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INTRODUCTION: Oral hygiene for individuals with disabilities living at home heavily relies on caregiver assistance. This study investigates differences in mouth opening, dental plaque index and halitosis grade among home-dwelling individuals with and without oral massage intervention. It is important to consider that extended bedridden periods, the presence of nasogastric tubes and difficulties in mouth opening can affect caregivers' oral cleaning effectiveness. METHOD: This single-blind controlled experiment spanned 12 weeks. Primary caregivers underwent a 15- to 20-min demonstration. The experimental group received guidance on the Bass brushing method, instructions for using oral cleaning tools and training in oral massage. The control group received guidance on the Bass brushing method and instructions for oral cleaning tools. Measurement tools included basic participant information, oral examination records, mouth opening assessments, dental plaque index evaluations and halitosis ratings. RESULTS: The study included 38 subjects, all over 80 years old with disabilities. Dental plaque index significantly improved after massage (p = 0.001). Compared to their pre-massage conditions, the experimental group showed significant improvements in maximum mouth opening (11.65-20.71 mm, p = 0.001), dental plaque index (98.04%-59.74%, p < 0.0001) and halitosis rating (4.12-3.76, p = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: Oral massage effectively improved mouth opening, reduced the dental plaque index and lowered halitosis ratings in the experimental group, underscoring its positive impact on oral hygiene. The study's insights can significantly benefit oral care for individuals with disabilities living at home.
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Background/purpose: Dry needling therapy and acupuncture can effectively relieve myofascial pain in temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). This study evaluated dental students' satisfaction with the "needling therapies for TMDs" lectures given in 2022 and 2023. Materials and methods: The "needling therapies for TMDs" lectures included mainly a dry needling therapy lecture and an acupuncture lecture which were given to the fifth-year dental students in both 2022 and 2023. An additional needling therapy demonstration lecture was given in 2023 only. Immediately after the lectures, the students were asked to complete an online-based questionnaire with four survey questions regarding their satisfaction with (1) the dry needling therapy, (2) the acupuncture, (3) the overall, and (4) the needling therapy demonstration lectures using 5-point Likert scale ratings. Results: Fifty-three (80 %) of 66 and 60 (81 %) of 74 students answered the questions in 2022 and 2023, respectively. The satisfaction rates improved from 70 % in 2022 to 83 % in 2023 for the dry needling therapy lecture, from 64 % in 2022 to 85 % in 2023 for the acupuncture lecture, and from 70 % in 2022 to 88 % in 2023 for the overall lecture. The satisfaction rate was 88 % in 2023 for the needling therapy demonstration lecture. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that inclusion of the needling therapy demonstration lecture in 2023 can results in a marked increase in the satisfaction rates for the lectures. The relatively-lower satisfaction rate for the acupuncture lecture in 2022 may be due to the difficulty in understanding the mechanisms underlying the acupuncture therapy.
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Background/purpose: The teaching practice research program was initiated by Taiwan's Ministry of Education in 2018 to improve medical teaching quality. This study analyzed dental teaching projects conducted under this program from 2018 to 2023. Materials and methods: Data of submitted and approved medical (including dental) teaching projects from 2018 to 2023 were obtained from the annual reports released by the program committee. The annual passing rates were calculated by dividing the number of approved dental teaching projects by the total number of approved medical teaching projects in the category of medical and healthcare sciences in a particular year. The 24 approved dental teaching projects were reviewed, classified into different topics in the dental field, and then reported. Results: There were 24 approved dental teaching projects out of a total of 822 approved medical teaching projects from 2018 to 2023. The annual passing rates increased gradually from 2018 (1.4 %) to 2022 (3.9 %) and 2023 (3.8 %) with an overall mean passing rate of 2.9 % over a period of 6 years. Of the 24 approved dental teaching projects, digital dentistry was the most common teaching research topic (9 projects), followed by new teaching models (7 projects), 3D technology (3 projects), endodontics (3 projects), dental histology (one project), and evidence-based method (one project). Conclusion: Digital dentistry and new teaching models were the two predominant dental teaching research topics, suggesting that both are the modern trends in the dental education. However, the dental teaching research projects are still very limited in 8 Taiwanese dental schools.
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Background/purpose: Local anesthesia (LA) training is an essential clinical skill in dental education. However, the traditional teaching method of student-to-student injection has ethical concerns. This study investigated whether a flipped classroom (FC) teaching model with instructional videos improves students' skills in administering LA. Materials and methods: Fourth-year dental students in 2017 (traditional teaching, n = 70) and 2018 (FC model, n = 79) were assessed for their ability to perform an inferior alveolar nerve block and lingual nerve block. The FC group watched pre-recorded videos prior to a hands-on training session. Skills were evaluated using a 24-item checklist converted to letter grades. Perceptions of the FC approach were also surveyed. Results: The FC group showed statistically significantly higher final grades than the traditional teaching group (P < 0.05). Most FC students agreed that the videos improved clarity and learning objectives. Conclusion: The FC teaching model with procedural video instruction improved skills and confidence in administering LA over traditional teaching methods. Videos can be a beneficial supplement in pre-clinical dental training.
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Background/purpose: Integration of arts and humanities into dental education is important for developing holistically oriented dental professionals. This study aimed to survey dental students' perception of integrating arts and sciences into dental education with an innovative pedagogical approach through a photomicrograph competition. Materials and methods: Students used digital imaging tools and creative approaches to capture photomicrographs that revealed hidden beauty in oral tissue sections. The photomicrograph works were posted online for scoring. The scoring activity, questionnaire survey, and complimentary comments of the participants were conducted online using a Google form. Results: The photomicrograph competition garnered a 24% participation rate from the 490 undergraduate dental students. Of the 116 participants, 65% agreed that the photomicrograph competition increased their interest in learning microscopic lessons, 87% very strongly or strongly supported to hold the photomicrograph competition every year, and 72% believed that the photomicrograph competition could be adopted to the dental students in all dental schools in Taiwan. The overall satisfaction rate of the photomicrograph competition was 91%. The free comments from all participants were generally positive towards this photomicrograph competition. Conclusion: The photomicrograph competition shows the transformative potential of integrating arts and humanities into dental education. Through the lens of photomicrography, the hidden wonders in oral tissue sections have been unveiled. This photomicrograph competition, a pioneering endeavor with no precedent in English literature, has proven to be a resounding success that unites the realms of scientific inquiry and artistic expression, and may be a transformative agent in nurturing holistic dental professionals.
