable investment. Although electronic technology has changed the practice of many industries with improved efficiency, its application to health is relatively new. Termed 'e-health', this emerging area has been defined by the World Health Organization as the use of information technology to support many aspects of health such as in administration and scientific information. However, not all professionals are convinced of its use. This paper presents a novel application of this emerging area to describe the benefit in data collation and research to support one of the most pressing issues in public health: oral health and policy. Using the Chronic Disease Dental Scheme as an example, a critical discussion of its benefit to population-level research is presented. The Chronic Disease Dental Scheme method of electronic administration has been shown to enhance research and to complement existing progress in health data linkage. e-Health is an invaluable tool for population-level dental research.

Consortium for oral health-related informatics: improving dental research, education, and treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, Paul C; Kalenderian, Elsbeth; White, Joel M; Walji, Muhammad F; Stewart, Denice C L; Kimmes, Nicole; Meng, Thomas R; Willis, George P; DeVries, Ted; Chapman, Robert J

2010-10-01

Advances in informatics, particularly the implementation of electronic health records (EHR), in dentistry have facilitated the exchange of information. The majority of dental schools in North America use the same EHR system, providing an unprecedented opportunity to integrate these data into a repository that can be used for oral health education and research. In 2007, fourteen dental schools formed the Consortium for Oral Health-Related Informatics (COHRI). Since its inception, COHRI has established structural and operational processes, governance and bylaws, and a number of work groups organized in two divisions: one focused on research (data standardization, integration, and analysis), and one focused on education (performance evaluations, virtual standardized patients, and objective structured clinical examinations). To date, COHRI (which now includes twenty dental schools) has been successful in developing a data repository, pilot-testing data integration, and sharing EHR enhancements among the group. This consortium has collaborated on standardizing medical and dental histories, developing diagnostic terminology, and promoting the utilization of informatics in dental education. The consortium is in the process of assembling the largest oral health database ever created. This will be an invaluable resource for research and provide a foundation for evidence-based dentistry for years to come.

Antibiotic prescribing in dental practice in Belgium.

Science.gov (United States)

Mainjot, A; D'Hoore, W; Vanheusden, A; Van Nieuwenhuysen, J-P

2009-12-01

To assess the types and frequency of antibiotic prescriptions by Belgian dentists, the indications for antibiotic prescription, and dentists' knowledge about recommended practice in antibiotic use. In this cross-sectional survey, dental practitioners were asked to record information about all antibiotics prescribed to their patients during a 2-week period. The dental practitioners were also asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire regarding demographic data, prescribing practices, and knowledge about antibiotic use. A random sample of 268 Belgian dentists participated in the survey. During the 2-week period, 24 421 patient encounters were recorded; 1033 patients were prescribed an antibiotic (4.2%). The median number of prescriptions per dentist for the 2 weeks was 3. Broad spectrum antibiotics were most commonly prescribed: 82% of all prescriptions were for amoxycillin, amoxycillin-clavulanic acid and clindamycin. Antibiotics were often prescribed in the absence of fever (92.2%) and without any local treatment (54.2%). The most frequent diagnosis for which antibiotics were prescribed was periapical abscess (51.9%). Antibiotics were prescribed to 63.3% of patients with periapical abscess and 4.3% of patients with pulpitis. Patterns of prescriptions were confirmed by the data from the self-reported practice. Discrepancies between observed and recommended practice support the need for educational initiatives to promote rational use of antibiotics in dentistry in Belgium.

Dental Faculty Members' Pedagogic Beliefs and Curriculum Aims in Problem-Based Learning: An Exploratory Study.

Science.gov (United States)

von Bergmann, HsingChi; Walker, Judith; Dalrymple, Kirsten R; Shuler, Charles F

2017-08-01

The aims of this exploratory study were to explore dental faculty members' views and beliefs regarding knowledge, the dental profession, and teaching and learning and to determine how these views related to their problem-based learning (PBL) instructional practices. Prior to a PBL in dental education conference held in 2011, all attendees were invited to complete a survey focused on their pedagogical beliefs and practices in PBL. Out of a possible 55 participants, 28 responded. Additionally, during the conference, a forum was held in which preliminary survey findings were shared and participants contributed to focus group data collection. The forum results served to validate and bring deeper understanding to the survey findings. The conference participants who joined the forum (N=32) likely included some or many of the anonymous respondents to the survey, along with additional participants interested in dental educators' beliefs. The findings of the survey and follow-up forum indicated a disconnect between dental educators' reported views of knowledge and their pedagogical practices in a PBL environment. The results suggested that the degree of participants' tolerance of uncertainty in knowledge and the discrepancy between their epistemological and ontological beliefs about PBL pedagogy influenced their pedagogical choices. These findings support the idea that learner-centered, inquiry-based pedagogical approaches such as PBL may create dissonance between beliefs about knowledge and pedagogical practice that require the building of a shared understanding of and commitment to curricular goals prior to implementation to ensure success. The methods used in this study can be useful tools for faculty development in PBL programs in dental education.

Dental caries status and oral health practice among 12-15 year old children in Jorpati, Kathmandu.

Science.gov (United States)

Khanal, S; Acharya, J

2014-09-01

Oral health is an essential component of health throughout life. There has been a decline in dental caries and periodontal disease in developed countries which can be attributed to the implementation of preventive programmes but in developing countries dental diseases are still on the rise. Therefore this cross sectional study was carried out to assess the prevalence of dental caries and oral hygiene practices among 12 to 15 years old children. Self administered close ended questionnaires were used to assess the oral hygiene practice. The overall dental caries prevalence was 58.3% and the mean DMFT score was 1.2 (± 1.79) and the deft score was 0.6 (± 1.24). Majority of the children (84.1%) presented with the practice of brushing their teeth once everyday using tooth brush and toothpaste. Regular dental check up was very poor (5.6%) but 77.4% reported that they visited a dentist in case of pain or presence of stains in the teeth. Females (63.4%) and children studying in higher secondary class (74.2%) showed a "good" level of oral hygiene practice than males and children in secondary class respectively. Children having "good" practice presented with "low" dental caries severity. The utilization of dental services was poor in the children, therefore highlighting the necessity to implement preventive programmes is important which would help in reducing the incidence of the dental caries as well as aiding in prompt treatment of dental caries at its initial stages.

Knowledge, attitude and practices of dental professionals in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Knowledge, attitude and practices of dental professionals in Rwanda towards the ... towards teledentistry, it will not be easy to implement teledentistry innovations. ... Also only 13 (12.6%) and eight (7.8%) were sharing digital x-ray and digital ...

The importance of good time management in supporting succesful dental practice

OpenAIRE

Mita Juliawati

2016-01-01

n the globalization and Asean Economic Community (MEA) era, especially in the era of  competition and modern dentistry, dentists need increasing services in order to maintain and increase patient visits. Especially in patient’s complain about dental services that caused by unmanaged time, such as late dentist, long queue of patients and time inefficiency in dental practice. The objective of this review is to discuss the importance of good time management ’in supporting successful dental prati...

Integrating relationship- and research-based approaches in Australian health promotion practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Klinner, Christiane; Carter, Stacy M; Rychetnik, Lucie; Li, Vincy; Daley, Michelle; Zask, Avigdor; Lloyd, Beverly

2015-12-01

We examine the perspectives of health promotion practitioners on their approaches to determining health promotion practice, in particular on the role of research and relationships in this process. Using Grounded Theory methods, we analysed 58 semi-structured interviews with 54 health promotion practitioners in New South Wales, Australia. Practitioners differentiated between relationship-based and research-based approaches as two sources of knowledge to guide health promotion practice. We identify several tensions in seeking to combine these approaches in practice and describe the strategies that participants adopted to manage these tensions. The strategies included working in an evidence-informed rather than evidence-based way, creating new evidence about relationship-based processes and outcomes, adopting 'relationship-based' research and evaluation methods, making research and evaluation useful for communities, building research and evaluation skills and improving collaboration between research and evaluation and programme implementation staff. We conclude by highlighting three systemic factors which could further support the integration of research-based and relationship-based health promotion practices: (i) expanding conceptions of health promotion evidence, (ii) developing 'relationship-based' research methods that enable practitioners to measure complex social processes and outcomes and to facilitate community participation and benefit, and (iii) developing organizational capacity. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Infection control knowledge and practice: A cross-sectional survey on dental laboratories in dental institutes of North India.

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Sakshi; Rani, Sapna; Garg, Sandeep

2017-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge of dental laboratory technicians regarding infection control and modes of infection control employed by them. A self-assessment questionnaire-based survey was carried out among dental technicians to assess the knowledge and practice of infection control in dental laboratories. Survey instrument containing 16 questions were randomly distributed to 70 dental colleges of North India regarding knowledge of infection control methods and infection control practised in laboratories. Data were collected and analyzed. The response showed that 30.76% of dental technicians receive 30-50 or more than 50 impressions in a week. About 96.15% of the technicians used a plastic bag to carry impressions. Twenty-five percent of the dental technicians were aware of infection control protocol. Fifty-five percent of the technicians received impressions while wearing gloves and 61.53% of the institutes had a separate receiving area. Nearly 71.15% of the technicians communicate with the doctor regarding the disinfection of impression received in the laboratory. Almost 30.76% of the dental technicians disinfect all the impressions and 67.30% technicians use immersion for disinfection of impressions. Only 38.46% responded that they immerse impressions for 10 min for disinfection. About 73.07% use gloves, 90.38% use mouth masks, 57.69% wear eye shields, and 88.46% wear aprons while working. Nearly 78.84% of the technicians received vaccination against hepatitis B virus. Almost 69.23% of the technicians change pumice slurry after regular intervals, and 75% do not add any disinfectant. Nearly 59.61% of technicians disinfect the prostheses before sending it to the clinic, and 42.30% disinfect them by immersion technique. About disposal of waste, 80.76% said that they dispose the waste properly. To summarize, most of the technicians were not aware of basic infection control protocols.

Dental caries and oral health practices among 12 year old children ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Dental caries is a common disease in children which causes pain with resultant effect on various physiological and social functions. The main objective of the study was to determine the association between dental caries and oral health knowledge and practice among children in Nairobi West and Mathira West ...

Community-Based Dental Education Models: An Analysis of Current Practices at U.S. Dental Schools.

Science.gov (United States)

Mays, Keith A

2016-10-01

Community-based dental education (CBDE) enhances students' clinical expertise, improves their cultural competence, increases access to care, and fosters community engagement. As emphasis on CBDE has increased over the last decades, the aim of this survey study was to determine how CBDE is currently being implemented in U.S. dental schools. The study used a 20-item, author-designed survey emailed in April to August 2015 to 60 of the 65 U.S. dental schools, excluding those that had been recently established. Of the 60 schools, representatives of 33 responded, resulting in a 55% response rate: 70% public and 30% private. These respondents reported that the extramural sites being used the most were community clinics (90.9%), Federally Qualified Health Clinics (66.7%), public health clinics (54.5%), and Indian Health Service clinics (42.4%). The majority of responding schools (63.6%) had ten or more sites available for rotations, and the rotation lengths were 1-2 weeks (29%), 2-4 weeks (25%), 4-6 weeks (29%), 6-8 weeks (3.2%), and 8-10 weeks (12.9%). Most of the respondents (78.8%) reported that their students were unable to be assessed for clinical competencies at external clinical sites, but roughly half allowed students to receive clinical credit. After students completed their rotations, the majority of the respondents (81.8%) reported that students were required to produce a reflection, and 87.9% reported that students completed a post-rotation survey. Considering the benefits of CBDE for students' education and for improving access to oral health care, it is encouraging that over 45% of the responding schools required their students to spend four weeks or longer on external rotations.

Relationships between dental hygienists' career attitudes and their retention of practice. Part II. From the results of the Ohio Dentist and Dental Hygiene Surveys.

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, S S; Langhout, K J; Scheid, R C

1993-01-01

This article utilizes findings from the Ohio Dental Hygiene Survey and Ohio Dentist Survey to uncover what specific dental hygiene attitudes exist relative to employment and what factors have led to job termination and to re-entry. Ohio dental hygiene employees are most satisfied with patient relationships, co-worker relationships, and flexible working hours. The dental hygienists are least satisfied with fringe benefits, financial growth, and career creativity. Salary, benefits, nor career longevity were significant factors in determining satisfaction. Dental hygienists who were not working when surveyed, said they would consider returning to practice if a better salary were available, if they could find part-time work, if there were a good wage scale with benefits, or if their own financial need changed. Thirty-six percent of the non-practitioners said they would not ever consider returning to practice due to working conditions, establishment of a new career, or inadequate compensation. Dentist employers stated that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their dental hygienists' patient care and contribution to the practice.

Handwashing and barrier practices among Cameroonian dental ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Infection control activities in the clinic were supervised mainly by 31% of dentists and 38.6% of dental therapists. Less than half of the respondents reported good handwashing practice. More than half (63.4%) wash their hands with running water and liquid soap and 63.9% dry their washed hands with towel in the clinic.

Rural and remote dental services shortages: filling the gaps through geo-spatial analysis evidence-based targeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Shiika, Yulia; Kruger, Estie; Tennant, Marc

Australia has a significant mal-distribution of its limited dental workforce. Outside the major capital cities, the distribution of accessible dental care is at best patchy. This study applied geo-spatial analysis technology to locate gaps in dental service accessibility for rural and remote dwelling Australians, in order to test the hypothesis that there are a few key location points in Australia where further dental services could make a significant contribution to ameliorating the immediate shortage crisis. A total of 2,086 dental practices were located in country areas, covering a combined catchment area of 1.84 million square kilometers, based on 50 km catchment zones around each clinic. Geo-spatial analysis technology was used to identify gaps in the accessibility of dental services for rural and remote dwelling Australians. An extraction of data was obtained to analyse the integrated geographically-aligned database. Results: Resolution of the lack of dental practices for 74 townships (of greater than 500 residents) across Australia could potentially address access for 104,000 people. An examination of the socio-economic mix found that the majority of the dental practices (84%) are located in areas classified as less disadvantaged. Output from the study provided a cohesive national map that has identified locations that could have health improvement via the targeting of dental services to that location. The study identified potential location sites for dental clinics, to address the current inequity in accessing dental services in rural and remote Australia.

ROUTES OF TRANSMISSION OF DISEASES IN DENTAL PRACTICE

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry. Faculty of Dentistry, Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences,. Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Contamination and infection. Transmission of microorganisms ego bacteria, viruses; fungi and protozoa is a hazard in dental practice (1-4) .. Introduction of microorganisms.

Green Dentistry: Practices and Perceived Barriers Among Dental Practitioners of Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali (Tricity, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amandeep Chopra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Dental professionals have a responsibility to conserve natural resources and to eliminate/reduce toxic wastes from their practices that could harm human health and environment. Aim: To investigate the implementation of eco-friendly dental office strategies by the dentists of tricity (Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali. Materials and Methods: Self-designed questionnaires were distributed to 120 Indian Dental Association registered dentists. Descriptive statistics and cross tabulations were calculated using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20.0 software. Results: Most of the dentists followed eco-friendly dental practices including the alternatives to amalgam filling (98%, use of light-emitting diode bulbs (91%, unplugging electronic devices when not in use (96%, use of steam sterilization with cloth instrument wraps (93%, using reusable lab coats (89%, and using digital radiography (78.6%. The most frequently identified barriers to implementation of eco-friendly dental office strategies were cost and lack of incentives from the government. Conclusion: Eco-friendly practice implementation by dentists is at its stage of infancy. There is a need for creating awareness among dentists regarding eco-friendly dental practices through formal and continuing dental education.

Risk management in clinical practice. Part 5. Ethical considerations for dental enhancement procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahmad, I

2010-09-11

After the demise of the Industrial Age, we currently live in an 'Information Age' fuelled mainly by the Internet, with an ever-increasing medically and dentally literate population. The media has played its role by reporting scientific advances, as well as securitising medical and dental practices. Reality television such as 'Extreme makeovers' has also raised public awareness of body enhancements, with a greater number of people seeking such procedures. To satiate this growing demand, the dental industry has flourished by introducing novel cosmetic products such as bleaching kits, tooth coloured filling materials and a variety of dental ceramics. In addition, one only has to browse through a dental journal to notice innumerable courses and lectures on techniques for providing cosmetic dentistry. The incessant public interest, combined with unrelenting marketing by companies is gradually shifting the balance of dental care from a healing to an enhancement profession. The purpose of this article is to endeavour to answer questions such as, What is aesthetic or cosmetic dentistry? Why do patients seek cosmetic dentistry? Are enhancement procedures a part of dental practice? What, if any, ethical guidelines and constraints apply to elective enhancement procedures? What is the role of the dentist in providing or encouraging this type of 'therapy'? What treatment modalities are available for aesthetic dental treatment?

[Fabrication and accuracy research on 3D printing dental model based on cone beam computed tomography digital modeling].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hui-Rong; Yin, Le-Feng; Liu, Yan-Li; Yan, Li-Yi; Wang, Ning; Liu, Gang; An, Xiao-Li; Liu, Bin

2018-04-01

The aim of this study is to build a digital dental model with cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), to fabricate a virtual model via 3D printing, and to determine the accuracy of 3D printing dental model by comparing the result with a traditional dental cast. CBCT of orthodontic patients was obtained to build a digital dental model by using Mimics 10.01 and Geomagic studio software. The 3D virtual models were fabricated via fused deposition modeling technique (FDM). The 3D virtual models were compared with the traditional cast models by using a Vernier caliper. The measurements used for comparison included the width of each tooth, the length and width of the maxillary and mandibular arches, and the length of the posterior dental crest. 3D printing models had higher accuracy compared with the traditional cast models. The results of the paired t-test of all data showed that no statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups (P>0.05). Dental digital models built with CBCT realize the digital storage of patients' dental condition. The virtual dental model fabricated via 3D printing avoids traditional impression and simplifies the clinical examination process. The 3D printing dental models produced via FDM show a high degree of accuracy. Thus, these models are appropriate for clinical practice.

Informatics in dental education: a horizon of opportunity.

Science.gov (United States)

Abbey, L M

1989-11-01

Computers have presented society with the largest array of opportunities since the printing press. More specifically in dental education they represent the path to freedom from the memory-based curriculum. Computers allow us to be constantly in touch with the entire scope of knowledge necessary for decision making in every aspect of the process of preparing young men and women to practice dentistry. No longer is it necessary to spend the energy or time previously used to memorize facts, test for retention of facts or be concerned with remembering facts when dealing with our patients. Modern information management systems can assume that task allowing dentists to concentrate on understanding, skill, judgement and wisdom while helping patients deal with their problems within a health care system that is simultaneously baffling in its complexity and overflowing with options. This paper presents a summary of the choices facing dental educators as computers continue to afford us the freedom to look differently at teaching, research and practice. The discussion will elaborate some of the ways dental educators must think differently about the educational process in order to utilize fully the power of computers in curriculum development and tracking, integration of basic and clinical teaching, problem solving, patient management, record keeping and research. Some alternative strategies will be discussed that may facilitate the transition from the memory-based to the computer-based curriculum and practice.

