Assessment of the Satisfaction of Patients Treated by Undergraduate Dental Students at a Saudi Government University: A Cross Sectional Study.

Purpose: The long-term success of any organization is highly dependent on client satisfaction. This applies to the medical and dental fields, where patient satisfaction is considered an indirect indicator of the quality of service provided. This study aimed to assess the level of satisfaction of patients treated by final-year undergraduate students at King Abdulaziz University Dental Hospital (KAUDH). Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, an online questionnaire was distributed to patients (aged ≥14 years) treated at KAUDH by sixth year students during the academic year 2020/2021. The questionnaire comprised 36 items, including demographic and general data, type of dental problems, type of dental treatment received, and satisfaction assessment based on the Dental Satisfaction Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and independent sample t-tests (α=0.05). Results: A total of 203 responses were received (58% response rate). The reliability of the satisfaction tool (Cronbach's alpha) was 0.88, indicating a high reliability. The overall satisfaction level was 80.1% (±14.2). The satisfaction levels related to pain management, quality of care, and access to care were 76.4% (±19.9), 86.2% (±17.1), and 77.5% (±16.5) respectively. The highest satisfaction level (91.5%) was related to the quality item "The student was always treating me with respect". Age, number of visits, length of treatment, case severity, and treatment complexity were not significantly correlated with patient satisfaction (p ≥ 0.116). New patients who had their files directly opened by a sixth-year student and were treated immediately were more satisfied than patients who already had files at KAUDH and were referred to sixth-year students for treatment (p=0.029). Conclusion: Patients treated by final-year students at KAUDH showed high satisfaction levels in relation to pain management, treatment quality, and access. However, the satisfaction of existing old patients was lower than that of new patients, which warrants further assessment, particularly regarding the hospital referral system.

Studying Effects of Calcium Oxide Nanoparticles on Dentinogenesis in Male Wistar Rats.

This study aimed to evaluate potential impacts of calcium oxide nanoparticles (CaO-NPs) at different dosages on predentin thickness, number of blood vessels, periodontal ligament thickness, and blood glucose level of Wistar rats. Twelve rats were randomly gathered into four groups, untreated (control) and CaO-NP-treated groups at three concentrations (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg of the body weight) over a period of 60 days. Histological investigation was performed on twenty-four lower incisor teeth extracted from all the tested groups under a light microscope, and an automatic Fujifilm was used to measure the blood glucose level. The results showed that regular nanoparticle treatment significantly increased predentin and periodontal ligament thicknesses, a gradual decrease in vascularization in the pulp tissue, and an increase in the blood glucose level as the dosages of nanoparticles administered to the rats increased. Administration of the CaO-NPs at low dosage (25 mg/kg) could be beneficial for the growth and integrity of teeth and dentinal tissues in rats.

Dentists' Knowledge, Attitudes, and Awareness of Infection Control Measures during COVID-19 Outbreak: A Cross-Sectional Study in Saudi Arabia.

As antiviral vaccines are still pending for the COVID-19 disease, improving dentists' knowledge and prevention measures is important. This study aimed to assess dentists' knowledge, attitude, and perception of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia during the early outbreak period. In addition, infection control measures for dental setting were also assessed. Online questionnaire was distributed to dentists in different regions of Saudi Arabia when COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia was at its beginning. The questionnaire was assessing demographic variables, knowledge, attitude, risk perception, and preparedness towards COVID-19. Questions regarding infection control measures were also included. The correct incubation period of the virus was recognized by 43% of participants. Fever, cough, and shortness of breath were the mostly recognized symptoms for COVID-19 (98.9%, 95.5%, and 93.3% respectively). Participants in age groups ≥60, 50-59, and 20-29 years old were more likely to perceive COVID-19 as a very dangerous disease compared to 30-39 and 40-49 age groups. Dentists in Saudi Arabia showed satisfactory knowledge and positive attitude towards COVID-19. Improving dentists' level of knowledge could be achieved through increasing their accessibility to materials provided by dental health care authorities, which specifies the best and safest approaches for dealing with patients during and after the outbreak.

Knowledge, Attitude, Behavior, and Stress Related to COVID-19 among Undergraduate Health Care Students in Jordan.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess knowledge, attitude, and infection control measures related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic outbreak among Jordanian health care students. Besides, their social behavior and stress level regarding COVID-19 infection were assessed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online questionnaire was distributed to medical, dental, pharmacy, nursing, and applied health science students in Jordan during the COVID-19 outbreak quarantine in March 2020. The questionnaire comprised 38 questions assessing demographic data, knowledge, attitude, risk perception, and stress level toward COVID-19. Questions regarding infection control measures and social behavior after the quarantine were also included. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and chi-square at a significance level of 5% were used for data analysis. RESULTS: A total number of 935 responses were collected. The knowledge score of 55.72% of participants was satisfactory and it was higher for the clinical years' students compared with the basic years' students (p = 0.000) (descending order: sixth year > fifth year > fourth year > third year > first year > second year). Also, knowledge scores were significantly higher for medical and dental students than other disciplines (descending order: medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, nursing/applied) (p = 0.000). The social media (89.1%) and TV or radio (69.5%) were mainly routes through which participants heard about COVID-19. Moderate and justifiable feelings about COVID-19 were found in the majority of the participants. CONCLUSION: Although the majority of students showed good knowledge scores, few of them appeared to have a serious lack of knowledge. Therefore, proper education and mentoring are necessary for students before reopening the university campuses.

The Effect of Biodentine Maturation Time on Resin Bond Strength When Aged in Artificial Saliva.

Biodentine is a calcium silicate cement (CSC) that has been broadly applied in vital pulp therapy. The quality of the Biodentine-composite bond has a significant effect on the longevity of the definitive restoration. The aim of this study is to investigate the shear bond strength (SBS) between Biodentine and composite restoration at different maturation times of Biodentine aged in artificial saliva. Fifteen Biodentine discs were allocated into three groups (n = 5) based on the timeframe of performance of composite restoration: immediate (after 12 min), after 14 days, and after 28 days of Biodentine maturation. Total etch and rinse adhesive system and bulk-fill regular resin composite were used. The shear bond strength and the failure pattern were assessed. One-way ANOVA with the Bonferroni post hoc test was applied for statistical analysis at p < 0.05. The highest (32.47 ± 8.18 MPa) and the lowest (4.08 ± 0.81 MPa) SBS values were recorded for 14 days and 12 min groups, respectively. Significant statistical differences were reported among the groups, and a high statistically significant difference was found between the immediate group and the other groups. Adhesive failure patterns were evident in all groups. More clinically acceptable bond strength between the Biodentine and overlaid composite restoration is at 14 days after Biodentine maturation. Delaying the coverage of Biodentine later than 14 days may significantly reduce the SBS. Using the artificial saliva as an aging medium may affect the SBS between Biodentine and composite material.