Country and gender differences in the motivation of dental students-An international comparison.

PURPOSE: The objective of this study, conducted in Germany, Finland and Turkey, was to identify whether motivations to study dentistry varied by country, gender or year of study. METHODS: The multicentre pilot study was conducted in English language in 2014. Participants (n = 469 dental students) were either in the first or last year of study. The response rate was 91%. RESULTS: The sample comprised 63% females and 37% males, reflecting the common gender distribution in dental education. A total of 236 first year students (50.3%) and 233 final year students (49.7%) took part in the study. The participants were aged 21-25 years and of 15 different nationalities, mostly from Turkey, Germany and Finland. Considering who motivated them most to become a dentist, the most common answer was "self-motivated" (49.5%). 23.4% of the students stated having been motivated by a "family member or friend, who is a dentist," while 24.3% said they had been motivated by a "family member or friend, who is not a dentist." -Very few students (2.8%) recorded having been motivated by a "high school or college counsellor." Motivations for choosing dentistry as a career included "ability to help people," "self-employment," "income potential," "working with hands" and "status and prestige," all of which were rated as highly important. "Time management" and "career variety" were rated as moderately important. Significant statistical differences were observed by country and gender. For the German students, a dental relative was significantly more often relevant than for the Finnish and Turkish students, who were more often influenced by family members or friends not working in the dental field. "Time management" seemed to be significantly more important to female than to male students. CONCLUSION: In line with a feminisation of the workforce in dentistry, a well-structured working environment and well-thought-out time management may play an increased role in future work force planning (Gender dentistry: International vergleichende Studie zu Karrierewahl und Spezialisierungswünschen von Zahnmedizinstudenten. Ulm: Universität Ulm).

Casein Phosphopeptide-Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (CPP-ACP) May Be an Alternative Preventive Therapy in Children with Cerebral Palsy.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) on the buffering capacity of saliva and plaque pH in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 15 3- to 8-year-old subjects with CP living in a governmental institution were included in this study. Dental plaque pH and the buffering capacity of saliva were measured at the first visit (baseline) and accepted as control values. CPP-ACP complex (GC Tooth Mousse) was applied to the children twice a day. Measurements were repeated after the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th weeks. RESULTS: Plaque indicator data show decreased acidogenicity in the 8-week period. Although there were no significant differences between the baseline and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd weeks' pH scores, a statistically significant difference was observed between the initial and 4th, 6th and 8th weeks' plaque pH scores. Saliva buffer scores were found to statistically significant increase between baseline and the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 8th weeks. CONCLUSION: Daily application of 10% w/v CPP-ACP paste is effectively changes saliva buffering capacity and plaque pH, thus promoting caries prevention in the primary and mixed dentition of CP children.

A new method to estimate dental age.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of Demirjian's method in estimating the dental age in Turkish children and to estimate the validity of Demirjian's standards for the studied population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Panoramic radiographs of 756 northwestern Turkish children aged 5-13 years were examined. The new method for dental age estimation for both genders was studied to determine the relationship between dental age, chronological age and Demirjian's scores. Descriptive statistics were used and analysis of correlation was carried out between chronological age, dental age and Demirjian's scores. The difference between dental age and the chronological age was determined with the paired t-test. RESULTS: The results showed that northwestern Turkish children had delays in dental maturity. The new method was applied to Demirjian's scores and dental age scales for both genders were obtained. The tables were used to adapt Demirjian's scores to dental age determination in Turkish children using the new formula. CONCLUSIONS: The developmental standards used by Demirjian are not suitable for northwestern Turkish children. The methods for determining dental development must have population-specific standards. The established gender-specific equations and the new tables are more appropriate for dental age assessment in northwestern Turkish children.

Maxillary incisor trauma in patients with class II division 1 dental malocclusion: associated factors.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the association between the presence of maxillary incisor trauma (MIT) with age, gender, dentition type, the degree of overjet (OJ), lip form, respiratory type and dental arch form in patients with Class II division 1 dental malocclusion. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 256 patients (mean age: 15.80 ± 2.2) were included in this study. The patients' gender, dentition type, superior lip form, dental arch form and respiratory type were recorded. Participants were divided into four groups according to the severity of OJ: 3.5 mm

Oral manifestations and prosthetic rehabilitation in hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (HSAN)type IV: a case report.

Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies (HSAN) are rare genetic syndromes of unknown etiology. They are seen in early childhood and are categorized into six different types by their symptoms. HSAN type 4 demonstrates autosomal recessive transmission pattern, with such major characteristics as loss of sense of pain, self-mutilation, anhydrosis and mental retardation. Sympathetic innervations are deficient despite the existence of sweat glands. Sufferers are hypotonic without any tendon reflexes, and neuro-motor development is retarded. In some cases tactile sensation and vibration may be intact. Biting injuries due to lack of pain sensation cause laceration, ulceration and scarring of the tongue, lips and other parts of oral mucosa. Tooth luxation and severe dental attrition have been observed. This case report presents oral and dental findings, surgical treatments and prosthetic rehabilitation of an 11- year-old boy with HSAN type 4.

The effects of a caries-removing gel (Carisolv) on FM3A cell-line in vitro.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to examine the cytotoxic effects of Carisolv on mouse mammary carcinoma cell line (FM3A) at different application times. METHODS: The FM3A cell line obtained from the European Collection of Animal Cell Cultures was used in the cell culture assays. Exponentially growing cells were seeded in 5x10(5)cells/well in 5 ml of RPMI 1640 medium supplemented with 10(%) fetal calf serum and antibiotics in each well of a six-well plate. Carisolv gel was applied onto the cell culture medium for 1, 5 and 20 min and incubated for 24 h at 37 degrees C in a humidified atmosphere of 5(%) carbon dioxide (CO(2)). After 24 h incubation, the cells were collected by trypsinisation and counted with a hemocytometer. The cytotoxicity of the Carisolv was determined by evaluation of cell growth and viability in comparison to untreated controls (cell growth=100%). For cell viability, the trypane blue exclusion assay was used. Dunnett's t-test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Cell growth was significantly reduced after 20 min application of Carisolv in comparison to the control (p < 0.001) and 1 min treatment groups (p < 0.05) No significant differences were found in cell viability between the study groups. CONCLUSIONS: It can be concluded that prolonged application of Carisolv did not affect cell viability, but had a reducing effect on cell growth in the FM3A cell line.