The estimation of patients' views on organizational aspects of a general dental practice by general dental practitioners: a survey study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Truin Gert-Jan

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Considering the changes in dental healthcare, such as the increasing assertiveness of patients, the introduction of new dental professionals, and regulated competition, it becomes more important that general dental practitioners (GDPs take patients' views into account. The aim of the study was to compare patients' views on organizational aspects of general dental practices with those of GDPs and with GDPs' estimation of patients' views. Methods In a survey study, patients and GDPs provided their views on organizational aspects of a general dental practice. In a second, separate survey, GDPs were invited to estimate patients' views on 22 organizational aspects of a general dental practice. Results For 4 of the 22 aspects, patients and GDPs had the same views, and GDPs estimated patients' views reasonably well: 'Dutch-speaking GDP', 'guarantee on treatment', 'treatment by the same GDP', and 'reminder of routine oral examination'. For 2 aspects ('quality assessment' and 'accessibility for disabled patients' patients and GDPs had the same standards, although the GDPs underestimated the patients' standards. Patients had higher standards than GDPs for 7 aspects and lower standards than GDPs for 8 aspects. Conclusion On most aspects GDPs and patient have different views, except for social desirable aspects. Given the increasing assertiveness of patients, it is startling the GDP's estimated only half of the patients' views correctly. The findings of the study can assist GDPs in adapting their organizational services to better meet the preferences of their patients and to improve the communication towards patients.

Ergonomic design for dental offices.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahearn, David J; Sanders, Martha J; Turcotte, Claudia

2010-01-01

The increasing complexity of the dental office environment influences productivity and workflow for dental clinicians. Advances in technology, and with it the range of products needed to provide services, have led to sprawl in operatory setups and the potential for awkward postures for dental clinicians during the delivery of oral health services. Although ergonomics often addresses the prevention of musculoskeletal disorders for specific populations of workers, concepts of workflow and productivity are integral to improved practice in work environments. This article provides suggestions for improving workflow and productivity for dental clinicians. The article applies ergonomic principles to dental practice issues such as equipment and supply management, office design, and workflow management. Implications for improved ergonomic processes and future research are explored.

Emerging scientific advances: how do they enter dental curricula and the profession?

Science.gov (United States)

Shuler, Charles F

2005-10-01

What is meant by emerging scientific advances? In brief, this terminology is equivalent to new research findings, however, the term "research" is often associated with scientific investigations that have very limited direct clinical relevance. Unfortunately, basic dental research and dental clinical practice have, in many instances, been considered to have nonoverlapping spheres of existence. The existence of mutually exclusive domains is rapidly changing with considerable translational activities between basic research investigation and clinical application developing. There is a growing emphasis at a national level for the importance of moving basic biomedical research laboratory findings into clinical patient-related applications to realize improvements in health based on the research findings. Ultimately, new approaches to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease will be available and represent the translation of the best scientific evidence into clinical applications. It is critical at this time to prepare our dental graduates to be members of the dental profession who will understand the implications that new scientific advances will have on their approach to patient care. The patterns and practices of oral health care delivery will undergo major changes during the careers of our new dental graduates. They need to be prepared to respond to these changes to the benefit of their patients.

Prevalence of manufacturing defects in latex examination gloves used in selected dental practices in central Saudi Arabia.

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Al-Swuailem, Abdullah S

2014-07-01

To assess the defect rates in latex examination gloves used in selected dental practices in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In this cross-sectional study, a total of 796 latex examination gloves were collected from 5 governmental hospitals and 5 private dental practices between April 2012 and May 2012. The gloves were assessed for presence of defects visually (VT) and using water inflation test (WIT). One and 2 sample t-tests were used to assess significant differences in defect rates among each latex brand, and between governmental hospitals and private dental practices. Defects in latex gloves were more likely to be identified using WIT compared with VT (20.2% versus 4.3%, p=0.000). Using WIT, examined latex gloves had a defect rate approximately 8 times the acceptable quality level of 2.5% (20.2%, p=0.000). Using WIT, gloves used in private dental practices had significantly higher defect rates compared with governmental dental clinics (25.6% versus 14.6%, p=0.006). Most latex examination gloves used in the sampled governmental dental clinics and private dental practices in Riyadh had significantly higher preexisting defect rates than acceptable standard levels.

Research opportunities in simulation-based medical education using deliberate practice.

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McGaghie, William C

2008-11-01

There are many opportunities for the academic emergency medicine (EM) community to engage in simulation-based educational research using deliberate practice (DP). This article begins by defining and giving examples of two key concepts: deliberate practice and mastery learning. The article proceeds to report six lessons learned from a research legacy in simulation-based medical education (SBME). It concludes by listing and amplifying 10 DP research opportunities in academic EM. A coda states that the research agenda is rich and ambitious and should focus on the goal of educating superb, expert clinicians.

Competence, competency-based education, and undergraduate dental education: a discussion paper.

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Chuenjitwongsa, S; Oliver, R G; Bullock, A D

2018-02-01

The aim of undergraduate dental education is to provide competent dentists to serve societal needs and improve population oral healthcare. Competency-based education has influenced the development of dental education for decades but this term is problematic. This article explores components of competency-based undergraduate health professional education in order to help the dental profession have a better understanding of the context and purposes of undergraduate dental education. This is a discussion paper based on a wide reading of the literature on the education of health professionals with a specific focus on competency-based undergraduate education. Competence comprises an integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes indicating a capability to perform professional tasks safely and ethically. The process of becoming a competent practitioner is complex. Four characteristics of competency-based education are: curriculum components and content shaped by societal needs; focused on student-centred learning; learning achievement; and limited attention to time-based training and numerical targets. Alongside a competency-based approach, undergraduate dental education can be influenced by institutional features and external factors but these receive little consideration in the literature. Understanding competence, competency-based education, and institutional and external factors will help to improve educational quality, define roles and professional development for the dental educator, and inform further research. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Evaluation of World Wide Web-based Lessons for a First Year Dental Biochemistry Course

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr. Alan E. Levine

2002-11-01

Full Text Available First year dental students at The University of Texas Dental Branch at Houston (Dental Branch are required to take a basic biochemistry course. To facilitate learning and allow student self-assessment of their progress, WWW-based lessons covering intermediary metabolism were developed as a supplement to traditional lectures. Lesson design combined text, graphics, and animations and included learner control, links to other learning resources, and practice exercises and exams with immediate feedback. Results from an on-line questionnaire completed by students in two different classes showed that they completed 50% of the lessons and spent an average of 4 hrs. on-line. A majority of the students either agreed or strongly agreed that practice exercises were helpful, that the ability to control the pace of the lessons was important, that the lesson structure and presentation was easy to follow, that the illustrations, animations, and hyperlinks were helpful, and that the lessons were effective as a review. The very positive response to the WWW-based lessons indicates the usefulness of this approach as a study aid for dental students.

Implementation of Technology-based Patient Engagement Strategies within Practice-based Research Networks.

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Careyva, Beth; Shaak, Kyle; Mills, Geoffrey; Johnson, Melanie; Goodrich, Samantha; Stello, Brian; Wallace, Lorraine S

2016-01-01

Technology-based patient engagement strategies (such as patient portals) are increasingly available, yet little is known about current use and barriers within practice-based research networks (PBRNs). PBRN directors have unique opportunities to inform the implementation of patient-facing technology and to translate these findings into practice. PBRN directors were queried regarding technology-based patient engagement strategies as part of the 2015 CAFM Educational Research Alliance (CERA) survey of PBRN directors. A total of 102 PBRN directors were identified via the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's registry; 54 of 96 eligible PBRN directors completed the survey, for a response rate of 56%. Use of technology-based patient engagement strategies within PBRNs was limited, with less than half of respondents reporting experience with the most frequently named tools (risk assessments/decision aids). Information technology (IT) support was the top barrier, followed by low rates of portal enrollment. For engaging participant practices, workload and practice leadership were cited as most important, with fewer respondents noting concerns about patient privacy. Given limited use of patient-facing technologies, PBRNs have an opportunity to clarify the optimal use of these strategies. Providing IT support and addressing clinician concerns regarding workload may facilitate the inclusion of innovative technologies in PBRNs. © Copyright 2016 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Swine Flu: Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Survey of Medical and Dental Students of Karachi.

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Hasan, Fariha; Khan, Mohammad O; Ali, Mukarram

2018-01-09

Introduction Pakistan is extremely susceptible to an influenza outbreak, as it shares borders with the most affected countries, namely China and India. The medical and dental students come into direct contact with the affected population and should be aware of the risk factors and signs and symptoms pertaining to swine influenza virus (SIV). Hence, this survey was conducted to assess the knowledge, perceptions and self-care practices of the medical and dental students with regards to this pandemic. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the swine flu-related knowledge, attitudes and practices of the medical and dental students at various institutions in Karachi, Pakistan. We approached 613 students that were available on the dates of this survey, keeping a medical to dental student ratio of 75:25. All students from first to final year comprised of the study population, and no internists or medical personnel were included. The questionnaire was divided into three sections, namely knowledge, attitudes and, practices. All questions were based on a multiple choice format. The data were entered and interpreted using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 23.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, New York). Results The majority of the students were aware that the swine flu is a transmittable disease (n=485, 80.8%). Most students identified the signs and symptoms correctly; however, diarrhea (15.5%) and vomiting (32.2%) were the least correct answers (n=93, n=193 respectively). Most of the preventative measures were reported accurately by the participants. Despite this, only 15.5% students (n=93) reported the use of a facemask when suffering from fever, cough and a runny nose. Conclusion There is a dire need for the routine integration of the awareness and management programs in the medical and dental schools. There exists a gap between the policy and practice, and it is high time we bridge the divide. The students should also be vaccinated

Barriers and Drawbacks of the Assessment of Dental Fear, Dental Anxiety and Dental Phobia in Children: A Critical Literature Review.

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Asl, Aminabadi Naser; Shokravi, Marzieh; Jamali, Zahra; Shirazi, Sajjad

Dental anxiety, fear and phobia have different etiology, response patterns, time courses, and intensities that justify a clear distinction between these constructs. Differentiation of dental anxiety, fear or phobia in practice is a critical prerequisite for developing and implementing effective treatment for children. The aim of this study was to investigate whether current researches in the pediatric dentistry appropriately discriminate the central construct of dental anxiety, fear and phobia. We also highlighted the specific methodological issues in the assessment of these issues in pediatric dentistry. A systematic search was conducted in Pubmed/medline and Scopus for articles which assessed dental anxiety, fear or phobia in children. 104 research papers were included in the review that had made a distinction between dental anxiety, fear and phobia and had not used them interchangeably. Only five studies used different clinical measures or cut-offs to discriminate between dental anxiety, fear and phobia. The dental literature appears unable to capture and also measure the multi-sided construct of dental anxiety, fear and phobia and, therefore, there was a tendency to use them interchangeably.

Cost effectiveness of prophylaxis in dental practice to prevent infective endocarditis.

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Gould, I M; Buckingham, J K

1993-01-01

BACKGROUND--Although antimicrobial prophylaxis for infective endocarditis (IE) is common practice for many dental procedures, there is little information on whether it represents value for money. A study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of prophylaxis for all at risk patients in routine dental practice with published data from the United Kingdom. METHODS--The risk of contracting infective endocarditis was calculated from published data to find (for high risk patients) both the annual number of deaths attributable to infective endocarditis and the number of high risk dental procedures performed without prophylaxis. Costs are estimated by examining the notes of 63 patients with proved IE during the decade 1980-90. RESULTS--Such prophylaxis is highly cost effective before dental extractions, but its value for other invasive dental procedures is unproved. It was calculated that, for every 10,000 extractions in at risk patients, appropriate prophylaxis will prevent 5.7 deaths and a further 22.85 cases of non-fatal IE. This represents a saving in the costs of hospital care of 289,600 pounds for 10,000 extractions. CONCLUSION--Prophylaxis to prevent IE in at risk patients undergoing dental extraction is highly cost effective. Net savings each year throughout the United Kingdom, that might be achieved by improving the existing proportion of such patients given antibiotics from its present level of about 50% would amount to 2.5 million pounds and would prevent over 50 deaths. PMID:8038004

Information Technology Practices Amongst Dental Undergraduate Students at a Private Dental Institution in India

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S. Kumar

2009-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: In dental and medical education, information and communication technology (ICT has been playing an important role and its use is rapidly increasing. In developing countries, however, information technology is still only available to a minority of health professionals. The present study aimed to assess the level of computer use among dental undergraduate students pursuing their career at a private dental institution in India.Materials and Methods: The study population comprised dental undergraduate students from first to fourth year pursuing their career in a private dental institution of India. Informationtechnology practices were assessed using a questionnaire that consisted of 14 questions.Results: In total, 247 students with an overall response rate of 66% participated in the study. Only 58.3% of the study population mentioned that they had access to computers.Students from preclinical years reported to be competent in IT skills more frequently than the clinical year students (chi square test, P=0.007. Compared to women, men used computers more regularly both for academic activities (P=0.082 and personal use (P=0.006.Similarly, students of clinical years used computers more than preclinical students for both purposes (academic activities, P=0.045; personal use, P=0.124.Conclusion: The present study revealed that computer literacy of Indian dental undergraduate students was comparable with students of other countries whereas accessibility of IT sources was poor. Expansion of computer-assisted learning which requires careful strategic planning, resource sharing, staff incentives, active promotion of multidisciplinary working, and effective quality control should be implemented.

[What do dental students think about their future career practice? Differences between men and women].

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Daalmans, M T; Vissia, M S; Kuijpers-Jagtman, A M; Lagro-Janssen, A L M

2004-12-01

Aim of this study was to get more insight into the career choice, plans and expectations, and practice pattern preferences of male and female dental students in The Netherlands. A structured questionnaire was sent out to all 5th year dental students in The Netherlands in the academic year 2001/2002 (n = 258). The overall response was 65%. Both male and female students prefered working in a group practice environment rather than a solo practice, in which significant more males prefered ownership. Only 23% of the males and 7% of the females expected to work full time in the future. An important factor was leisure time, but for the female students 'taking care for children' was still decisive. The new job description 'oral physician' for the future dentist as advocated by Dutch health authorities was found less attractive than the present profession 'dentist'. Only a quarter of the females and half of the males is interested to serve as manager of a team of dental health professionals. It is concluded that male and female dental students differ in their plans and expectations with respect to their future career choices and practice pattern preferences. As the majority of the present dental students is female this will have a major impact on the dental profession.

Current sedation practice among general dental practitioners and dental specialists in Jordan: an example of a developing country

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Al-Shayyab, Mohammad H; Ryalat, Soukaina; Dar-odeh, Najla; Alsoleihat, Firas

2013-01-01

Purpose The study reported here aimed to identify current sedation practice among general dental practitioners (GDPs) and specialist dental practitioners (SDPs) in Jordan in 2010. Methods Questionnaires were sent by email to 1683 GDPs and SDPs who were working in Jordan at the time of the study. The contact details of these dental practitioners were obtained from a Jordan Dental Association list. Details on personal status, use of, and training in, conscious sedation techniques were sought by the questionnaires. Results A total of 1003 (60%) questionnaires were returned, with 748 (86.9%) GDPs and 113 (13.1%) SDPs responding. Only ten (1.3%) GDPs and 63 (55.8%) SDPs provided information on the different types of treatments related to their specialties undertaken under some form of sedation performed by specialist and/or assistant anesthetists. Approximately 0.075% of the Jordanian population received some form of sedation during the year 2010, with approximately 0.054% having been treated by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The main reason for the majority of GDPs (55.0%) and many SDPs (40%) not to perform sedation was lack of training in this field. While some SDPs (26.0%) indicated they did not use sedation because of the inadequacy of sedative facilities. Conclusion Within the limitations of the present study, it can be concluded that the provision of conscious sedation services in general and specialist dental practices in Jordan is inconsistent and inadequate. This stresses the great need to train practitioners and dental assistants in Jordan to enable them to safely and effectively perform all forms of sedation. PMID:23700369

Dentists United to Extinguish Tobacco (DUET): a study protocol for a cluster randomized, controlled trial for enhancing implementation of clinical practice guidelines for treating tobacco dependence in dental care settings.

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Ostroff, Jamie S; Li, Yuelin; Shelley, Donna R

2014-02-21

Although dental care settings provide an exceptional opportunity to reach smokers and provide brief cessation advice and treatment to reduce oral and other tobacco-related health conditions, dental care providers demonstrate limited adherence to evidence-based guidelines for treatment of tobacco use and dependence. Guided by a multi-level, conceptual framework that emphasizes changes in provider beliefs and organizational characteristics as drivers of improvement in tobacco treatment delivery, the current protocol will use a cluster, randomized design and multiple data sources (patient exit interviews, provider surveys, site observations, chart audits, and semi-structured provider interviews) to study the process of implementing clinical practice guidelines for treating tobacco dependence in 18 public dental care clinics in New York City. The specific aims of this comparative-effectiveness research trial are to: compare the effectiveness of three promising strategies for implementation of tobacco use treatment guidelines-staff training and current best practices (CBP), CBP + provider performance feedback (PF), and CBP + PF + provider reimbursement for delivery of tobacco cessation treatment (pay-for-performance, or P4P); examine potential theory-driven mechanisms hypothesized to explain the comparative effectiveness of three strategies for implementation; and identify baseline organizational factors that influence the implementation of evidence-based tobacco use treatment practices in dental clinics. The primary outcome is change in providers' tobacco treatment practices and the secondary outcomes are cost per quit, use of tobacco cessation treatments, quit attempts, and smoking abstinence. We hypothesize that the value of these promising implementation strategies is additive and that incorporating all three strategies (CBP, PF, and P4P) will be superior to CBP alone and CBP + PF in improving delivery of cessation assistance to smokers. The findings

Concordance of chart and billing data with direct observation in dental practice.

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Demko, Catherine A; Victoroff, Kristin Zakariasen; Wotman, Stephen

2008-10-01

The commonly used methods of chart review, billing data summaries and practitioner self-reporting have not been examined for their ability to validly and reliably represent time use and service delivery in routine dental practice. A more thorough investigation of these data sources would provide insight into the appropriateness of each approach for measuring various clinical behaviors. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of commonly used methods such as dental chart review, billing data, or practitioner self-report compared with a 'gold standard' of information derived from direct observation of routine dental visits. A team of trained dental hygienists directly observed 3751 patient visits in 120 dental practices and recorded the behaviors and procedures performed by dentists and hygienists during patient contact time. Following each visit, charts and billing records were reviewed for the performed and billed procedures. Dental providers characterized their frequency of preventive service delivery through self-administered surveys. We standardized the observation and abstraction methods to obtain optimal measures from each of the multiple data sources. Multi-rater kappa coefficients were computed to monitor standardization, while sensitivity, specificity, and kappa coefficients were calculated to compare the various data sources with direct observation. Chart audits were more sensitive than billing data for all observed procedures and demonstrated higher agreement with directly observed data. Chart and billing records were not sensitive for several prevention-related tasks (oral cancer screening and oral hygiene instruction). Provider self-reports of preventive behaviors were always over-estimated compared with direct observation. Inter-method reliability kappa coefficients for 13 procedures ranged from 0.197 to 0.952. These concordance findings suggest that strengths and weaknesses of data collection sources should be considered when investigating

The working practices and job satisfaction of dental therapists: findings of a national survey.

