Impact of the modified curricula on periodontal instrumentation skills development during the COVID-19 pandemic from 2020 to 2023.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of curriculum modifications on periodontal instrumentation skills development among classes of 2021, 2022, and 2023 during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The pandemic began and affected the three classes at different stages of their studies. Onsite simulation-based learning (SBL) was employed for the classes of 2021 and 2022; remote SBL was adopted for the class of 2023. Modified clinical education, due to social distancing guidelines, impacted the class of 2021 significantly and the class of 2022 to a lesser extent. A multiple linear regression model was built to examine the association between the fourth-year patient-based scaling competency examination scores and selected predictors. RESULTS: The classes of 2021 and 2023 showed consistent performances over time, while the class of 2022 exhibited significant variation exhibiting the lowest performance at the second-year practical examination. While the clinical experience of the class of 2021 was significantly less than that of the classes of 2022 and 2023, the fourth-year competency examination scores did not differ across the three classes. The clinic points (p = 0.014) significantly affected the fourth-year competency examination score while student gender (p = 0.18), the first-year (p = 0.736), and second-year (p = 0.198) practical examination scores showed no correlations. CONCLUSION: Based on student performance in the fourth-year scaling competency examination, the curriculum modifications due to the COVID pandemic did not affect student learning outcomes. Clinical experience was the most influential determinant of skill development in periodontal instrumentation.

In-person to virtual interprofessional education: Teamwork attitudes and skills among dental and dental hygiene students.

OBJECTIVES: The interruption to clinical professions' instruction due to closures from the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic posed a significant hurdle to clinical education and presented a necessity to shift how instruction was delivered to resume educational activities. This study sought to answer the research question: did the transition from in-person to virtual instruction for interprofessional education (IPE) have an impact on students' perceptions of team attitudes and skills to learn and work in interprofessional groups? METHODS: All participating first-year dental and second-year dental hygiene students enrolled in the campus-wide IPE course were invited to complete the Team Skills Scale (TSS) assessment before and after the course for two academic years 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. Paired t-tests were utilized to assess the change in student attitudes and skills from pre- to post-course assessment, and t-tests were used to assess mean differences between student cohorts 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. RESULTS: Within the student cohort 2019-2020 students reported significant improvement in all TSS items. Within the student cohort, 2020-2021 students reported significant improvement in all but three TSS items. There were only significant differences in mean values for student reported improvement in attitudes and skills for two TSS items between the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Dental and dental hygiene students report significant improvement in team attitudes and skills after participation in a campus-wide IPE course. The mode of administration of the course, in-person or virtual, did not have a significant impact on student-reported improvements.

The care and management of bisphosphonate--associated osteonecrosis of the jaw in the patient with multiple myeloma: a case study.

PURPOSE: This is a case study of a patient with multiple myeloma presenting with bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaw after an extraction of tooth #18 while receiving intravenous bisphosphonates. The class of drugs known as bisphosphonates is discussed. The patient's presenting signs and symptoms are reviewed. Bisphosphonate induced osteonecrosis definition, management and professional education are reviewed.

Relationship of naturally occurring fluoride in Carroll County, Maryland to aquifers, well depths, and fluoride supplementation prescribing behaviors.

PURPOSE: Systemic fluorides are effective in the prevention of dental caries but over ingestion can lead to dental fluorosis. Fluoride supplements may be under-prescribed for children residing in areas where drinking water is derived from wells, because of a lack of knowledge of dental providers or the effort required to test wells for fluoride before prescribing supplements. The purpose of this study was to determine the possible factors associated with fluoride content of well water in a specific county in Maryland, and to determine whether there is a relationship between the amount of naturally occurring fluoride in the well water and the child's fluoride supplementation use. METHODS: This study analyzed the fluoride prescribing behavior and the fluoride content of wells from a sample of 197 Carroll County, Md residents. Those individuals that answered a questionnaire about well depth and use of fluoride supplements subsequently were mailed a water testing kit. Water samples were tested for fluoride using a fluoride specific ion electrode. Derivations of well water supplies (aquifers) were obtained from a county geologist. Variance in well depth and aquifer type were correlated to the levels of naturally occurring fluoride. Supplementation practices of children residing in the participating sampled households were compared to results of fluoride analyses of individual wells. RESULTS: Results showed that Carroll County well water contains negligible to low levels of fluoride (0.08-0.24 ppm). Pearson r testing showed a positive relationship between well depth and fluoride, r = 0.23 (p < or = .01). ANOVA results showed no significant difference between the 3 aquifers fluoride, p = 0.23. Analysis of the supplementation behavior indicated that the majority (58%) of the children that should have received fluoride supplements were receiving the incorrect dosage or not being supplemented. CONCLUSION: Fluoride content of well water may be related to well depths. Fluoride supplementation practices generally were incorrect, even for this community whose wells had less than optimal fluoride content. Fluoride supplementation education may be lacking for dentists, physicians, and their patients. Future research should explore whether there is a relationship between well depth and fluoride content, as found in this study, and the variables associated with the incorrect fluoride prescribing behaviors.