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Gibbons, D E; Corrigan, M; Newton, J T

2000-10-28

To describe the working practices and level of job satisfaction of dental therapists in the United Kingdom. Postal questionnaire survey of 380 dental therapists registered with the General Dental Council. Only 13% of dental therapists are also qualified as dental hygienists. Around 75% of those registered with the GDC are currently employed as dental therapists. Of those not currently working as dental therapists most were either working as hygienists or caring for their children at home. Over 90% of those working as therapists are employed within the Community Dental Service. About half work part-time. Part-time working is more common among respondents with childcare responsibilities. Most dental therapists are employed in clinical roles, and perform a limited range of treatments. A small proportion appear to have been asked to undertake duties which are not currently legal for them to perform. Three-quarters of those who were currently working as dental therapists had taken career breaks at some point, the most common reasons for such a break being a change in career and/or child rearing. The respondents expressed a high level of job satisfaction, particularly among older dental therapists. Dental therapy offers a potentially rewarding career in terms of job satisfaction. Any planned increase in the numbers of training places for dental therapists should their role be expanded, for example to include working in general dental practice, would need to take cognisance of the high rate of part-time working and the proportion who could be expected to take career breaks at some point in their working lives, as is the case with female dental practitioners.

Effective admissions practices to achieve greater student diversity in dental schools.

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Price, Shelia S; Grant-Mills, Donna

2010-10-01

In this chapter we describe the institutional and policy-level strategies that dental schools in the Pipeline, Profession, and Practice: Community-Based Dental Education program used to modify their admissions practices to increase the diversity of their student bodies. Schools developed and used clear statements recognizing the value of diversity. They incorporated recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings regarding educational diversity into their revised admissions practices; these rulings cited diversity as both a "compelling interest" and its use in only "narrowly tailored" circumstances. We make a case for admissions decisions based on a comprehensive evaluation that balances the quantitative and qualitative qualities of a candidate. It refutes the practice of overreliance on standardized tests by detailing the whole-file review process to measure merit and professional promise. Also described is a range of noncognitive variables (e.g., leadership, ability to sustain academic achievement with competing priorities, volunteerism, communication, social background, and disadvantaged status) that schools can take into consideration in admissions decisions. Admissions committees can tie this comprehensive review of candidates into the case for promoting cross-cultural understanding and enhanced competence to provide care to patients from diverse backgrounds. In addition, the chapter reviews the challenges schools face in developing admissions policies and procedures that reflect the university's mission for diversity. It addresses the importance of a diverse composition of the admissions committee. It also describes how tailored workshops and technical assistance for admissions committees can help schools improve their student diversity and how admissions committees can engage in a process of periodic review of their diversity objectives in relationship to the school's mission.

Effect of Music Practice on Anxiety and Depression of Iranian Dental Students.

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Ghasemi, Mahmood; Lotfollahzadeh, Hana; Kermani-Ranjbar, Tahereh; Kharazifard, Mohammad Javad

2017-05-01

The practice of dentistry has long been associated with high levels of occupational stress and anxiety and music has been shown as a method of reducing stress. Considering the reportedly high level of stress among dental students and its consequences and also considering the positive effect of music therapy, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between music practice and level of stress in dental students. In this analytical, cross-sectional study, 88 students, including 44 with a history of music practice and 44 matched controls without music practice who met the defined inclusion criteria, participated. Upon obtaining written informed consent, all volunteers filled the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) and Beck depression inventory (BDI) questionnaires. Data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and multiple linear regression test with backward method was used to evaluate the effect of demographic factors on anxiety and depression scores. The level of anxiety was higher in students who did not have music practice and this difference was significant (P0.05). But level of anxiety and depression was higher in students of universities with tuition fee compared to free public institutes (Pmusic practice can reduce anxiety and depression of dental students.

Ethical considerations in dental laser research, education, and practice

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Goldstein, Alan T.; Coluzzi, Donald J.; Sulewski, John G.; White, Joel M.

1995-05-01

This presentation addresses the interplay between commerce and conscience. The relationship between industry and academia must be free of both true and apparent conflict of interest. Obviously, the matter is of great importance, since as scientists and clinicians, our integrity is our most valuable asset. This is no less true for the manufacturers of dental laser technology. Ethics, then, is a bottom-line issue for all concerned. Often, in spite of good intentions, there has been no clear-cut policy on this issue. Occasionally, when there has been policy, there has been no mechanism for implementation. Universities have conflict-of-interest requirements, while industry and others in the profession do not. In the academic sphere, we are obligated to be open, thorough, honest and scrupulous in our research and educational activities. Recently, the Board of Directors of the Academy of Laser Dentistry unanimously passed a resolution clarifying their position on conflict-of-interest issues. We offer it to SPIE so that ultimately, we may face our profession and business colleagues squarely, and with full and faithful disclosure. Issues of conflict of interest, principal investigators, financial interests, and recommendations for full disclosure are presented.

Qualitative research and dental public health

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roslind Preethi George

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The use of Qualitative Research (QR methods are now getting common in various aspects of health and healthcare research and they can be used to interpret, explore, or obtain a deeper understanding of certain aspects of human beliefs, attitudes, or behavior through personal experiences and perspectives. The potential scope of QR in the field of dental public health is immense, but unfortunately, it has remained underutilized. However, there are a number of studies which have used this type of research to probe into some unanswered questions in the field of public health dentistry ranging from workforce issues to attitudes of patients. In recent health research, evidence gathered through QR methods provide understanding to the social, cultural, and economic factors affecting the health status and healthcare of an individual and the population as a whole. This study will provide an overview of what QR is and discuss its contributions to dental public health research.

Reflective learning in community-based dental education.

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Deogade, Suryakant C; Naitam, Dinesh

2016-01-01

Community-based dental education (CBDE) is the implementation of dental education in a specific social context, which shifts a substantial part of dental clinical education from dental teaching institutional clinics to mainly public health settings. Dental students gain additional value from CBDE when they are guided through a reflective process of learning. We propose some key elements to the existing CBDE program that support meaningful personal learning experiences. Dental rotations of 'externships' in community-based clinical settings (CBCS) are year-long community-based placements and have proven to be strong learning environments where students develop good communication skills and better clinical reasoning and management skills. We look at the characteristics of CBDE and how the social and personal context provided in communities enhances dental education. Meaningfulness is created by the authentic context, which develops over a period of time. Structured reflection assignments and methods are suggested as key elements in the existing CBDE program. Strategies to enrich community-based learning experiences for dental students include: Photographic documentation; written narratives; critical incident reports; and mentored post-experiential small group discussions. A directed process of reflection is suggested as a way to increase the impact of the community learning experiences. We suggest key elements to the existing CBDE module so that the context-rich environment of CBDE allows for meaningful relations and experiences for dental students and enhanced learning.

[Stop smoking advice for patients who smoke: feasible in the dental practice?

OpenAIRE

Maassen, I.T.H.M.; Jacobs, J.E.; Plasschaert, A.J.M.; Allard, R.H.; Schattenberg, G.T.B.M.R.; Hilberink, S.R.

2008-01-01

Smoking may cause periodontal diseases and raises the chance of getting oral cancer. The Dutch Guideline for the Treatment of Tobacco Addiction recommends that dental professionals explicitly advise all patients who smoke to stop smoking. In 12 dental practices a study was made of how the guidelines could be implemented. The strategy consisted of a patient protocol for minimal, one-time cessation advice or for more intensive supervision, a patient leaflet, centralized training for the dental ...

Prevalence and associated factors of dental erosion in children and adolescents of a private dental practice.

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Nahás Pires Corrêa, Maria Salete; Nahás Pires Corrêa, Fernanda; Nahás Pires Corrêa, José Paulo; Murakami, Christiana; Mendes, Fausto Medeiros

2011-11-01

BaCKGROUND. The prevalence of dental erosion seems to be rising in young populations, particularly among individuals of higher socioeconomic status. AIM. To assess the prevalence and associated factors of dental erosion in children and adolescents of a private dental practice. DESIGN. A total of 232 participants, aged 2-20 years, were examined. Dietary habits, oral hygiene, and medical data were collected from dental records. Logistic regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS. Dental erosion prevalence was of 25.43% and was highest on the occlusal surfaces (76%). Associated factors were: frequent consumption of soft drinks (OR = 2.33; 95% CI = 1.01-5.38) and candies (OR = 3.23; 95% CI = 1.25-8.32); and interaction between these two factors (OR = 3.95; 95% CI = 1.60-9.75). On anterior teeth, associated factors were: frequent consumption of fruits (OR = 2.53; 95% CI = 1.09-5.91); and age (OR = 1.07 95% CI = 1.01-1.14). Milk consumption was associated with a lower prevalence of dental erosion (OR = 0.40; 95% CI = 0.17-0.94). CONCLUSIONS.  A relatively high prevalence of erosion was found in association with frequent intake of soft drinks, candies, and fruits. The consumption of milk seemed to protect against dental erosion on anterior teeth. © 2011 The Authors. International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry © 2011 BSPD, IAPD and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Taxonomy for competency-based dental curricula.

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Beltrán-Neira, Roberto J; Beltrán-Aguilar, Eugenio D

2004-09-01

The objective of this article is to propose a classification of dental competencies. Interest in dental competencies has grown consistently during the last three decades. However, the dental education literature suggests that the term "competency" is understood and used differently by dental schools around the world. The taxonomic classification of dental competencies we propose follows a systematic approach starting at the highest level of complexity, i.e., the professional profile the teaching institution envisions for its graduates, and following in a decreasing degree of complexity to competency function, task, step, movement, and moment. This taxonomy has proved to be useful for more than thirty years in the Dental School of the Peruvian University Cayetano Heredia. Graduates of this school are successful practitioners, teachers, and researchers in Peru and other countries. The classification proposed here should clarify terms, facilitate curriculum design and learning assessment, stimulate further discussion on the matter, and facilitate communication among the dental education establishment.

Knowledge of Dental Health and Oral Hygiene Practices of Taiwanese Visually Impaired and Sighted Students

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Chang, Chien-Huey Sophie; Shih, Yeng-Hung

2004-01-01

This study investigated the dental health knowledge and oral hygiene practices of 95 students with visual impairments and 286 sighted students in Taiwan. It found that the students with visual impairments were less knowledgeable about dental health and less frequently completed oral hygiene practices than did the sighted students.

Learning Practice-Based Research Methods: Capturing the Experiences of MSW Students

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Natland, Sidsel; Weissinger, Erika; Graaf, Genevieve; Carnochan, Sarah

2016-01-01

The literature on teaching research methods to social work students identifies many challenges, such as dealing with the tensions related to producing research relevant to practice, access to data to teach practice-based research, and limited student interest in learning research methods. This is an exploratory study of the learning experiences of…

Hospital dental practice in special patients

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Silvestre-Rangil, Javier; Espín-Gálvez, Fernando

2014-01-01

Dental patients with special needs are people with different systemic diseases, multiple disorders or severe physical and/or mental disabilities. A Medline search was made, yielding a total of 29 articles that served as the basis for this study, which offers a brief description of the dental intervention protocols in medically compromised patients. Dental treatment in patients with special needs, whether presenting medical problems or disabilities, is sometimes complex. For this reason the hospital should be regarded as the ideal setting for the care of these individuals. Before starting any dental intervention, a correct patient evaluation is needed, based on a correct anamnesis, medical records and interconsultation reports, and with due assessment of the medical risks involved. The hospital setting offers the advantage of access to electronic medical records and to data referred to any complementary tests that may have been made, and we moreover have the possibility of performing treatments under general anesthesia. In this context, ambulatory major surgery is the best approach when considering general anesthesia in patients of this kind. Key words:Hospital dentistry, special patients, medically compromised patients. PMID:24121921

Oral Health Care in the Future: Expansion of the Scope of Dental Practice to Improve Health.

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Lamster, Ira B; Myers-Wright, Noreen

2017-09-01

The health care environment in the U.S. is changing. The population is aging, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is increasing, edentulism is decreasing, and periodontal infection/inflammation has been identified as a risk factor for NCDs. These trends offer an opportunity for oral health care providers to broaden the scope of traditional dental practice, specifically becoming more involved in the management of the general health of patients. This new practice paradigm will promote a closer integration with the larger health care system. This change is based on the realization that a healthy mouth is essential for a healthy life, including proper mastication, communication, esthetics, and comfort. Two types of primary care are proposed: screenings for medical conditions that are directly affected by oral disease (and may modify the provision of dental care), and a broader emphasis on prevention that focuses on lifestyle behaviors. Included in the former category are screenings for NCDs (e.g., the risk of cardiovascular disease and identification of patients with undiagnosed dysglycemia or poorly managed diabetes mellitus), as well as identification of infectious diseases, such as HIV or hepatitis C. Reducing the risk of disease can be accomplished by an emphasis on smoking cessation and dietary intake and the prevention of obesity. These activities will promote interprofessional health care education and practice. While change is always challenging, this new practice paradigm could improve both oral health and health outcomes of patients seen in the dental office. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21 st Century."

Research-Based Knowledge: Researchers' Contribution to Evidence-Based Practice and Policy Making in Career Guidance

Science.gov (United States)

Haug, Erik Hagaseth; Plant, Peter

2016-01-01

To present evidence for the outcomes of career guidance is increasingly seen as pivotal for a further professionalization of policy making and service provision. This paper puts an emphasis on researchers' contribution to evidence-based practice and policy making in career guidance. We argue for a broader and more pluralistic research strategy to…

Knowledge, attitude and practices about hepatitis B and Infection Control Measures among dental students in Patiala

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Vishal Malhotra

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Hepatitis B is highly infectious, but preventable diseases and dentists are at increased risk of exposure to saliva and blood of patients during their clinical practice, and so it is of utmost importance that they follow standard guidelines for infection control. Aims: To assess knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding infection control measures among dental students of Government Dental College in Punjab. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey using a self-administered pretested questionnaire to dental students and responses were statistically analyzed. The analysis of variance was used to compare means of knowledge, attitude, and practice scores between four groups of study subjects and P < 0.05 is considered statistically significant. Results: Although the students have sufficient knowledge regarding hepatitis B, still there are gaps in putting their knowledge into practice. Third and final year students have significantly less mean knowledge and practice scores compared to interns and postgraduate students. The majority of students have a positive attitude and were willing to perform any procedure on hepatitis B-infected patients. Conclusions: Dental students have adequate knowledge and good attitude but still there are some misconceptions. There is poor implementation of standard infection control measures in their practice. Rigorous training programs on preventive practices and regular workshops must be organized on an annual basis in dental colleges. Moreover, hepatitis B vaccination must be made mandatory for students before they start their clinical practice.

Dental hygienists' perceptions of barriers to graduate education.

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Boyd, Linda D; Bailey, Angela

2011-08-01

To advance the profession of dental hygiene, graduate education is necessary to support growth in research, education, administration, and practice in the discipline and to sustain credibility in a climate in which other health professions require entry-level master's and doctoral degrees. The purpose of this study was to explore what dental hygienists perceive as barriers to pursuing a graduate degree. A survey was developed based on the literature and other national surveys. Data were collected from 160 respondents to the survey: 50 percent held an entry-level baccalaureate degree in dental hygiene, while the rest held an entry-level associate degree (48 percent) or certificate (2 percent) in dental hygiene. All respondents had completed a bachelor's degree. The top five barriers these respondents identified in pursuing graduate education were as follows: 1) cost of graduate education, 2) family responsibilities are too great, 3) concerns about personal funding to pay for graduate education, 4) finding time for graduate school while working, and 5) fear of thesis research. Dental hygiene is one of the few health professions that still have entry-level degrees at the associate and baccalaureate levels. The profession needs to reduce such barriers to enable dental hygienists to pursue graduate education and thus ensure an adequate supply of future leaders, educators, and researchers.

PREMEDICATION PROTOCOLS IN DENTAL PRACTICE IN ALLERGIC PATIENTS.

OpenAIRE

Angelina Kisselova; Adriana Krasteva; Assya Krasteva

2011-01-01

The problem with choosing a suitable pre-medication protocols before local anesthesia in dentistry in allergic patients is always discussed, as in the dental practice different schemes are already proven (3,5). The propose of this communication is to share the experience on those pre-medication schemes in allergic patients during and outside pollen season.

Evidence, Engagement, and Technology: Themes of and the State of Primary Care Practice-based Network Research.

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Nease, Donald E

2016-01-01

Practice-based research supported by practice-based research network (PBRN) infrastructure has historically provided an important method for challenging guidelines and evidence arising from secondary and tertiary care settings. This sample of current practice-based research in this issue of the JABFM provides an opportunity to ask whether practice-based research continues to address questions relevant to primary care practices and clinicians and whether a PBRN infrastructure is instrumental to maintaining the relevance and feasibility of practice-based research. Based on this issue's articles, the current state of practice-based research seems to be good, at face value addressing relevant issues for primary care practices. Less clear is the degree to which PBRN infrastructures and relationships informed the questions asked and facilitated the implementation of the studies presented. Practice-based research-related articles that routinely report about how study questions arose-from practices and their clinicians, staff and communities, or elsewhere-could help directly answer questions of relevance. In addition, reporting how practices are recruited to practice-based research studies could inform the degree to which ongoing relationships central to PBRNs facilitate the recruitment and conduct of practice-based research. © Copyright 2016 by the American Board of Family Medicine.

Survey of radiological safety in dental practice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gill, J R [UKAEA Health and Safety Branch, London; Hudson, A P

1977-01-01

A pilot survey of radiological protection in dental practice in Great Britain has been requested by the Health and Safety Executive and is now in progress. The survey should provide more precise data on the use of X-ray equipment. There are approximately 13,000 dentists in Great Britain using X-ray apparatus, and some 600 of these have been selected, on a statistical basis, to be invited to make use of a postal survey over a six month period. The postal survey technique to be used has already been developed as a service following requests from individual dentists. The dentist receives a questionnaire and three initial films to test the timer, then two special cassettes incorporating film and filters. Film badges are worn over a 12 week period by the dentist and by any staff who assist in radiography. Follow-up visits to discuss the survey will be made to one in ten of the selected dentists. The results will give the individual dentists, without cost, assurance of the efficient functioning of their equipment, and advice, should any remedial measures be necessary. Concurrently, the resulting statistics will give an indication of how many, if any, practices fall short of the recommendations of the Code of Practice for the Protection of Persons against Ionizing Radiations arising from Medical and Dental Use. Further action in respect of the Health and Safety at Work Act will be determined in the light of the survey.

Education About Dental Hygienists' Roles in Public Dental Prevention Programs: Dental and Dental Hygiene Students' and Faculty Members' and Dental Hygienists' Perspectives.

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Pervez, Anushey; Kinney, Janet S; Gwozdek, Anne; Farrell, Christine M; Inglehart, Marita R

2016-09-01

In 2005, Public Act No. 161 (PA 161) was passed in Michigan, allowing dental hygienists to practice in approved public dental prevention programs to provide services for underserved populations while utilizing a collaborative agreement with a supervising dentist. The aims of this study were to assess how well dental and dental hygiene students and faculty members and practicing dental hygienists have been educated about PA 161, what attitudes and knowledge about the act they have, and how interested they are in additional education about it. University of Michigan dental and dental hygiene students and faculty members, students in other Michigan dental hygiene programs, and dental hygienists in the state were surveyed. Respondents (response rate) were 160 dental students (50%), 63 dental hygiene students (82%), 30 dental faculty members (26%), and 12 dental hygiene faculty members (52%) at the University of Michigan; 143 dental hygiene students in other programs (20%); and 95 members of the Michigan Dental Hygienists' Association (10%). The results showed that the dental students were less educated about PA 161 than the dental hygiene students, and the dental faculty members were less informed than the dental hygiene faculty members and dental hygienists. Responding dental hygiene faculty members and dental hygienists had more positive attitudes about PA 161 than did the students and dental faculty members. Most of the dental hygiene faculty members and dental hygienists knew a person providing services in a PA 161 program. Most dental hygiene students, faculty members, and dental hygienists wanted more education about PA 161. Overall, the better educated about the program the respondents were, the more positive their attitudes, and the more interested they were in learning more.

Clinical usefulness of teleradiology in general dental practice

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Choi, Jin Woo [Dept. of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology, Dankook University College of Dentistry, Cheonan (Korea, Republic of)

2013-06-15

This study was performed to investigate the clinical usefulness of teleradiology in general dental practice. Two hundred and seventy five cases were submitted for inquiry to the case presentation board of the website of The Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology for a 5 year periods. The diagnosis results of those cases were analyzed according to the disease classification, the correlation with the patient's chief complaint, the necessity of additional examinations or treatments, the image modalities, and the number of dentists inquiring. Differential diagnoses of normal anatomic structures were the most frequently submitted cases, covering 15.6% of all cases. Among 275 cases, 164 cases required no additional treatments or examinations. Panoramic radiographs were the most frequently submitted images, accounting for 248 inquiries. The 275 cases were submitted by 96 dentists. Fifty-two dentists wrote one inquiry, and 44 inquired 2 or more times. The average inquiry number of the latter group was 5.0 cases. A teleradiology system in general dental practice could be helpful in the differential diagnosis of common lesions and reduce unnecessary costs.

The critical incident technique in dental research: A review

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Binu Santha

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Research is a scientific quest to find answers to certain questions. It makes us think with curiosity and wonderment about how to make something better. Research contributes in a major way to the development and maintenance of health and health care systems. Qualitative research is concerned with qualitative phenomena and includes subjective assessment of attitudes, opinions, and behavior. It is especially important in the behavioral sciences where the aim is to discover the underlying motives of human behavior. The critical incident technique (CIT is a well-established qualitative research tool used in many areas of health sciences including nursing, medicine, dentistry, and their respective education systems. This technique is described as consisting of “a set of procedures for collecting direct observations of human behavior in such a way as to facilitate their potential usefulness in solving practical problems.” This review gives a gist of CIT and its application in different aspects of dental research.

Current issues in dental practice management. Part 1. The importance of shared values.

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Newsome, Philip R H

2003-04-01

There can be few who would argue with the notion that the nature of dental practice in the United Kingdom has changed dramatically over the last couple of decades. A variety of factors, including new clinical techniques, growing consumerism, a much greater awareness of health-related and well-being issues in the public at large, as well as a marked deregulation within the dental profession, the development of vocational training and recently mandatory lifelong learning, the growing number of females working in the profession, and an increasing reluctance of young dentists to finance dental practices have all combined to create an environment which has enabled and encouraged a move away from traditional forms of dental care delivery. Instead, there has been considerable growth in independently-funded practice and a commensurate growth in the number of practices operating under a corporate body umbrella of one form or another. Currently there are 27 corporate bodies registered with the General Dental Council (GDC) with the likelihood of more in the future given the proposed GDC review. This will no doubt take into consideration European law, under which the restriction within the Dentist's Act on the number of corporate bodies is likely to be untenable. Although they still have only a small share of the dental market--with 4% of all dentists in the UK in 1999--they have expanded rapidly from a small base. The data available at the time the paper was written indicate that the global total of fees earned from dentistry in the UK in the financial year 2001/2002 was almost 3 billion Pounds, of which 1.9 billion Pounds (64%) came from NHS fees and 1.1 billion Pounds (36%) from private fees. Of this 1.9 billion Pounds received in NHS fees in 2001/2002, 0.55 billion Pounds were paid by patients who were not exempt from charges, bringing the total amount actually paid out of patients' pockets for dental treatment to 1.65 billion Pounds. Compare these figures with 1996

Questionnaire for measuring organisational attributes in dental-care practices: psychometric properties and test-retest reliability.

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Goetz, Katja; Hasse, Philipp; Szecsenyi, Joachim; Campbell, Stephen M

2016-04-01

The consideration of organisational aspects, such as shared goals and clear communication, within the health care team is important to ensure good quality care. In primary health care, the instrument Survey of Organizational Attributes for Primary Care (SOAPC) is available to measure organisational attributes of care. However, there is no instrument available for dental care. The aim of the present study was to investigate psychometric properties and test-retest reliability of the version of SOAPC adapted for dental care, namely the Survey of Organizational Attributes in Dental Care (SOADC). The SOADC consists of 21 items in the following four subscales: communication; decision making; stress/chaos; and history of change. Convergent construct validity was measured using the job satisfaction scale. A total of 287 dental-care practices were asked to participate in the validation study. Psychometric properties and test-retest reliability were observed. A total of 43 dental-care practices responded to the survey. At baseline, 178 dental-care staff completed the questionnaire, and 4 weeks later 138 did so. Internal consistency, measured by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.718 or higher in the subscales. The test-retest reliability for each subscale and the overall SOADC score demonstrated good correlations over the 4-week test-retest interval, except for 'history of change'. A strong correlation with the aggregated job-satisfaction scale showed high convergent construct validity of SOADC. The consideration of organisational aspects from the perspective of dental-care teams is important for providing good quality of care. The SOADC is a reliable instrument with good psychometric properties and is suitable for the evaluation of organisational attributes in dental-care practices. © 2015 FDI World Dental Federation.

Current sedation practice among general dental practitioners and dental specialists in Jordan: an example of a developing country

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Al-Shayyab MH

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Mohammad H Al-Shayyab,1 Soukaina Ryalat,1 Najla Dar-odeh,1 Firas Alsoleihat21Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, 2Department of Conservative Dentistry and Fixed Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Jordan, Amman, JordanPurpose: The study reported here aimed to identify current sedation practice among general dental practitioners (GDPs and specialist dental practitioners (SDPs in Jordan in 2010.Methods: Questionnaires were sent by email to 1683 GDPs and SDPs who were working in Jordan at the time of the study. The contact details of these dental practitioners were obtained from a Jordan Dental Association list. Details on personal status, use of, and training in, conscious sedation techniques were sought by the questionnaires.Results: A total of 1003 (60% questionnaires were returned, with 748 (86.9% GDPs and 113 (13.1% SDPs responding. Only ten (1.3% GDPs and 63 (55.8% SDPs provided information on the different types of treatments related to their specialties undertaken under some form of sedation performed by specialist and/or assistant anesthetists. Approximately 0.075% of the Jordanian population received some form of sedation during the year 2010, with approximately 0.054% having been treated by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The main reason for the majority of GDPs (55.0% and many SDPs (40% not to perform sedation was lack of training in this field. While some SDPs (26.0% indicated they did not use sedation because of the inadequacy of sedative facilities.Conclusion: Within the limitations of the present study, it can be concluded that the provision of conscious sedation services in general and specialist dental practices in Jordan is inconsistent and inadequate. This stresses the great need to train practitioners and dental assistants in Jordan to enable them to safely and effectively perform all forms of sedation.Keywords: Jordan Dental

Effectiveness of problem-based learning in Chinese dental education: a meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Beilei; Zheng, Liwei; Li, Chunjie; Li, Li; Yu, Haiyang

2013-03-01

This article provides a critical overview of problem-based learning (PBL) practice in dental education in China. Because the application of PBL has not been carried out on a large scale in Chinese dental education, this review was performed to investigate its effectiveness. Databases were searched for studies that met the inclusion criteria, with study identification and data extraction performed by two reviewers independently. Meta-analysis was done with Revman 5.1. Eleven randomized controlled trials were included. The meta-analysis found that PBL had a positive effect on gaining higher theoretical (SMD=0.88, 95% CI [0.46, 1.31], peffect on gaining higher pass rates (RR=1.06, 95% CI [0.97, 1.16], p=0.21). This meta-analysis suggests that the PBL pedagogy is considered superior to the traditional lecture-based teaching in this setting. PBL methods could be an optional supplementary method of dental teaching models in China. However, Chinese dental schools should devise PBL curricula according to their own conditions. The effectiveness of PBL should be optimized maximally with all these limitations.

An investigation into dental digital radiography in dental practices in West Kent following the introduction of the 2006 NHS General Dental Services contract.

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Mauthe, Peter W; Eaton, Kenneth A

2011-04-01

The primary aims of the study were to investigate the use of digital radiography within primary dental care practices in the West Kent Primary Care Trust (PCT) area and general dental practitioners' (GDPs) self-reported change in radiographic prescribing patterns following the introduction of the nGDS contract in 2006. Data were gathered via a piloted, self-completed questionnaire, and circulated to all GDPs listed on the National Health Service (NHS) Choices website as practising in the West Kent PCT area. There were three mailings and follow-up telephone calls. The resulting data were entered into a statistical software database and, where relevant, statistically tested, using the chi-square test and Pearson correlation coefficient. Of 223 GDPs, 168 (75%) responded. There were 163 usable questionnaires. The respondents represented 85% of the general dental practices in West Kent. Eighty (49%) respondents were using digital intra-oral radiography. Of those who used digital radiography, 44 (55%) reported that they used phosphor plate systems and 36 (45%) that they used direct digital sensors. Eighty-three (51%) had a panoramic machine in their practice, 46 of whom (55%) were using digital systems; of these, 32 (67%) were using a direct digital system. Seventy-one GDPs reported that they worked exclusively or mainly in private practice. Forty (56%) of these 'mainly private' GDPs reported that they used digital radiographic systems, whereas only 40 (44%) of the 89 'mainly NHS' GDPs reported using digital radio-graphic systems. On average, mainly private GDPs made the transition to a digital radiographic system six months before mainly NHS GDPs. Of those who provided NHS dentistry before and after April 2006, only 18 (14%) reported taking fewer radiographs and seven (6%) taking more. In February 2010, of the West Kent GDPs who responded to the questionnaire, just under 50% used digital radio graphy. Mainly private GDPs were more likely to use digital radiography than

A Mid-Level Dental Provider in Oregon: Dental hygienists' perceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Coplen, Amy E; Bell, Kathryn; Aamodt, Gail L; Ironside, Lynn

2017-10-01

Purpose: Many states are exploring alternative provider models and examining the role of the dental hygienist to address access to care challenges as the United States continues to face increasing demands for oral healthcare services. The purpose of this study was to assess dental hygienists' opinions in the state of Oregon regarding the current limitations of dental hygienists' scope of practice, perceived need for a mid-level provider in Oregon, and personal interest in becoming a mid-level provider. Methods: In December 2013 a survey was mailed to a sample of 1,231 dental hygienists registered in Oregon representing 30% of the licentiates. All licentiates holding expanded practice permits (EPP) were included in the sample (n=351). The following categories were included in the 32-question survey: scope of practice, mid-level provider, current practice, and demographics. Results: A total of 440 surveys were returned for a response rate of 36%. Of the EPP holders, 51% responded to the survey. Over half of respondents (59%) believe that a mid-level provider is needed in the state. Respondents holding membership in the American Dental Hygienists' Association, as well as EPP holders, were significantly more likely to respond that a mid-level dental provider was needed in the state (plevel provider was introduced in Oregon, the new provider should be a registered dental hygienist model. Forty-three percent (n=186) of respondents were interested in becoming mid-level providers and 47% (n=203) of respondents believed that the minimum education for a mid-level provider should be a bachelor's degree. The majority, 74% (n=137), of those interested in becoming a mid-level provider indicated a preference in completing their education through online teaching combined with a clinical internship. Conclusion: There is strong support from dental hygienists in Oregon that a need exists for a mid-level dental provider and that this provider model should be dental hygiene based

Enhancing the online presence of a dental practice.

Science.gov (United States)

McLeod, Neil S

2012-04-01

This article describes methods for enhancing the online presence of a dental practice to gain market share and facilitate communication with current and prospective patients. Topics discussed include creation of a website that will help patients easily locate the practice. The importance of back links and embedded keywords is stressed. A method for identifying competitors' online marketing strategies also is presented, along with discussions of patient reviews and pay-per-click advertising options. Copyright © 2012 The Editorial Council of the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Theory analysis of the Dental Hygiene Human Needs Conceptual Model.

Science.gov (United States)

MacDonald, L; Bowen, D M

2017-11-01

Theories provide a structural knowing about concept relationships, practice intricacies, and intuitions and thus shape the distinct body of the profession. Capturing ways of knowing and being is essential to any professions' practice, education and research. This process defines the phenomenon of the profession - its existence or experience. Theory evaluation is a systematic criterion-based assessment of a specific theory. This study presents a theory analysis of the Dental Hygiene Human Needs Conceptual Model (DH HNCM). Using the Walker and Avant Theory Analysis, a seven-step process, the DH HNCM, was analysed and evaluated for its meaningfulness and contribution to dental hygiene. The steps include the following: (i) investigate the origins; (ii) examine relationships of the theory's concepts; (iii) assess the logic of the theory's structure; (iv) consider the usefulness to practice; (v) judge the generalizability; (vi) evaluate the parsimony; and (vii) appraise the testability of the theory. Human needs theory in nursing and Maslow's Hierarchy of Need Theory prompted this theory's development. The DH HNCM depicts four concepts based on the paradigm concepts of the profession: client, health/oral health, environment and dental hygiene actions, and includes validated eleven human needs that evolved overtime to eight. It is logical, simplistic, allows scientific predictions and testing, and provides a unique lens for the dental hygiene practitioner. With this model, dental hygienists have entered practice, knowing they enable clients to meet their human needs. For the DH HNCM, theory analysis affirmed that the model is reasonable and insightful and adds to the dental hygiene professions' epistemology and ontology. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Outcomes of dental hygiene baccalaureate degree education in Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Kanji, Zul; Sunell, Susanne; Boschma, Geertje; Imai, Pauline; Craig, Bonnie J

2011-03-01

There is little published literature about the outcomes of dental hygiene baccalaureate degree education, particularly in Canada. Since there are various dental hygiene entry-to-practice educational models in Canada, exploring baccalaureate dental hygiene education is becoming an increasingly important subject. The purpose of this study was to explore the personal outcomes and dental hygiene practice outcomes of dental hygiene degree-completion education in Canada from the perspectives of diploma dental hygienists who have continued their education to the bachelor's degree level. This study employed a qualitative phenomenological design, using a maximum variation purposeful sampling strategy. Data generation occurred with sixteen dental hygienists across Canada through individual semistructured interviews. Interviews were audiorecorded, transcribed verbatim, and coded for data analysis, involving pattern recognition and thematic development. Themes that emerged included changes in self-perception, values, and knowledge base. Changes in self-perception were reflected in a reported increase in self-confidence and perceived credibility. Changes in values included a greater appreciation for lifelong learning. Advancements in knowledge strengthened the development of specific abilities that ultimately influenced participants' dental hygiene practice. These abilities included an increased ability to think critically, to make evidence-based decisions, and to provide more comprehensive care. Participants also commented on having more career opportunities available to them outside of the private clinical practice setting. These results reveal important insights into the impact of earning a dental hygiene baccalaureate degree on oneself and one's dental hygiene practice.

Creating research and development awareness among dental care professionals by use of strategic communication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morténius, Helena; Twetman, Svante

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of contemporary research advances, only a limited fraction is implemented into dental practice. One possible way to facilitate this process is to stimulate the research and development (R&D) awareness and interest with aid of strategic communication. METHODS......: The aim of the study was to analyse the role of a strategic communication in R&D awareness and interest among dental care professionals (DCP) over a 12-year period. A second aim was to compare the findings with those from primary care professionals (PCP). The project had a prospective design...... and the intervention was conducted through established oral, written and digital channels. The outcome was captured by two validated questionnaires submitted after 7 and 12 years, respectively. An additional Questionnaire file shows the details [see Additional file 1]. The material consisted of 599 health care...

The National Institute of Dental Research Clinical Dental Staff Fellowship.

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Baum, Bruce J.; And Others

1988-01-01

A program in one of the National Institutes of Health offers clinical training fellowships as a means of training potential dental school faculty by providing both unique clinical skills and high-quality research experience. The program was developed in response to a perceived need for change in academic dentistry. (MSE)

Food expenditures, cariogenic dietary practices and childhood dental caries in southern Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Feldens, C A; Rodrigues, P H; Rauber, F; Chaffee, B W; Vitolo, M R

2013-01-01

Family expenditures on food for children may represent an important barrier to the adoption of healthy feeding practices in populations of low socioeconomic status. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between cariogenic feeding practices, expenditures on food for children and dental caries. This cross-sectional study included 329 four-year-old children from São Leopoldo in southern Brazil. Cariogenic dietary practices were assessed at 4 years of age using two 24-hour recalls conducted with the children's mothers. Expenditures on food for children were estimated based on all reported food items and the respective amounts ingested. Early childhood caries and severe early childhood caries were assessed by clinical examination at 4 years of age. Cariogenic dietary habits were not associated with lower food expenditures. On the contrary, in multivariable regression analysis, the intake of chocolate (p = 0.007), soft drinks (p = 0.027) and a higher number of meals and snacks per day (p food for children. No statistically significant differences were observed in food expenditures or in the proportion of household income spent on feeding children between caries-free children, those with early childhood caries and those with severe early childhood caries. In conclusion, keeping children free of dental caries does not necessarily increase food expenditures or the proportion of household income spent on feeding children in low-socioeconomic status populations. Some cariogenic dietary practices were associated with greater expenditures on child feeding. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Identifying and preparing the next generation of part-time clinical teachers from dental practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Radford, D R; Hellyer, P; Meakin, N; Jones, K A

2015-10-09

Part-time general dental practitioners (GDPs) and dental care professionals (DCPs) working in practice are being increasingly utilised to deliver undergraduate clinical dental education to both dental and hygiene/therapy students. As such, there is a need for appropriate recruitment processes and ongoing staff development in the different and complex role of the clinical teacher. Recently a group of experienced dental practitioners, making a journey from GDP to part-time clinical teacher, identified common themes, experiences, challenges and realisations. These were: 'what is clinical dental education?'; 'me as a clinical teacher'; and 'specific teaching issues'. The themes highlighted the complexity of dental education and the different environment of the teaching clinic from general practice. Some of the themes identified could be a starting point for the induction process to facilitate an easier transition from experienced GDP to clinical teacher. With the current demands from both students and patients alike, the 'three way dynamic of patient, student and teacher' needs to be supported if dental schools are to attract and develop the highest quality clinical teachers. It is of critical importance to give an exceptional experience to students in their clinical education as well as to patients in terms of excellent and appropriate treatment. The challenge for deans and directors of education is to find the resources to properly fund teacher recruitment, induction and the development of part-time GDPs in order to produce the expert teachers of tomorrow.

Effect of a school-based oral health education in preventing untreated dental caries and increasing knowledge, attitude, and practices among adolescents in Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Haque, Syed Emdadul; Rahman, Mosiur; Itsuko, Kawashima; Mutahara, Mahmuda; Kayako, Sakisaka; Tsutsumi, Atsuro; Islam, Md Jahirul; Mostofa, Md Golam

2016-03-25

There is a dearth of published literature that demonstrates the impact and effectiveness of school-based oral health education (OHE) program in Bangladesh and it is one of the most neglected activities in the field of public health. Keeping this in mind, the objectives of this study were to assess the effectiveness of OHE program in: 1) increasing oral health knowledge, attitude, and practices and 2) decreasing the prevalence of untreated dental caries among 6-8 grade school students in Bangladesh. This intervention study was conducted in Araihazar Thana, Narayanganj district, Bangladesh during April 2012 to March 2013. The total participants were 944 students from three local schools. At baseline, students were assessed for oral health knowledge, attitude and practices using a self-administered structured questionnaire and untreated dental caries was assessed using clinical examination. Follow up study was done after 6 months from baseline. McNemar's chi-square analysis was used to evaluate the impact of OHE program on four recurrent themes of oral health between the baseline and follow-up. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to determine the impact of the intervention group on our outcome variables. Significant improvement was observed regarding school aged adolescents' self-reported higher knowledge, attitude and practices scores (p level of knowledge regarding oral health compared to baseline. Compared with baseline participants in the follow-up were 1.89 times (95 % CI = 1.44-2.87) more likely to have higher attitude towards oral health. In addition, OHE intervention was found to be significantly associated with higher level of practices toward oral health (AOR = 1.64; 95 % CI = 1.12, 3.38). This study indicated that OHE intervention was effective in increasing i) knowledge, ii) attitude, and iii) practices towards oral health; it also significantly reduced the prevalence of untreated dental caries among school aged adolescents from grade 6-8 in a

Maintenance of an Adequate Dental Hygiene Education System.

Science.gov (United States)

Ley, Eugene; And Others

1984-01-01

Administrative decisions about the future of dental hygiene programs are often based on inadequate information about employment trends and about the importance of the dental hygienist in dental practices. Studies indicate that demand for dental hygiene services will remain high in the 1980s. (Author/MLW)

Impact of Curriculum on Understanding of Professional Practice: A Longitudinal Study of Students Commencing Dental Education

Science.gov (United States)

Kieser, Jules A.; Dall'Alba, Gloria; Livingstone, Vicki

2009-01-01

This longitudinal study examines changes in understanding of dental practice among a cohort of students in the early years of a dentistry programme. In their first two professional years, we identified five distinct understandings of dental practice that we have ordered from least to most comprehensive: "relieving pain or generally caring for…

Position Paper: Dental General Practice Residency Programs: Financing and Operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Hanson, Paul W.

1983-01-01

A discussion of changeable economic issues that can affect dental general practice residency program planning includes costs and resource allocation, maximizing efficiency and productivity, ambulatory and inpatient revenue sources, management functions, faculty as practitioners, faculty appointments, and marketing. (MSE)

Designing and Implementation of a Course on Successful Dental Practice for Dentists

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Yaser Safi

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Objectives: We aimed to design, implement and evaluate the efficacy of a comprehensive course on non-clinical competencies that dentists must possess for a successful dental practice.Materials and Methods: In this interventional before-after study an expert panel of five academic staff members and five general practitioners derived the topics for a course on successful dental practice, and aggregated them in the form of a two-day course. It was held for 46 randomly selected dentists in January 2010, at the School of Dentistry, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The participants completed an anonymous questionnaire asking about their self-perceived need to receive training in each of the proposed topics and their self-assessed knowledge about each topic before and after attending the course.Results: Participants gave a higher priority to the necessity of training on “ergonomics and professional health” and communication skills in post-test compared to pre-test (P<0.05. The self-assessed knowledge of dentists improved significantly after attending the course in seven domains: ergonomics and occupational health, workplace design, documentation principles and IT applications in dentistry, national rules and regulations of dental practice, medical emergencies, dental ethics and communication skills (P<0.05. More than 70% of the participants were completely satisfied or satisfied with practical implication of the course, conformity of the contents with the title and course settings.Conclusion: The designed course seemed to be successful in revealing the need of participants for further education. Considering the high satisfaction rate of the attendants, this course can serve as a model for continuing education purposes.

Mercurio y salud en la odontología Mercury and health in the dental practice

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Ivelin Morales Fuentes

2003-04-01

Full Text Available El mercurio es un metal pesado ampliamente utilizado por el hombre. Se considera muy tóxico por generar afecciones sobre el sistema nervioso central, perturbaciones en el comportamiento y trastornos renales, inmunes y sexuales, entre otros. Desde hace más de un siglo, el mercurio es utilizado en la práctica odontológica por su capacidad de unir metales (amalgamar, su bajo costo y su rápida fijación en la reparación de piezas dentales. Actualmente, existe una gran controversia acerca de la seguridad del uso de las amalgamas dentales y se ha demostrado el riesgo ocupacional al que están expuestos dentistas y asistentes dentales. El objetivo del trabajo es revisar aspectos relacionados con la toxicidad del mercurio metálico tanto para el personal involucrado en la práctica odontológica como para los pacientes con amalgamas. De igual modo, se presentan las rutas de exposición a este metal en la odontología, los riesgos ocupacionales a los cuales están expuestos los odontólogos y asistentes dentales y las medidas para prevenir la intoxicación por mercurio. Se realizó la búsqueda bibliográfica sobretudo en las bases de datos Biological Abstracts y Science Citation Index para el período comprendido entre los años 1990 y 2000.Mercury is a heavy metal widely used by man. It is considered very toxic causing conditions in the central nervous system, behavior disturbances, and renal and sexual disorders. For a century, mercury has been used in the dental practice for its capacity of joining metals (amalgamate, its low cost and its rapid fixing in dental pieces repair. Currently, there is much controversy about the safety of dental amalgams and it has been demonstrated it poses occupational risks to dental practitioners and their assistants. The objective of this study is review aspects related to metallic mercury toxicity for personnel involved in the dental practice and patients with dental amalgams. Routes of mercury exposure in

Application of three-dimensional computed tomography in craniofacial clinical practice and research.

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Anderson, P J; Yong, R; Surman, T L; Rajion, Z A; Ranjitkar, S

2014-06-01

Following the invention of the first computed tomography (CT) scanner in the early 1970s, many innovations in three-dimensional (3D) diagnostic imaging technology have occurred, leading to a wide range of applications in craniofacial clinical practice and research. Three-dimensional image analysis provides superior and more detailed information compared with conventional plain two-dimensional (2D) radiography, with the added benefit of 3D printing for preoperative treatment planning and regenerative therapy. Current state-of-the-art multidetector CT (MDCT), also known as medical CT, has an important role in the diagnosis and management of craniofacial injuries and pathology. Three-dimensional cone beam CT (CBCT), pioneered in the 1990s, is gaining increasing popularity in dental and craniofacial clinical practice because of its faster image acquisition at a lower radiation dose, but sound guidelines are needed to ensure its optimal clinical use. Recent innovations in micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) have revolutionized craniofacial biology research by enabling higher resolution scanning of teeth beyond the capabilities of MDCT and CBCT, presenting new prospects for translational clinical research. Even after four decades of refinement, CT technology continues to advance and broaden the horizons of craniofacial clinical practice and phenomics research. © 2014 Australian Dental Association.

Technology is a critical game changer to the practice of dental hygiene.

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Gadbury-Amyot, Cynthia C

2014-06-01

Dental hygienists will need to embrace 21st century technology to adapt to workplace settings. To stay relevant in the workforce, dental hygienists need mastery of new skills and technologies. The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the vast array of technological advances impacting dental practice and the consequent implications for oral health care providers. New technologies have provided unparalleled opportunities for degree and career advancement for dental hygienists. Advances in science and technology are providing patients with better quality and more convenient oral health care. Dental hygienists need technological skills that enable them to fully utilize technology as a strategy for consultation with dentists and other health care professionals and for other purposes. Continuing education and life-long learning factor into preparing dental hygienists for 21st century technologies. With technological advances, less adaptive professionals could potentially see a decrease in demand for their services. Possessing a high level of knowledge of dentistry and dental hygiene does not ensure a position in the workforce. Knowledge of technologies and associated skills are required for quality patient care and career and personal growth. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of case-based and lecture-based learning in dental education using the SOLO taxonomy.

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Ilgüy, Mehmet; Ilgüy, Dilhan; Fişekçioğlu, Erdoğan; Oktay, Inci

2014-11-01

The aim of this study was to compare the impact of case-based learning (CBL) and lecture-based learning (LBL) on fourth-year dental students' clinical decision making by using the Structure of Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) taxonomy. Participants in the study were fourth-year dental students (n=55) in academic year 2012-13 taught in a large-group LBL context and fourth-year dental students (n=54) in academic year 2013-14 taught with the CBL methodology; both took place in the oral diseases course at Yeditepe University Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul, Turkey. All eligible students participated, for a 100 percent response rate. A real case was presented to the students in both groups to assess their clinical decision making on the topic of oral diseases. Their performance was evaluated with the SOLO taxonomy. Student t-test was used for statistical evaluation, and significance was set at the pSOLO taxonomy than students taught with LBL. These findings suggest that an integrated case-based curriculum may be effective in promoting students' deep learning and it holds promise for better integration of clinical cases likely to be encountered during independent practice.

Effect of Music Practice on Anxiety and Depression of Iranian Dental Students

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Mahmood Ghasemi

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The practice of dentistry has long been associated with high levels of occupational stress and anxiety and music has been shown as a method of reducing stress. Considering the reportedly high level of stress among dental students and its consequences and also considering the positive effect of music therapy, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between music practice and level of stress in dental students.  Materials and Methods: In this analytical, cross-sectional study, 88 students, including 44 with a history of music practice and 44 matched controls without music practice who met the defined inclusion criteria, participated. Upon obtaining written informed consent, all volunteers filled the Beck anxiety inventory (BAI and Beck depression inventory (BDI questionnaires. Data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and multiple linear regression test with backward method was used to evaluate the effect of demographic factors on anxiety and depression scores.Results: The level of anxiety was higher in students who did not have music practice and this difference was significant (P<0.001. The same was observed for depression (P=0.027. Other factors including age, gender, and being far from family had no significant effect on depression and anxiety (P>0.05. But level of anxiety and depression was higher in students of universities with tuition fee compared to free public institutes (P<0.05.Conclusions: It may be concluded that music practice can reduce anxiety and depression of dental students.

A Preliminary Study of Staff Meetings as Viewed by Dental Hygienists

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Patrick Anderson

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Staff meetings in general dental practices represent what is be-lieved to be a key management strategy to build teams and to enhance efficiency and effec-tiveness. However, very little research has been done regarding staff meetings in dental offices. This study examined staff meetings from the viewpoint of dental hygienists who grow in unique careers in that they work largely independently of the dentist and yet typically within a dental practice while providing patient care and education. One-hundred-six dental hygienists completed a survey about staff meetings in dental offices. Key findings include: only approximately 43% of dental offices conduct morning huddles to get the day off to a smooth and organized start, 72% of dental practices conduct longer staff meetings with largely positive outcomes, including increasing practice efficiency and productivity, few practices (12% hold specific meetings only for the hygiene-department (and probably thereby miss some opportunities for practice im-provement, the most important variable by far to hygienists' job satisfaction is respect from the owner-dentist, and there exists an important and synergistic relationship among job sa-tisfaction, relationships with other staff and relationship with the owner-dentist.

A scientific forecast on dental research output within the next 20 years using exponential smoothing algorithm

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Jafar Kolahi

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction: To report a scientific forecast of the number of published dental articles in the next 20 years. Materials and Methods: On October 12, 2016, to find all dental articles, PubMed was searched via the query “1800/1/1”[PDAT]: “2015/12/31”[PDAT] AND jsubsetd [text]. Relevant limitations were applied to find dental clinical trials, review articles, and free full-text dental articles. Consequently, all PubMed records were exported to a CSV file. To forecast the future dental research output using existing time-based data, the Exponential Triple Smoothing algorithm was used, which is an advanced machine learning algorithm. Data were analyzed by Microsoft Office Excel 2016. Results: Seventy-five (1940–2015 years of human attempts to publish dental articles were explored and 572490 records were found, from which 27244 (4.75% articles were free full-text, 19238 (3.36% were clinical trials, and 31853 (5.56% were reviews. Researchers will publish 19195 dental articles in 2036, among which 917 (4.77% articles will be clinical trials, 1474 (7.67% will be review articles, and 5482 (28.55% will be free full-text articles. Conclusion: Changes may be because of the quantity of research funds. The number of all types of dental articles will increase with an acceptable rate over the next 20 years. Of more interest, the number of free full-text articles will grow more rapidly than other article types.

Campus-Based, Community-Based, and Philanthropic Contributions to Predoctoral Pediatric Dental Clinical Education: Two Years of Experiences at One Dental College.

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Spiritoso, Stephen; Gross, Erin; Bean, Canise Y; Casamassimo, Paul S; Levings, Kevin; Lloyd, Patrick

2015-08-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the contribution of a tiered predoctoral pediatric dentistry clinical education model to competency achievement by dental students over a two-year clinical education. Retrospective data were obtained for academic years 2012-13 and 2013-14 from three sources: a campus-based, dental school-housed clinic; division-directed clinics in community-based pediatric and special needs clinics (DDC); and clinics affiliated with the dental college's community-based dental education (CBDE) program, the OHIO Project (OP). A fourth dataset was obtained for the same two-year period from a biannual clinic event held at the college in conjunction with Give Kids a Smile Day (GKAS). Procedures considered essential to the care of children were sorted by 12 dental codes from all services for patients 18 years of age and younger. The dental school clinic provided 11,060 procedures; the DDC, 28,462; the OP, 17,863; and GKAS, 2,028. The two-year total was 59,433 procedures. Numbers of diagnostic and preventive procedures were 19,441, restorative procedures were 13,958, and pulp and surgical procedures were 7,392. Site contribution ranged from 52.2 to 144.9 procedures per attending student, with the DDC yielding the highest per student average for each year (126.4 and 144.9) and the dental school clinic the lowest (52.2 and 53.1). This study found that a combination of school-based, community-based, and philanthropic pediatric dental experiences offered a large number of essential pediatric dentistry experiences for predoctoral dental students, with CBDE opportunities offering the largest contribution.

Total Breast-Feeding Duration and Dental Caries in Healthy Urban Children.

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Wong, Peter D; Birken, Catherine S; Parkin, Patricia C; Venu, Isvarya; Chen, Yang; Schroth, Robert J; Maguire, Jonathon L

2017-04-01

To determine if there is an association between longer breast-feeding duration and dental caries in healthy urban children. We conducted a cross-sectional study of urban children aged 1 to 6 years recruited through The Applied Research Group for Kids (TARGet Kids!) practice-based research network between September 2011 and August 2013. The main outcome measure was parental report of dental caries. The adjusted predicted probability of dental caries was 7%, 8%, 11%, and 16% with total duration of breast-feeding duration of 12, 18, 24, and 36 months, respectively. In the adjusted logistic regression analyses, relative to breast-feeding 0 to 5 months, the odds of dental caries with total breast-feeding duration >24 months was 2.75 (95% confidence interval 1.61-4.72). Among healthy urban children, longer breast-feeding duration was associated with higher odds of dental caries. These findings support heightened awareness and enhanced anticipatory guidance for preventive dental care, particularly among children who breast-feed beyond 2 years of age. Copyright © 2016 Academic Pediatric Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Towards a specific approach to education in dental ethics: a proposal for organising the topics of biomedical ethics for dental education.

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Gorkey, Sefik; Guven, Tolga; Sert, Gurkan

2012-01-01

Understanding dental ethics as a field separate from its much better known counterpart, medical ethics, is a relatively new, but necessary approach in bioethics. This need is particularly felt in dental education and establishing a curriculum specifically for dental ethics is a challenging task. Although certain topics such as informed consent and patient rights can be considered to be of equal importance in both fields, a number of ethical issues in dental practice are only remotely-if at all-relevant for medical practice. Therefore, any sound approach to education in dental ethics has to recognise the unique aspects of dental practice in order to meet the needs of dental students and prepare them for the ethical challenges they may face during their professional practice. With this goal in mind, this paper examines the approach of the authors to dental ethics education and proposes a system to organise the topics of biomedical ethics for dental education. While the authors' perspective is based on their experience in Turkey, the proposed system of classification is not a rigid one; it is open to interpretation in other contexts with different social, cultural and professional expectations. Therefore, the paper also aims to inspire discussion on the development of an ideal dental ethics curriculum at an international level.

Maintenance of Certification Part 4 Credit and recruitment for practice-based research.

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Gorzkowski, Julie A; Klein, Jonathan D; Harris, Donna L; Kaseeska, Kristen R; Whitmore Shaefer, Regina M; Bocian, Alison B; Davis, James B; Gotlieb, Edward M; Wasserman, Richard C

2014-10-01

Competing priorities in pediatric practice have created challenges for practice-based research. To increase recruitment success, researchers must design studies that provide added value to participants. This study evaluates recruitment of pediatricians into a study, before and after the development and addition of a quality improvement (QI) curriculum approved for American Board of Pediatrics Maintenance of Certification (MOC) Part 4 Credit as an enrollment incentive. Researchers implemented multiple outreach methods to enroll pediatric practices over 28 months. Field note review revealed that many physicians declined enrollment, stating that they prioritized MOC Part 4 projects over research studies. A QI curriculum meeting standards for MOC Part 4 Credit was developed and added to the study protocol as an enrollment incentive. Enrollment rates and characteristics of practitioners enrolled pre- and post-MOC were compared. Pre-MOC enrollment contributed 48% of practices in 22 months; post-MOC enrollment contributed 49% of practices in 6 months. An average of 3.5 practices enrolled per month pre-MOC, compared with 13.1 per month post-MOC (P recruitment success and increased enrollment of pediatricians working in underserved areas. Including QI initiatives meeting MOC Part 4 criteria in practice-based research protocols may enhance participation and aid in recruiting diverse practice and patient populations. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Bridging the Gap of Practice and Research: A Preliminary Investigation of Evidence-based Practice for Library and Information Science Research

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吳寂絹 Chi-Chuan Wu

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The gap between practice and research is commonly found in disciplines with both ofprofessional practitioners and academic researchers. How to bridge the gap is also acontinuing concern in the field of Library and Information Studies. This article describes therecent development of Evidence-based Practice for Library and Information ScienceResearch (EBLIP, and provides analysis of the journal EBLIP including its authors’backgrounds, methods, and topics. The results show that the United States and Canadaare the two major nations of contributors; more than 70% of first authors are librarians; 76%of the articles were contributed by one single institute, co-authorship by cross-nationinstitutes were rarely seen, and demonstrates local research interests; type of co-authoredagency is primarily among libraries; 60% methods employed include questionnaires,interviews and content analysis; the coverage of topics is rather broad, and the top threecategories of research topics include Information Literacy & Instruction, Information Needs& Seeking Behavior, and Reference Services / Digital Reference Services (15%, 10%, and8%; many datasets were obtained from real library practice, and 72% of articles provide specific implications for applications which highlight the value of implementation. Manylibrarians have the research capability, and this article serves as a purpose to introduce theevidence-based research and encourage more such research done in Taiwan. Hopefully itmay benefit and further enhance the quality of library decision-making and their professionalimage.

Recent trends in dental visits and private dental insurance, 1989 and 1999.

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Wall, Thomas P; Brown, L Jackson

2003-05-01

This article describes recent trends in dental visits and private dental insurance in the United States. This study is based on the analyses of data regarding dental visits and private dental insurance among the population 2 years of age or older from the 1989 and 1999 National Health Interview Surveys. Overall, the percentage of the population with a dental visit rose from 57.2 percent in 1989 to 64.1 percent in 1999, while the percentage with private dental insurance fell from 40.5 percent to 35.2 percent. Although a higher percentage of people with private dental insurance reported having a dental visit than did those without private dental insurance in both years, the increase from 1989 to 1999 in the percentage of those with a visit was larger among the uninsured. If this trend persists, a smaller portion of practicing dentist's clientele will be insured. This may affect demand for services, as well as front office operations.

From Action Research to Practice Research

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Goran Goldkuhl

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Action research (AR has gained more acceptance as an approach to qualitative research in information systems (IS. The complexities of organisational and technical change makes this approach a suitable one in IS research. There are, however, still some controversies and confusions about the relation between “action” and “research”. The many types of AR and similar approaches (not labelled as AR that have emerged demands further conceptual clarification of AR. A conceptual inquiry of AR, presented in the paper, has led to the identification of several unresolved issues concerning intervention research like AR. An alternative research approach is presented: practice research. This research approach is well founded in pragmatism and it builds on the two premises: 1 to contribute to general practice through abstract and useful knowledge and 2 to study the empirical field as interconnected practices. Several important concepts of practice research are described as: local practice contribution vs. general practice contribution; theorizing vs. situational inquiry. Practice research is seen as a broader notion encompassing AR and other research approaches as e.g. design research and evaluation research. Two case examples of practice research are briefly presented and compared: one AR-based study in the social welfare sector and one evaluation study of a taxation e-service.

Validation of an instrument to assess evidence-based practice knowledge, attitudes, access, and confidence in the dental environment.

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Hendricson, William D; Rugh, John D; Hatch, John P; Stark, Debra L; Deahl, Thomas; Wallmann, Elizabeth R

2011-02-01

This article reports the validation of an assessment instrument designed to measure the outcomes of training in evidence-based practice (EBP) in the context of dentistry. Four EBP dimensions are measured by this instrument: 1) understanding of EBP concepts, 2) attitudes about EBP, 3) evidence-accessing methods, and 4) confidence in critical appraisal. The instrument-the Knowledge, Attitudes, Access, and Confidence Evaluation (KACE)-has four scales, with a total of thirty-five items: EBP knowledge (ten items), EBP attitudes (ten), accessing evidence (nine), and confidence (six). Four elements of validity were assessed: consistency of items within the KACE scales (extent to which items within a scale measure the same dimension), discrimination (capacity to detect differences between individuals with different training or experience), responsiveness (capacity to detect the effects of education on trainees), and test-retest reliability. Internal consistency of scales was assessed by analyzing responses of second-year dental students, dental residents, and dental faculty members using Cronbach coefficient alpha, a statistical measure of reliability. Discriminative validity was assessed by comparing KACE scores for the three groups. Responsiveness was assessed by comparing pre- and post-training responses for dental students and residents. To measure test-retest reliability, the full KACE was completed twice by a class of freshman dental students seventeen days apart, and the knowledge scale was completed twice by sixteen faculty members fourteen days apart. Item-to-scale consistency ranged from 0.21 to 0.78 for knowledge, 0.57 to 0.83 for attitude, 0.70 to 0.84 for accessing evidence, and 0.87 to 0.94 for confidence. For discrimination, ANOVA and post hoc testing by the Tukey-Kramer method revealed significant score differences among students, residents, and faculty members consistent with education and experience levels. For responsiveness to training, dental students

Characteristics and lessons learned from practice-based research networks (PBRNs in the United States

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Keller S

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Melinda M Davis,1,2 Sara Keller,1 Jennifer E DeVoe,1,3 Deborah J Cohen11Department of Family Medicine, 2Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA; 3OCHIN Practice-based Research Network, Portland, OR, USAAbstract: Practice-based research networks (PBRNs are organizations that involve practicing clinicians in asking and answering clinically relevant research questions. This review explores the origins, characteristics, funding, and lessons learned through practice-based research in the United States. Primary care PBRNs emerged in the USA in the 1970s. Early studies explored the etiology of common problems encountered in primary care practices (eg, headache, miscarriage, demonstrating the gap between research conducted in controlled specialty settings and real-world practices. Over time, national initiatives and an evolving funding climate have shaped PBRN development, contributing to larger networks, a push for shared electronic health records, and the use of a broad range of research methodologies (eg, observational studies, pragmatic randomized controlled trials, continuous quality improvement, participatory methods. Today, there are over 160 active networks registered with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's PBRN Resource Center that engage primary care clinicians, pharmacists, dentists, and other health care professionals in research and quality-improvement initiatives. PBRNs provide an important laboratory for encouraging collaborative research partnerships between academicians and practices or communities to improve population health, conduct comparative effectiveness and patient-centered outcomes research, and study health policy reform. PBRNs continue to face critical challenges that include: (1 adapting to a changing landscape; (2 recruiting and retaining membership; (3 securing infrastructure support; (4 straddling two worlds (academia and community and managing

Does the accreditation of private dental practices work? Time to rethink how accreditation can improve patient safety.

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Jean, Gillian

2017-10-09

Accreditation to demonstrate engagement with the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (Standards) is compulsory for most hospital and healthcare settings, but to date remains voluntary for private dental practices (PDPs). The regulatory framework governing the dental profession lacks a proactive element to drive improvements in quality and safety of care, and an accreditation scheme can strengthen existing regulation. The current model of accreditation operating in accordance with the Australian Health Service Safety and Quality Accreditation Scheme (Scheme) is based on the Standards, which were written for a hospital model of healthcare service. The majority of PDPs are small office-based businesses with clear leadership structure and employing six staff or fewer. The Scheme is overly bureaucratic given the simplicity of the PDP business model. This article considers whether accreditation has a proven track record of improving quality of service and offers opinions about how a more appropriate safety management program for PDPs may look. What is known about the topic? There has been minimal research about the impact of accreditation schemes in improving patient safety in PDP. What does this paper add? This paper proposes a redesign of the Scheme to make it more relevant to PDPs. The paper offers strategies to minimise duplication of purpose between accreditation and existing legislation; and to strengthen critical elements of accreditation to improve effects on patient safety. What are the implications for practitioners? A redesigned accreditation scheme will support dental practitioners to implement a quality assurance system with improved efficiency, reduced administrative burden, and optimised patient safety.

Adapting Project Management Practices to Research-Based Projects

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Bahr, P.; Baker, T.; Corbin, B.; Keith, L.; Loerch, L.; Mullenax, C.; Myers, R.; Rhodes, B.; Skytland, N.

2007-01-01

From dealing with the inherent uncertainties in outcomes of scientific research to the lack of applicability of current NASA Procedural Requirements guidance documentation, research-based projects present challenges that require unique application of classical project management techniques. If additionally challenged by the creation of a new program transitioning from basic to applied research in a technical environment often unfamiliar with the cost and schedule constraints addressed by project management practices, such projects can find themselves struggling throughout their life cycles. Finally, supplying deliverables to a prime vehicle customer, also in the formative stage, adds further complexity to the development and management of research-based projects. The Biomedical Research and Countermeasures Projects Branch at NASA Johnson Space Center encompasses several diverse applied research-based or research-enabling projects within the newly-formed Human Research Program. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the organizational structure and environment in which these projects operate and how the projects coordinate to address and manage technical requirements. We will identify several of the challenges (cost, technical, schedule, and personnel) encountered by projects across the Branch, present case reports of actions taken and techniques implemented to deal with these challenges, and then close the session with an open forum discussion of remaining challenges and potential mitigations.

Radiation protection in dental practice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This guide provides the dentist and dental support personnel with basic information on the safe use of x-rays in dental radiography. Included in this CODE are specific recommendations for eliminating unnecessary radiation exposure of both patients and staff

[Problem of motivation of the population to prevention and treatment dental diseases].

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Kochlashvili, L Sh; Gogilashvili, K T; Gerzmava, O Kh

2012-10-01

Dental health is an integral part of a normal state of a human body and, first of all, depends on knowledge of the population of bases of individual hygiene of an oral cavity and ability to use them in practical life. Numerous researches indicate low level of knowledge of the population in questions of prevention of dental diseases and individual hygiene of an oral cavity that testifies to existence of problems in the organization of sanitary education. Existing practice of hygienic training and education, in a certain measure, lags behind modern requirements, and some questions demand specification and optimization. For efficiency of sanitary and preventive actions it is necessary to study character and motivation structure to prevention and treatment of dental diseases and to develop an effective method of its increase. Therefore actual search of new forms of psycho hygiene and psycho prevention with use of modern information technologies which should provide high level of dental health of the military personnel is represented. The purpose of the real research was establishment of the factors forming motivation to prevention and treatment of the main dental diseases, and development of a psycho physiological method of its increase. The carried-out research allows to expand and systematize ideas necessary for the practical doctor of the major factors forming motivation to prevention and treatment of the main dental diseases. Development of an objective technique of a complex assessment of level of motivation of patients to prevention and treatment of dental pathology will allow to prove the new perspective direction of the sanitary educational work, allowing to reduce fobiya level, effectively to increase motivation of the patient to receiving the timely dental help. It especially is important if to consider that numerous programs of hygienic training and the education, applied in our country, didn't lead to change of hygienic skills of the population in expected

A practical approach to evidence-based dentistry: VIII: How to appraise an article based on a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sale, Joanna E M; Amin, Maryam; Carrasco-Labra, Alonso; Brignardello-Petersen, Romina; Glick, Michael; Guyatt, Gordon H; Azarpazhooh, Amir

2015-08-01

Because of qualitative researchers' abilities to explore social problems and to understand the perspective of patients, qualitative research studies are useful to provide insight about patients' fears, worries, goals, and expectations related to dental care. To benefit fully from such studies, clinicians should be aware of some relevant principles of critical appraisal. In this article, the authors present one approach to critically appraise the evidence from a qualitative research study. Critical appraisal involves assessing whether the results are credible (the selection of participants, research ethics, data collection, data analysis), what are these results, and how they can be applied in clinical practice. The authors also examined how the results could be applied to patient care in terms of offering theory, understanding the context of clinical practice, and helping clinicians understand social interactions in clinical care. By applying these principles, clinicians can consider qualitative studies when trying to achieve the best possible results for their own practices. Copyright © 2015 American Dental Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The assessment of infection control in dental practices in the municipality of São Paulo

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Jacqueline Kimiko Matsuda

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study was to evaluate the infection control measures actually implemented by dental surgeons during dental practice, as patients and professionals are exposed to high biological risk in dental care environments. METHOD: 614 questionnaires (90.69% were answered by professionals registered in updating or in post-graduate courses in the Municipality of São Paulo. RESULTS: Out of surveyed professionals 30.62% admitted that surface protection barriers were not used, whereas 34.17% were using non ideal or outdated pre-disinfection practices. The autoclave was used by 69.38% of participants, although 33.80% were not monitoring control of the sterilization cycles. Chemical and biological indicators were not used simultaneously by 83.21% of respondents and were not employed on a daily or weekly basis by at least 81.75%. Dubious methods of sterilization were cited by 44.77%. Occupational accidents caused by cutting and piercing objects were reported by 47.88%; however, the biologic risk was underestimated by 74.15% of the professionals who suffered the accidents. Irritant solutions were used as an antiseptic agent by 18.55%. CONCLUSIONS: Infection control measures reported by dental surgeons during their practices are deficient. It is necessary to educate, raise awareness of professionals, and promote constant updating courses on procedures which aim at improving safety of dental care.

Characteristics and practice profiles of migrant dentist groups in Australia: implications for dental workforce policy and planning.

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Balasubramanian, Madhan; Spencer, A John; Short, Stephanie D; Watkins, Keith; Chrisopoulos, Sergio; Brennan, David S

2015-06-01

Migrants comprise a growing proportion of the dental workforce in Australia. To date, research on migrant dentists is limited, raising policy questions regarding the motivations for migration, demographic profiles and work patterns. The purpose of this paper was to present findings from the first national survey of migrant dentists in Australia. All dentists with a primary dental qualification from an overseas institution and registered with the Australian Dental Association (n=1,872) or enrolled as a graduate student in any of the nine dental schools in Australia (n=105) were surveyed between January and May 2013. A total of 1,022 participants (response rate=54.5%) were classifiable into three migrant dentist groups: direct recognition (n=491); Australian Dental Council (ADC) (n=411); and alternative pathway (n=120). Overall, 41.8% of migrant dentists were female. More than half of the ADC group (54.1%) were from lower middle income countries. The most frequent motivation for migration according to the direct recognition group (21.1%) was 'adventure', whereas other groups migrated for 'better opportunity'. The majority of ADC respondents (65%) were under 45 years of age, and a larger proportion worked in the most disadvantaged areas (12.4%), compared with other groups. Gender, marital status, years since arrival in Australia and having children varied between the groups (chi square; Pmigrate to Australia for different reasons. The large proportion of the migrant dentist workforce sourced from lower middle income countries points towards deficiencies in oral health systems both for these countries and for Australia. The feminisation of the migrant dentist profile could in future affect dentist-practice activity patterns in Australia. Further research, especially on the settlement experiences of these dentists, can provide better insights into issues faced by these dentists, the nature of support that migrant dentists receive in Australia, the probable future

Contemporary dental practice in the UK: demographic data and practising arrangements.

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Burke, F J T; Wilson, N H F; Christensen, G J; Cheung, S W; Brunton, P A

2005-01-08

To investigate, by questionnaire, various aspects of primary dental care provision in the North West of England and Scotland. A questionnaire containing 79 questions was sent to 1,000 practitioners, selected at random, in the North West of England and Scotland. Non-responders were sent another questionnaire after a period of 4 weeks had elapsed. Overall a response rate of 70% was achieved. The majority of practitioners were practice principals (65%), working in a group NHS practice (80%) located in a city or town centre (49%). On average 10-20 patients were treated each session with fewer patients treated per session under private arrangements. Many practitioners were found to lack hygienist support (44%) and to employ unqualified dental nurses (82%). Younger practitioners were more likely than senior colleagues to have access to up-to-date computers whilst 37% and 74% of respondents never used CAL programmes or magnification respectively. Contemporary cross-infection control standards were used by the majority of practitioners, although 3% of practitioners reported only autoclaving their handpiece once a day. The majority of practitioners, involved in this study, worked under National Health Service (NHS) regulations as principals in a group practice where the workload was greater than the private/independent sector. Contemporary cross-infection procedures were used routinely. In contrast computer-aided learning programmes and magnification were not used routinely. The practitioners in this study employed significant numbers of unqualified dental nurses.

Knowledge and attitude towards preventive dental care among dental faculties in Bangalore city

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikhil Ahuja

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background and Objectives: Preventive approach in dental practice has been cited as a reason for the decline in oral diseases and as a predominant part of the service-mix of dental practices in the future. Dental faculty′s knowledge and attitude toward prevention are important, since they have exceptionally important direct and indirect roles in shaping student′s preventive orientation and also potentially influencing their patient′s ability to take care of their teeth. Thus, this study was conducted to assess knowledge and attitudes toward preventive dental care among dental faculties and their relation to demographic and professional characteristics. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dental faculties in Bangalore city. Of 17 dental colleges, 4 were selected by simple random sampling. A total of 218 dental faculties was individually asked to complete a pretested questionnaire. The questionnaire requested information on dental faculty′s demographic and professional characteristics and their knowledge and attitudes toward preventive dental care. Descriptive, Chi-square tests, and ANOVA were used to analyze the data. Results: The highest knowledge was seen among dental faculties regarding prevention of malocclusion (3.51 ± 1.02 followed by oral cancer (2.95 ± 1.09 and periodontal diseases (2.86 ± 1.02. The least knowledge was seen for the prevention of caries (2.63 ± 1.35. The most positive attitudes regarding preventive dentistry was characterized as being essential (6.34 ± 1.05, useful (6.32 ± 1.07 and valuable (6.27 ± 1.00. Statistically significant differences were found in relation to knowledge and attitudes for all demographic and professional characteristics except for gender and Department of Teaching. Conclusion: Dental faculty seems to have differing levels of knowledge regarding oral diseases with positive attitudes seen regarding preventive dentistry. Continuing education activities and

Intraoral radiology in general dental practices - a comparison of digital and film-based X-ray systems with regard to radiation protection and dose reduction.

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Anissi, H D; Geibel, M A

2014-08-01

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the distribution and application of digital intraoral radiographic techniques within general dental practices and to compare these with film-based systems in terms of patient dose reduction. 1100 questionnaires were handed out to general dental practitioners. Data was analyzed with respect to the type of system by using descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests, i.e. Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney and chi-square test (SPSS 20). 64% of the questioned dentists still use film-based radiology, 23% utilize storage phosphor plate (SPP) systems and 13% use a charge-coupled device (CCD). A strong correlation between the number of dentists working in a practice and the use of digital dental imaging was observed. Almost 3/4 of the film users work with E- or F-speed film. 45% of them refuse to change to a digital system. The use of lead aprons was popular, while only a minority preferred thyroid shields and rectangular collimators. A fourfold reduction of exposure time from D-speed film to CCD systems was observed. Due to detector size and positioning errors, users of CCD systems take significantly more single-tooth radiographs in total. Considering the number of radiographs per patient, there is only a slight tendency towards more X-rays with CCD systems. Up to image generation, digital systems seem to be as or even more difficult to handle than film-based systems, while their handling was favored after radiographic exposure. Despite a slight increase of radiographs taken with CCD systems, there is a significant dosage reduction. Corresponding to the decrease in exposure time, the patient dose for SPP systems is reduced to one half compared to film. The main issues in CCD technology are positioning errors and the size of the X-ray detectors which are difficult to eliminate. The usage of radiation protection measures still needs to be improved. ► Responsible use of digital intraoral radiology results in a significant

The Impact of Research and Technological Advances on Dental Education.

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Loe, Harald

1981-01-01

To arrive at a learning situation conducive to a scientific approach in dental school teaching of diagnosis, treatment, prescription, and judgment of prognosis, it is necessary to strengthen the scientific environment in dental schools, increase scientifically trained faculty, and guarantee student involvement in research. (MLW)

Dental and Dental Hygiene Intraprofessional Education: A Pilot Program and Assessment of Students' and Patients' Satisfaction.

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Jones, Vickie E; Karydis, Anastasios; Hottel, Timothy L

2017-10-01

Interprofessional and intraprofessional education (when students from two or more professions or within the same profession, respectively, learn about, from, and/or with each other) is crucial for effective interdisciplinary collaboration. The aims of this study were to assess the effectiveness of a clinical intraprofessional education program for dental and dental hygiene students, based on students' expectations and satisfaction with the program and patients' satisfaction with the team-based care. The pilot program was developed at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry, where dental hygiene students were paired randomly with dental students scheduled for prophylaxis, scaling and root planing, or periodontal maintenance. Surveys with questions about the students' expectations and satisfaction were distributed to 89 senior dental students and 27 senior dental hygiene students before and after team-based procedures. Another survey was distributed to 17 patients asking about their satisfaction with the team-based care. All 27 dental hygiene students (100% response rate), 51 dental students (57.3% response rate), and all 17 patients (100% response rate) participated in the surveys. The results showed that both the dental and dental hygiene students had high expectations and were overall satisfied with the intraprofessional education. The students' expectations and perceived educational gap (difference between expectations and satisfaction) differed for the dental and dental hygiene students (ppatients were overwhelmingly satisfied with the team-based care. These results suggest that this intraprofessional practice model provided an effective educational experience for both dental and dental hygiene students and patients. The differences between the dental hygiene and dental students' expectations will help in the design of more effective training that promotes intraprofessional and interprofessional teamwork.

Dosimetric evaluation program for dental radiology practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gregori, B.; Milat, J.; Fernandez, J.; Micinquevich, S.; Andrieu, J.

1992-01-01

The preliminary results of a program undertaken to estimate the doses to patients associated with dental radiology practices in Argentine, are presented. Information collected from the search demonstrated that the Dieck and coronal techniques are the most commonly used practices, while all the examinations are performed by using a circular collimator. For both practices, the dosimetric studies were carried out on a Rando Alderson phantom. All dose measurements were made using thermoluminescent detectors LiF and Ca 2 F. In addition, a mathematical model was developed by applying the Monte Carlo method to a MIRD-V phantom. Circular and rectangular collimators were used. Absorbed dose distribution on head and neck, as well as surface dose distribution, were estimated. The comparison of the performance of both collimators shows that the use of the rectangular one allows for a dose reduction of 80%. Besides, a good correlation between the physical and mathematical models applied was found. (author)

Building a Community of Practice for Researchers: The International Network for Simulation-Based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education.

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Cheng, Adam; Auerbach, Marc; Calhoun, Aaron; Mackinnon, Ralph; Chang, Todd P; Nadkarni, Vinay; Hunt, Elizabeth A; Duval-Arnould, Jordan; Peiris, Nicola; Kessler, David

2018-06-01

The scope and breadth of simulation-based research is growing rapidly; however, few mechanisms exist for conducting multicenter, collaborative research. Failure to foster collaborative research efforts is a critical gap that lies in the path of advancing healthcare simulation. The 2017 Research Summit hosted by the Society for Simulation in Healthcare highlighted how simulation-based research networks can produce studies that positively impact the delivery of healthcare. In 2011, the International Network for Simulation-based Pediatric Innovation, Research and Education (INSPIRE) was formed to facilitate multicenter, collaborative simulation-based research with the aim of developing a community of practice for simulation researchers. Since its formation, the network has successfully completed and published numerous collaborative research projects. In this article, we describe INSPIRE's history, structure, and internal processes with the goal of highlighting the community of practice model for other groups seeking to form a simulation-based research network.

Dose reference levels in Spanish intraoral dental radiology: stabilisation of the incorporation of digital systems in dental clinical practices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alcaraz, M.; Velasco, F.; Olivares, A.; Velasco, E.; Canteras, M.

2016-01-01

A total of 34 044 official quality assurance reports in dental radiodiagnostic surgery from 16 regions of Spain, compiled from 2002 to 2014, were studied in order to determine the progress of diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for obtaining diagnostic images under normal conditions for clinical practice in Spanish dental clinics. A DRL of 2.8 mGy was set in 2014, which represents a 41.7 % decrease compared with that of 2002 (4.8 mGy). Over the same time period, the mean dose fell by 55.2 %. However, over the last 3 y, the stabilisation of the mean dose administered to patients has been observed with only a 6.7 % reduction in DRLs, which corresponds to the stabilisation of dental radiodiagnostic surgery on replacing the use of radiographic film with digital imaging systems. (authors)

Correlation of oral hygiene practices, smoking and oral health conditions with self perceived halitosis amongst undergraduate dental students.

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Setia, Saniya; Pannu, Parampreet; Gambhir, Ramandeep Singh; Galhotra, Virat; Ahluwalia, Pooja; Sofat, Anjali

2014-01-01

The present study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of oral hygiene practices, smoking habits and halitosis among undergraduate dental students and correlating the oral hygiene practices, oral health conditions to the prevalence of self perceived oral malodour. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among 277 male and female students. A questionnaire was developed to assess the self-reported perception of oral breath, awareness of bad breath, timing of bad breath, oral hygiene practices, caries and bleeding gums, dryness of the mouth, smoking and tongue coating. The results indicate female students had better oral hygiene practices. Significantly less self-reported oral bad breath (P = 0.007) was found in female dental students (40%) as compared to their male counterparts (58%). It was found that smoking and dryness of mouth had statistically significant correlation with halitosis (P = 0.026, P = 0.001). Presence of other oral conditions such as tongue coating and dental caries and bleeding gums also showed higher prevalence of halitosis in dental students. A direct correlation exists between oral hygiene practices and oral health conditions with halitosis. Females exhibited better oral hygiene practices and less prevalence of halitosis as compared to male students.

The psychosomatic disorders pertaining to dental practice with revised working type classification.

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Shamim, Thorakkal

2014-01-01

Psychosomatic disorders are defined as disorders characterized by physiological changes that originate partially from emotional factors. This article aims to discuss the psychosomatic disorders of the oral cavity with a revised working type classification. The author has added one more subset to the existing classification, i.e., disorders caused by altered perception of dentofacial form and function, which include body dysmorphic disorder. The author has also inserted delusional halitosis under the miscellaneous disorders classification of psychosomatic disorders and revised the already existing classification proposed for the psychosomatic disorders pertaining to dental practice. After the inclusion of the subset (disorders caused by altered perception of dentofacial form and function), the terminology "psychosomatic disorders of the oral cavity" is modified to "psychosomatic disorders pertaining to dental practice".

Performance assessment of Vita Easy Shade spectrophotometer on colour measurement of aesthetic dental materials.

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AlGhazali, N; Burnside, G; Smith, R W; Preston, A J; Jarad, F D

2011-12-01

Four different shades were used to produce 20 samples of resin-based composite and 20 samples of porcelain to evaluate the performance ability of an intra oral test spectrophotometer compared to a reference spectrophotometer. The absolute colour coordinates CIELAB values measured with both spectrophotometers were significantly different (p spectrophotometers (p < 0.05). Therefore, the Easy Shade can be used in dental practice and dental research with some limitations.

Facebook as a learning environment for teaching medical emergencies in dental practice.

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Alshiekhly, Ulla; Arrar, Rebal; Barngkgei, Imad; Dashash, Mayssoon

2015-01-01

Social media can be part of the formal education of health professsionals and in their lifelong learning activities. The effectiveness of Facebook, an online social medium, application for educational purposes was evaluated in this study. It was used to serve as a teaching medium of a course in medical emergencies in dental practice (MEDP). Syrian dental students were invited to join a Facebook group "Medical emergencies in dental practice" during the second semester of the academic year 2013-2014. The group privacy settings were changed from an open group to a closed group after the registration period. Administrators of the group published 61 posts during the course period, which extended for one month. Students' progress in learning was evaluated using self-assessment questionnaires administered to the students before and after the course. These questionnaires also queried their opinions regarding the use of Facebook as an educational modality. Qualitative statistics, Wilcoxon signed ranks and Mann-Whitney U-tests were used to analyze the data. Out of 388 students registered in this course, 184 completed it. Two-third of students agreed that Facebook was useful in education. Their impressions of this course were 17.4% as excellent, 52.2% as very good. P values of the self-assessment questions of Wilcoxon signed ranks test were Facebook as a social medium provides a unique learning environment. It allows students to discuss topics more openly in a flexible setting with less rigid time and place constraints. In the light of this study it was found that Facebook may be useful in teaching medical emergencies in dental practice in its theoretical aspect.

Ethics and the electronic health record in dental school clinics.

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Cederberg, Robert A; Valenza, John A

2012-05-01

Electronic health records (EHRs) are a major development in the practice of dentistry, and dental schools and dental curricula have benefitted from this technology. Patient data entry, storage, retrieval, transmission, and archiving have been streamlined, and the potential for teledentistry and improvement in epidemiological research is beginning to be realized. However, maintaining patient health information in an electronic form has also changed the environment in dental education, setting up potential ethical dilemmas for students and faculty members. The purpose of this article is to explore some of the ethical issues related to EHRs, the advantages and concerns related to the use of computers in the dental operatory, the impact of the EHR on the doctor-patient relationship, the introduction of web-based EHRs, the link between technology and ethics, and potential solutions for the management of ethical concerns related to EHRs in dental schools.

Peran musik sebagai fasilitas dalam praktek dokter gigi untuk mengurangi kecemasan pasien (The role of music as a dental practice facility in reducing patient’s anxiety

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eric Priyo Prasetyo

2006-03-01

Full Text Available The people generally tend to associate a dental practice with a strange clinical atmosphere and a range of strange looking instruments, and furthermore pain during dental treatments. This condition more or less raises an anxiety to the patient and affects the patient’s regular dental attendance. Since anxiety has a significant role to the perception of pain, many attempts to make the patients relax are therefore needed to be done. Along with the advanced era, the development of science and technology affects the world of dental practice. Dentists are encouraged to provide better dental services and treat their patients holistically. In order to fulfill this, additional facilities such as music are needed. It was found that patients who listened to the preferred music before, during, and after their dental treatment tended to have the lower rate of anxiety. This decreased anxiety was the result of greatly increased feelings of relaxation and calmness, since music could dramatically influence physiological and psychological processes. Music based on preference also provided most patients a non-threatening and pleasurable experience. Recently, music as part of dental practice has been widely used in America and Europe. This article is purposed to inform that music as an additional facility plays an important role in reducing the patient’s anxiety to provide better dental care and patient management.

Occupational Hepatitis B Exposure: A Peek into Indian Dental Students’ Knowledge, Opinion, and Preventive Practices

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Sandeep Kumar

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objective. To determine the level of knowledge, opinions, and preventive practices followed by dental students against Hepatitis B. The study also explored if any correlation existed between knowledge, opinion, and preventive practices score. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a dental teaching institution. The subjects comprised 216 dental students. The study was conducted using a pretested, self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was prepared to assess knowledge, opinion, and preventive practices against Hepatitis B. Kruskal-Wallis and Kendall Tau test were performed. Results. The study found that only 44.4% of the students were vaccinated with Hepatitis B vaccine. 59.3% of the students reported washing their hands after contact with patient’s body fluids. 63.9% used personal protective measures like facemask, aprons, head cap, eye shields, and so forth, while treating patients. Median knowledge, opinion, and practice scores were found to be 5.00, 3.00, and 3.00, respectively. Significant correlation was obtained between knowledge and preventive practices score (r=0.385, p value <0.0001. Conclusion. Effective measures need to be taken to improve preventive practices of the students to prevent them from risk of Hepatitis transmission. Mandatory vaccination against Hepatitis B needs to be implemented.

[Rational antibiotic therapy in the dental office: Practical guidelines for decision-making].

Science.gov (United States)

Zadik, Y

2016-04-01

Although most dental and periodontal diseases are caused by bacteria, the usual therapy is mechanical/surgical rather than antimicrobial medications. However, sometimes antibiotic administration may be necessary in addition to or as an alternative to the surgical/mechanical treatment. Many studies have shown that the misuse of antibiotics by dentists may be mostly attributed to unnecessity or inefficient regimen, and could contribute to bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The article presents practical guidelines to the administration of antibiotics in the dental office.

[Psychoanalysis: a research method based on clinical practice: contributions to nursing].

Science.gov (United States)

da Silva, Teresa Cristina; Kirschbaum, Débora Isane Ratner

2008-09-01

Nursing, in its different fields of practice, is essentially characterized as a clinical practice. In this context, psychoanalysis can make important contributions. This article discusses some basic psychoanalytical concepts and assumptions, proposes psychoanalysis as a research method, and stresses its contributions for nursing. Essential Freudian concepts are identified, as well as the path to be followed by the researcher. As a research method, psychoanalysis can be used as a framework for the studu of human behavior based on unconscious mental processes. In several knowledge areas.

The ethics of social media in dental practice: ethical tools and professional responses.

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Peltier, Bruce; Curley, Arthur

2013-07-01

This article considers several important trends in dental practice that result from innovations in digital and social media. It provides ethical tools for analysis, Illuminates areas of ethical concern in the current practice environment and offers recommendations for future practice. A summary in the form of a checklist is posted at the end of this essay for dentists considering the use of social media in their practice.

Complexities of Providing Dental Hygiene Services in Community Care Settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarkowski, Pamela; Aksu, Mert N

2016-06-01

Direct access care provided by dental hygienists can reduce oral health disparities for the underserved, yet legal, regulatory, and ethical considerations create complexities and limits. Individual state dental practice acts regulate the scope of practice and level of supervision required when dental hygienists deliver care. Yet, inconsistent state practice act regulations contribute to ethical and legal limitations and dilemmas for practitioners. The dental hygienist is positioned to assume an increasingly larger role in the management of oral health disparities. However, there are several legal and ethical considerations that impact both dental hygienists and dentists providing care in complex community settings. This article informs dental hygienists and other related constituencies about conundrums that are encountered when providing care 'beyond the operatory.' An evidence-based view of ways in which dental hygienists are reducing oral health disparities illustrates the complex issues involved in providing such care. Potential scenarios that can occur during care provision in underserved settings provide the basis for a discussion of legal and other associated issues impacting dental hygiene practice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variation, certainty, evidence, and change in dental education: employing evidence-based dentistry in dental education.

Science.gov (United States)

Marinho, V C; Richards, D; Niederman, R

2001-05-01

Variation in health care, and more particularly in dental care, was recently chronicled in a Readers Digest investigative report. The conclusions of this report are consistent with sound scientific studies conducted in various areas of health care, including dental care, which demonstrate substantial variation in the care provided to patients. This variation in care parallels the certainty with which clinicians and faculty members often articulate strongly held, but very different opinions. Using a case-based dental scenario, we present systematic evidence-based methods for accessing dental health care information, evaluating this information for validity and importance, and using this information to make informed curricular and clinical decisions. We also discuss barriers inhibiting these systematic approaches to evidence-based clinical decision making and methods for effectively promoting behavior change in health care professionals.

Oral Hygiene Practices among Saudi Arabian Children and Its Relation to Their Dental Caries Status

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. F. A. Quadri

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Dental caries is one of the most common preventable diseases occurring among children. The aim here is to survey the oral hygiene practices that are commonly followed by Arab children and to see its relationship with their dental caries status. A cross-sectional study with multistage random sampling technique was conducted. Sociodemographic data and information on oral hygiene practices like use of toothbrush, dental floss, siwak, frequency of brushing along with number of snack between meals per day, and consumption of sugar per day was obtained. Presence of plaque on tooth surfaces was reported using plaque index, which was followed by DMFT index to determine the dental caries status. Among the sample of 500 school children, the mean plaque score in male (mean = 0.69; SD = 0.50 was slightly higher than the female (mean = 0.66; SD = 0.46. Increased frequency of snacks (P=0.05; ß=0.08; CI = −0.00, 0.09 and sugar consumption (P=0.01; ß=0.16; CI = 0.04, 0.27 per day significantly showed higher values of DMFT. Also, the odds of dental caries among the school children who were irregular in brushing their teeth was higher in contrast to the children brushing once (P=0.03; OR = 0.89; CI = 0.70, 1.12 or twice (P=0.03; OR = 0.80; CI = 0.64, 0.93 per day. It is recommended that the dental public health practitioners here should consider the effect of oral hygiene practices on oral health status in order to design the future health promotion interventions.

A review of the literature: the economic impact of preventive dental hygiene services.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharon, Stull C; Connolly, Irene M; Murphree, Kellie R

2005-01-01

The contributions of dental hygiene as a discipline of prevention, the inception of systemic fluoride in community water systems, the continual research conducted by the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR), and the success of dental sealants have all contributed to the decrease in incidences of dental diseases. The prevalence of employer-based dental insurance must also be recognized as contributing to a substantial paradigm shift on the utilization of oral health preventive services. This review of the economic impact of oral health preventive services on the consumer and the private dental practice suggests that these services have had a significant impact. Dentistry's challenge remains to extend these considerable gains in oral health status to the 150 million U.S. citizens who do not have access to oral health care services identified in the 2000 Oral Health in America: A Report of the Surgeon General. Utilizing preventive, therapeutic, and educational aspects of dental hygiene services, reaching communities without fluoridation of the public water supply, and incorporating mass pediatric dental sealant programs analogous to immunization programs would improve the oral health status of underserved populations.

Oral Health Research and Scholarship in 2040: Executive Summary.

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Polverini, Peter J

2017-09-01

This executive summary for Section 6 of the "Advancing Dental Education in the 21 st Century" project provides an overview of five background articles that address the role of research and scholarship in dental education in the year 2040. Beginning with a historical account of research and discovery science in dentistry's evolution as a profession, the article then reviews the role of early thought leaders and organized dentistry in establishing research as a cornerstone of dental education and dental practice. The dental research workforce faces an uncertain future fueled by a volatile funding environment and inadequate mentoring and training of research faculty. Dental schools must forge stronger academic and scientific ties to their university and academic health centers and will be challenged to develop sustainable research and patient care collaborations with other health professions. The changing health care environment will create new opportunities for oral health care providers to expand their scope of practice and focus on prevention and screening for non-communicable chronic diseases. Dental practitioners in the future are likely to place greater emphasis on managing the overall health of their patients while promoting closer integration with other health professionals. All dental schools must develop a sustainable research mission if they hope to graduate dentists who function effectively in a collaborative health care environment. The changing scientific and health care landscape will dramatically alter dental education and dental practice. Dental schools need to reconsider their research and educational priorities and clinical practice objectives. Until dental schools and the practicing community come to grips with these challenges, a persistent attitude of complacency will likely be at the dental profession's peril.

Managing change in dental education: is there a method to the madness?

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Crain, Geralyn

2008-10-01

The literature surrounding dental education in the United States is replete with calls for change in the way that dental students are being educated. These calls are being echoed with curriculum models and examples of best practices, but what is missing is specific information about how to implement a desired change-that is, discussion of the change process itself. Knowledge of the organizational change process in other settings, particularly in higher education and professional education, may be of interest to academic program managers in dental schools who are planning or are engaged in change. Historical and theoretical perspectives on organizations and change are presented in this article as groundwork for more detailed discussion about management of change. Seventeen research-based principles of change in higher education and factors in dental education that influence change processes and outcomes are presented and synthesized into guidelines for a hypothetical model for change in a dental school environment. Issues pertinent to the practical management of change are presented, including reframing organizational complexity, change leadership, values/competence/commitment, and organizational learning. An appreciation for change as an ongoing and manageable process will enhance a dental school's viability in a rapidly changing world and ultimately benefit dental graduates and the communities they serve.

Participant recruitment to FiCTION, a primary dental care trial - survey of facilitators and barriers.

Science.gov (United States)

Keightley, A; Clarkson, J; Maguire, A; Speed, C; Innes, N

2014-11-01

To identify reasons behind a lower than expected participant recruitment rate within the FiCTION trial, a multi-centre paediatric primary dental care randomised controlled trial (RCT). An online survey, based on a previously published tool, consisting of both quantitative and qualitative responses, completed by staff in dental practices recruiting to FiCTION. Ratings from quantitative responses were aggregated to give overall scores for factors related to participant recruitment. Qualitative responses were independently grouped into themes. Thirty-nine anonymous responses were received. Main facilitators related to the support received from the central research team and importance of the research question. The main barriers related to low child eligibility rates and the integration of trial processes within routine workloads. These findings have directed strategies for enhancing participant recruitment at existing practices and informed recruitment of further practices. The results help provide a profile of the features required of practices to successfully screen and recruit participants. Future trials in this setting should consider the level of interest in the research question within practices, and ensure trial processes are as streamlined as possible. Research teams should actively support practices with participant recruitment and maintain enthusiasm among the entire practice team.

Team Science Approach to Developing Consensus on Research Good Practices for Practice-Based Research Networks: A Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell-Voytal, Kimberly; Daly, Jeanette M; Nagykaldi, Zsolt J; Aspy, Cheryl B; Dolor, Rowena J; Fagnan, Lyle J; Levy, Barcey T; Palac, Hannah L; Michaels, LeAnn; Patterson, V Beth; Kano, Miria; Smith, Paul D; Sussman, Andrew L; Williams, Robert; Sterling, Pamela; O'Beirne, Maeve; Neale, Anne Victoria

2015-12-01

Using peer learning strategies, seven experienced PBRNs working in collaborative teams articulated procedures for PBRN Research Good Practices (PRGPs). The PRGPs is a PBRN-specific resource to facilitate PBRN management and staff training, to promote adherence to study protocols, and to increase validity and generalizability of study findings. This paper describes the team science processes which culminated in the PRGPs. Skilled facilitators used team science strategies and methods from the Technology of Participation (ToP®), and the Consensus Workshop Method to support teams to codify diverse research expertise in practice-based research. The participatory nature of "sense-making" moved through identifiable stages. Lessons learned include (1) team input into the scope of the final outcome proved vital to project relevance; (2) PBRNs with diverse domains of research expertise contributed broad knowledge on each topic; and (3) ToP® structured facilitation techniques were critical for establishing trust and clarifying the "sense-making" process. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Industry structures in private dental markets in Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Widström, E; Mikkola, H

2012-12-01

To use industrial organisation and organisational ecology research methods to survey industry structures and performance in the markets for private dental services and the effect of competition. Data on practice characteristics, performance, and perceived competition were collected from full-time private dentists (n = 1,121) using a questionnaire. The response rate was 59.6%. Cluster analysis was used to identify practice type based on service differentiation and process integration variables formulated from the questionnaire. Four strategic groups were identified in the Finnish markets: Solo practices formed one distinct group and group practices were classified into three clusters Integrated practices, Small practices, and Loosely integrated practices. Statistically significant differences were found in performance and perceived competitiveness between the groups. Integrated practices with the highest level of process integration and service differentiation performed better than solo and small practices. Moreover, loosely integrated and small practices outperformed solo practises. Competitive intensity was highest among small practices which had a low level of service differentiation and was above average among solo practises. Private dental care providers that had differentiated their services from public services and that had a high number of integrated service production processes enjoyed higher performance and less competitive pressures than those who had not.

Fissure sealants in caries prevention:a practice-based study using survival analysis

OpenAIRE

Leskinen, K. (Kaja)

2010-01-01

Abstract The purpose of this study was to analyse the effectiveness and cost of fissure sealant treatment in preventing dental caries in children in a practice-based research network using survival analysis. The survival times of first permanent molars in children were analysed in three countries: in Finland (age cohorts 1970–1972 and 1980–1982), in Sweden (1980–1982) and in Greece (1980–1982), and additionally at two municipal health centres in Finland (age cohorts 1988–1990 in Kemi...

[What do dental students think about their future career practice? Differences between men and women

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Daalmans, M.T.; Vissia, M.S.; Kuijpers-Jagtman, A.M.; Lagro-Janssen, A.L.M.

2004-01-01

Aim of this study was to get more insight into the career choice, plans and expectations, and practice pattern preferences of male and female dental students in The Netherlands. A structured questionnaire was sent out to all 5th year dental students in The Netherlands in the academic year 2001/2002

Stem Cells of Dental Origin: Current Research Trends and Key Milestones towards Clinical Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Athina Bakopoulou

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Dental Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSCs, including Dental Pulp Stem Cells (DPSCs, Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous teeth (SHED, and Stem Cells From Apical Papilla (SCAP, have been extensively studied using highly sophisticated in vitro and in vivo systems, yielding substantially improved understanding of their intriguing biological properties. Their capacity to reconstitute various dental and nondental tissues and the inherent angiogenic, neurogenic, and immunomodulatory properties of their secretome have been a subject of meticulous and costly research by various groups over the past decade. Key milestone achievements have exemplified their clinical utility in Regenerative Dentistry, as surrogate therapeutic modules for conventional biomaterial-based approaches, offering regeneration of damaged oral tissues instead of simply “filling the gaps.” Thus, the essential next step to validate these immense advances is the implementation of well-designed clinical trials paving the way for exploiting these fascinating research achievements for patient well-being: the ultimate aim of this ground breaking technology. This review paper presents a concise overview of the major biological properties of the human dental MSCs, critical for the translational pathway “from bench to clinic.”

Use of Case-Based Learning in Dental Hygiene Curricula.

Science.gov (United States)

Vaughan, Dina Agnone; DeBiase, Christina B.; Gibson-Howell, Joan C.

1998-01-01

A survey investigated the extent of use of case-based learning in 141 dental hygiene programs. A majority of responding schools use the approach, most frequently in clinical dental hygiene, community dental health, and dental science courses. Proportion of instructional time was greatest in the content areas of special needs, ethics, medical…

Intraoral radiology in general dental practices. A comparison of digital and film-based X-ray systems with regard to radiation protection and dose reduction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anissi, H.D. [Ulm Univ. (Germany). Dentistry; Geibel, M.A. [Ulm Univ. (Germany). Dept. of Dentomaxillofacial Surgery

2014-08-15

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the distribution and application of digital intraoral radiographic techniques within general dental practices and to compare these with film-based systems in terms of patient dose reduction. Materials and Methods: 1100 questionnaires were handed out to general dental practitioners. Data was analyzed with respect to the type of system by using descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests, i.e. Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney and chi-square test (SPSS 20). Results: 64% of the questioned dentists still use film-based radiology, 23% utilize storage phosphor plate (SPP) systems and 13% use a charge-coupled device (CCD). A strong correlation between the number of dentists working in a practice and the use of digital dental imaging was observed. Almost 3/4 of the film users work with E- or F-speed film. 45% of them refuse to change to a digital system. The use of lead aprons was popular, while only a minority preferred thyroid shields and rectangular collimators. A fourfold reduction of exposure time from D-speed film to CCD systems was observed. Due to detector size and positioning errors, users of CCD systems take significantly more single-tooth radiographs in total. Considering the number of radiographs per patient, there is only a slight tendency towards more X-rays with CCD systems. Up to image generation, digital systems seem to be as or even more difficult to handle than film-based systems, while their handling was favored after radiographic exposure. Conclusion: Despite a slight increase of radiographs taken with CCD systems, there is a significant dosage reduction. Corresponding to the decrease in exposure time, the patient dose for SPP systems is reduced to one half compared to film. The main issues in CCD technology are positioning errors and the size of the X-ray detectors which are difficult to eliminate. The usage of radiation protection measures still needs to be improved. (orig.)

Intraoral radiology in general dental practices. A comparison of digital and film-based X-ray systems with regard to radiation protection and dose reduction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anissi, H.D.; Geibel, M.A.

2014-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the distribution and application of digital intraoral radiographic techniques within general dental practices and to compare these with film-based systems in terms of patient dose reduction. Materials and Methods: 1100 questionnaires were handed out to general dental practitioners. Data was analyzed with respect to the type of system by using descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests, i.e. Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney and chi-square test (SPSS 20). Results: 64% of the questioned dentists still use film-based radiology, 23% utilize storage phosphor plate (SPP) systems and 13% use a charge-coupled device (CCD). A strong correlation between the number of dentists working in a practice and the use of digital dental imaging was observed. Almost 3/4 of the film users work with E- or F-speed film. 45% of them refuse to change to a digital system. The use of lead aprons was popular, while only a minority preferred thyroid shields and rectangular collimators. A fourfold reduction of exposure time from D-speed film to CCD systems was observed. Due to detector size and positioning errors, users of CCD systems take significantly more single-tooth radiographs in total. Considering the number of radiographs per patient, there is only a slight tendency towards more X-rays with CCD systems. Up to image generation, digital systems seem to be as or even more difficult to handle than film-based systems, while their handling was favored after radiographic exposure. Conclusion: Despite a slight increase of radiographs taken with CCD systems, there is a significant dosage reduction. Corresponding to the decrease in exposure time, the patient dose for SPP systems is reduced to one half compared to film. The main issues in CCD technology are positioning errors and the size of the X-ray detectors which are difficult to eliminate. The usage of radiation protection measures still needs to be improved. (orig.)

Regenerative dentistry: translating advancements in basic science research to the dental practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Godoy, Franklin; Murray, Peter

2010-01-01

Scientific advances in the creation of restorative biomaterials, in vitro cell culture technology, tissue engineering, molecular biology and the human genome project provide the basis for the introduction of new technologies into dentistry. This review provides an assessment of how tissue engineering, stem cell, genetic transfer, biomaterial and growth factor therapies can be integrated into clinical dental therapies to restore and regenerate oral tissues. In parallel to the creation of a new field in general medicine called "regenerative medicine," we call this field "regenerative dentistry." While the problems of introducing regenerative therapies are substantial, the potential benefits to patients and the profession are equally ground-breaking. In this review, we outline a few areas of interest for the future of oral and dental medicine in which advancements in basic science have already been adapted to fit the goals of 21st century dentistry.

Research on optical properties of dental enamel for early caries diagnostics using a He-Ne laser

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Jing; Liu, Li; Li, Song-zhan

2008-12-01

A new and non-invasive method adapted for optical diagnosis of early caries is proposed by researching on the interaction mechanism of laser with dental tissue and relations of remitted light with optical properties of the tissue. This method is based on simultaneous analyses of the following parameters: probing radiation, backscattering and auto-fluorescence. Investigation was performed on 104 dental samples in vitro by using He-Ne laser (λ=632.8nm, 2.0+/-0.1mW) as the probing. Spectrums of all samples were obtained. Characteristic spectrums of dental caries in various stages (intact, initial, moderate and deep) were given. Using the back-reflected light to normalize the intensity of back-scattering and fluorescence, a quantitative diagnosis standard for different stages of caries is proposed. In order to verify the test, comparison research was conducted among artificial caries, morphological damaged enamel, dental calculus and intact tooth. Results show that variations in backscattering characteristic changes in bio-tissue morphological and the quantity of auto-fluorescence is correlated with concentration of anaerobic microflora in hearth of caries lesion. This method poses a high potential of diagnosing various stages of dental caries, and is more reliability to detect early caries, surface damage of health enamel and dental calculus.

Single-Case Research Design: An Alternative Strategy for Evidence-Based Practice

Science.gov (United States)

Stapleton, Drue; Hawkins, Andrew

2015-01-01

Objective: The trend of utilizing evidence-based practice (EBP) in athletic training is now requiring clinicians, researchers, educators, and students to be equipped to both engage in and make judgments about research evidence. Single-case design (SCD) research may provide an alternative approach to develop such skills and inform clinical and…

Undergraduate degree projects in the Swedish dental schools: a documentary analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Franzén, C; Brown, G

2013-05-01

Undergraduate degree projects have currently been introduced into courses in the four Swedish dental schools. The rationale for research projects is that they enable students to develop research expertise skills and to show their ability to apply and develop knowledge relevant to professional practice. This paper reports a qualitative analysis of the curriculum documents and handbooks including the criteria used to assess the students' research reports. The aim was to investigate commonalities and differences in the design of degree projects between the four Swedish dental schools and to explore any inconsistencies within the documents. The documentary analysis was based on the constant comparison method. Four overarching themes emerged from the analysis: (i) developing scientific expertise, (ii) developing professional expertise, (iii) following rules and (iv) fostering creativity. The documents from the four dental schools revealed similar views on the purposes of the projects and provided similar assessment criteria. The students were requested to formulate an odontological problem, apply a relevant scientific method, analyse texts and empirical data, express critical reflections and write a short thesis. The students were free to choose topics. There were differences between the dental schools on the emphasis placed on practical uses of the projects and theoretical background of the projects. Two of the schools insisted on rigid rules of completing and writing the project yet paradoxically emphasised creativity. There were wide variations in the required length of the project report. The report may prove useful to dental schools in other countries who are about to design undergraduate research projects. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

3D reconstruction based on compressed-sensing (CS)-based framework by using a dental panoramic detector.

Science.gov (United States)

Je, U K; Cho, H M; Hong, D K; Cho, H S; Park, Y O; Park, C K; Kim, K S; Lim, H W; Kim, G A; Park, S Y; Woo, T H; Cho, S I

2016-01-01

In this work, we propose a practical method that can combine the two functionalities of dental panoramic and cone-beam CT (CBCT) features in one by using a single panoramic detector. We implemented a CS-based reconstruction algorithm for the proposed method and performed a systematic simulation to demonstrate its viability for 3D dental X-ray imaging. We successfully reconstructed volumetric images of considerably high accuracy by using a panoramic detector having an active area of 198.4 mm × 6.4 mm and evaluated the reconstruction quality as a function of the pitch (p) and the angle step (Δθ). Our simulation results indicate that the CS-based reconstruction almost completely recovered the phantom structures, as in CBCT, for p≤2.0 and θ≤6°, indicating that it seems very promising for accurate image reconstruction even for large-pitch and few-view data. We expect the proposed method to be applicable to developing a cost-effective, volumetric dental X-ray imaging system. Copyright © 2015 Associazione Italiana di Fisica Medica. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A 24-month evaluation of amalgam and resin-based composite restorations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McCracken, Michael S; Gordan, Valeria V; Litaker, Mark S

2013-01-01

Knowing which factors influence restoration longevity can help clinicians make sound treatment decisions. The authors analyzed data from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network to identify predictors of early failures of amalgam and resin-based composite (RBC) restorations.......Knowing which factors influence restoration longevity can help clinicians make sound treatment decisions. The authors analyzed data from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network to identify predictors of early failures of amalgam and resin-based composite (RBC) restorations....

Oral hygiene‑awareness and practice among patients attending OPD at Vyas Dental College and Hospital, Jodhpur

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nitika Jain

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Background: According to World Oral Health report 2003, the prevalence of periodontitis is 86% in India. Dental care can sometimes be a forgotten part of a healthy life style. While its importance is often underestimated, the need for regular dental care cannot be overstated. Oral health has been neglected for long in India. The scarce literature on dental health awareness, attitude, oral health-related habits and behavior among the adult population in Rajasthan prompted us to assess the preventive oral health awareness and oral hygiene practices in patients attending outpatient department of Vyas Dental College and Hospital (VDCH, Jodhpur through this study. Materials and Methods: A total of 500 patients in the age group 15-50 years were selected using random sampling technique. A self-administered structured questionnaire including 16 multiple choice questions was given to them. The results were analyzed using percentage. Results: The result of this study shows an acute lack of oral hygiene awareness and limited knowledge of oral hygiene practices. In Jodhpur, few people use tooth brush. Conclusions: Hence, there is an urgent need for comprehensive educational programs to promote good oral health and impart education about correct oral hygiene practices.

How compliant are dental practice Facebook pages with Australian health care advertising regulations? A Netnographic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Holden, Acl; Spallek, H

2018-03-01

The National Law that regulates the dental and other health care professions in Australia sets out regulations that dictate how dental practices are to advertise. This study examines the extent to which the profession complies with these regulations and the potential impact that advertising may have upon professionalism. A Facebook search of 38 local government areas in Sydney, New South Wales, was carried out to identify dental practices that had pages on this social media site. A framework for assessment of compliance was developed using the regulatory guidelines and was used to conduct a netnographic review. Two hundred and sixty-six practice pages were identified from across the 38 regions. Of these pages, 71.05% were in breach of the National Law in their use of testimonials, 5.26% displayed misleading or false information, 4.14% displayed offers that had no clear terms and conditions or had inexact pricing, 19.55% had pictures or text that was likely to create unrealistic expectations of treatment benefit and 16.92% encouraged the indiscriminate and unnecessary utilization of health services. This study found that compliance with the National Law by the Facebook pages surveyed was poor. © 2017 Australian Dental Association.

Prakriti-based research: Good reporting practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhalerao, Supriya; Patwardhan, Kishor

2016-03-01

The recent advances in the fields of genomics, personalized medicine, and Ayurveda have motivated many researchers to look at the relationship between Prakriti (phenotype-based Ayurveda constitution) and various objective biological parameters. As a result, a number of studies reporting such a relationship have made their way into mainstream scholarly journals. However, when it comes to the protocols that these workers follow to identify one's Prakriti, there are several issues that are yet to be resolved. In this communication, we propose a few reporting practices that such workers are required to be encouraged to follow, while submitting their work on Prakriti to scholarly journals. We have arranged this proposal under the following domains that may serve as a preliminary checklist in this context: The textual references, validation process, assessment of characters, scoring pattern, weightage assignment, criterion for expressing the final Prakriti type, and a need to publish the complete Prakriti-determination tool. We advocate that only if the workers in the field adhere to these good reporting practices, one will be able to draw meaningful, generalizable, and applicable interpretations out of such studies. We also suggest that the editors of relevant scholarly journals may recommend these reporting practices while considering such reports for publication. Copyright © 2016 Transdisciplinary University, Bangalore and World Ayurveda Foundation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hospital dental practice in special patients

OpenAIRE

Silvestre-Rangil, Javier; Silvestre, Francisco J.; Espín-Gálvez, Fernando

2013-01-01

Dental patients with special needs are people with different systemic diseases, multiple disorders or severe physical and/or mental disabilities. A Medline search was made, yielding a total of 29 articles that served as the basis for this study, which offers a brief description of the dental intervention protocols in medically compromised patients. Dental treatment in patients with special needs, whether presenting medical problems or disabilities, is sometimes complex. For this reason the ho...

Microbiomics of Oral Biofilms: Driving The Future of Dental Research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chaminda Jayampath Seneviratne

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Oral infectious diseases such as dental caries, periodontal disease, endodontic infections, oral candidiasis and peri-implantitis cause major health problems worldwide. All of these infectious diseases are associated with the biofilm growth mode of the oral pathogens. In the past, researchers often attempted to examine the association of single pathogens with particular dental diseases such as in the case of Streptococcus mutans acting as an aetiological agent for dental caries and the so-called “red-complex” bacteria for periodontal disease. However, with the recent advent of OMICS biology techniques such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, it is possible to gain new insights into the host-microbial interaction, microbial community structure and composition in the oral cavity. The new studies on oral microbiomics can unravel the facets of the aetiopathology of oral diseases as never seen before. This mini-review will provide an history and overview of some of the existing DNA sequencing platforms employed to study the microbiomics of oral biofilms and the exciting future ahead for dental research.

Perception of Nepalese dental hygiene and dentistry students towards the dental hygienists profession.

Science.gov (United States)

Knevel, Rjm; Gussy, M G; Farmer, J; Karimi, L

2017-08-01

This study investigates student and stakeholder perceptions of the role of the dental hygienist in Nepal. The impact of these perceptions on the professionalization of dental hygienists is described whilst exploring the consequences for oral health workforce planning. Dentistry and dental hygiene students from one dental college in Nepal were asked to complete an anonymous questionnaire; 171 students returned the questionnaire containing a mix of forced response and open-ended items. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS ® 22. These data were complemented with qualitative information from survey open questions and from semi-structured interviews with key informants from several relevant organizations. Qualitative data were manually analysed and coded. Data were triangulated to contextualize quantitative data. A high level of positive regard for the role of the dental hygienist in Nepal was evident amongst dentistry and dental hygiene students in this college. Both groups believe that the dental hygienist can play a major role in raising oral health awareness in Nepal. The scope of practice of the dental hygienist was unclear with issues surrounding the scope of practice and reports of illegal practice by dental hygienists. Significant differences (P dental hygiene and dentistry students in relation to their opinion regarding independent practice and the need of supervision by a dentist. Supervision of the dental hygienist by dentists and issues surrounding the scope of practice are polarizing the relationship between dentists, dental hygienists and the relevant professional organizations. This could hinder cooperation between these oral health professionals and might lead to underutilization of the dental hygienist. To improve the understanding about the roles of each oral health professional, establishing functional relationships and intraprofessional education involving dentistry and dental hygiene students needs to be introduced. This will benefit the