Assessment of Perception of Dental Students to OSCE Exams: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Aims and Objective: To assess the knowledge as well as attitude of dental students to OSCE exams. Materials and Methods: With the aim of evaluating the knowledge and attitude of dental students to OSCE exams, the present study was planned and it consisted of total 1000 dental students (Third year, Final year, and Interns) who have taken the OSCE examinations. The survey included a questionnaire in addition to a subsection on participants' demographic information. In addition, a 3-point scale was used to rate the OSCE's impartiality, complexity, education level, as well as favored frequency of usage in comparison with various evaluation formats. Results: 562 were males while the remaining 438 were females. While evaluating the student's perception, 36.3 percent of the students agreed that OSCE examination gave precise measure of clinical dental skills. 23.1 percent of the students said OSCE was uniform in terms of standardization, while 25 percent of the students agreed that OSCE score was independent of personality, ethnicity, and gender. Conclusion: To recapitulate, the outcomes of this research gave rise to the notion that the OSCE represents a valid as well as objective evaluation tool for clinical abilities.

An Immunohistochemical Analysis for Evaluating the Diagnostic Role of Myofibroblasts in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma using α-Smooth Muscle Actin Antibody.

Background: One of the most common types of malignancies affecting the head and neck region is oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Little less is known about the role of myofibroblasts in the pathogenetic process of OSCC. Hence, we assessed the involvement of myofibroblasts in the invasive process of OSCC using α-SMA (α-smooth muscle actin) antibody. Materials and Methods: Four study groups in total were organized as follows: 40 cases each of well-differentiated OSCC (WDOSCC), moderately differentiated OSCC (MDOSCC), poorly differentiated OSCC (PDOSCC), and controls make up Group 1, Group 2, Group 3, and Group 4, respectively. The percentage of α-SMA immunopositive cells and staining intensity (A) multiplied together to determine the final staining score (B). The final staining index was produced by multiplying staining intensity (A) by the proportion of immunopositive cells that were stained with α-SMA (B) (FSI). Score Zero was graded as Index Zero by FSI while scores One and Two received an Index Low rating, scores Three and Four an Index Moderate rating, and scores Six and Nine an Index High rating. Results: Significantly higher expression of myofibroblast was observed in OSCC group in comparison with the control group. However; no significant difference in myofibroblast expression was observed while comparing different grades of OSCC. Conclusion: We recommend using myofibroblasts as a stromal marker to track the severity and development of OSCC.

Establishment of the role of myofibroblasts in invasive process of oral squamous cell carcinoma: A pilot study.

Aims: To establish the role of myofibroblasts in invasive process of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Materials and Methods: Four study groups were formed as follows: group 1 consisting of 30 cases of well-differentiated OSCC, group 2 consisting of 30 cases of moderately differentiated OSCC, group 3 consisting of 30 cases of poorly differentiated OSCC, and group 4 consisting of controls. Staining of all of the specimens was done using a-SMA antibody through immunohistochemistry (IHC) procedure. Multiplication product of staining intensity (A) and percentage of a-SMA-stained immuno-positive cells (B) gave a final staining index (FSI). According to FSI, score zero was graded as index zero; score one and two were graded as index low; score three and score were graded as index moderate; and score six, seven, eight and nine were graded as index high. Results: Mean FSI among specimens of groups 1, 2, 3, and 4 was 7.93, 8.47, 8.8, and 0, respectively. Non-significant results were obtained while comparing the mean final staining index among specimens of groups 1, 2 and 3. However; while comparing between groups 1 and 4, groups 2 and 4, and groups 3 and 4, significant results were obtained. While comparing the FSI among overall OSCC group (groups 1, 2 and 3) and controls (group 4), significant results were obtained. Conclusion: Myofibroblasts are an integral component of processes associated with the creation of a permissive environment for cancer invasion process in patients with OSCC. Clinical Significance: Myofibroblasts are associated with the creation of progressive and invasive processes of oral squamous cell carcinoma. Hence, they might be employed as a part of future target for therapeutics in cancer therapy.

Analysis of Age and Gender-Related Changes in Gingival Width in Patients of Known Population: A Cross-sectional Study.

AIMS: The present study was conducted for analyzing age and gender-related alterations in gingival width (GW) in patients of known population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred and ten healthy participants were enrolled in the present research. All the participants were divided into the following study groups with seventy participants in each group based on their age: adolescents, young adults, and older adults. All the participants were recalled and oral and periodontal examination was carried out using mouth mirror, probe, and explorer. Lidocaine spray was used for anesthetizing the anterior gingival region. A probe was used for assessing the width of the gingiva, in which and rubber stopper was fitted. In all the six maxillary anterior and mandibular anterior teeth, the width and thickness of the attached gingivae were assessed. All the measurements were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Mean width of the attached gingiva in the maxillary arch in adolescents, young adults, and older adults were found to be 2.51 mm, 2.93 mm, and 3.92 mm, respectively. Mean width of the attached gingiva in the mandibular arch in adolescents, young adults, and older adults were found to be 1.76 mm, 2.39 mm, and 3.19 mm, respectively. Significant results were observed while comparing the GW among participants divided on the basis of age group. Nonsignificant results were observed while comparing the GW among participants divided on the basis of gender. CONCLUSION: There is a significant enhancement of GW with the advancement of age in both the maxillary arch and mandibular arch.

Evaluation of effect of gestational diabetes mellitus on composition of the initial oral microbiota of neonates.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the commonly occurring high-risk obstetric complications that accounts for 4%-9% of total pregnancies. The present study was an attempt to assess the effect of GDM on composition of the neonatal oral microbiota. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, oral samples from 155 full-term vaginally delivered newborns were collected with sterile swabs. Seventy-five mothers diagnosed with GDM group and 80 were nondiabetic mothers (control). The oral microbiota was evaluated and analyzed by SPSS software. RESULTS: The mean gestational age in Group I was 38.1 weeks and in Group II was 39.6 weeks. Firmicutes was present in 38.1% in Group I versus 77.6% in Group II patients, Actinobacteria was seen in 15.2% in Group I and 7.4% in Group II, Bacteroidetes in 27.6% in Group I and 7.9% in Group II, Proteobacteria in 9.5% in Group I and 3.8% in Group II, and Tenericutes in 9.6% in Group I and 3.3% in Group II. There was a significant difference in major genera Prevotella, Bacteroidetes, Bifidobacterium, Corynebacterium, Ureaplasma, and Weissella in both groups (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: There was increased bacterial microbiota in neonates born to mothers with GDM as compared to neonates born to nondiabetic mothers. Assessment of initial oral microbiota of neonates could help in assessing the early effect of GDM on neonatal oral microbial flora.

Plasma Osteocalcin Levels, Status of Oral Disease and Alteration in Mandibular Bone Density in Postmenopausal Women.

AIM: The present study was undertaken for assessing plasma osteocalcin levels, status of oral disease, and alteration in mandibular bone density in postmenopausal women (PMW). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In all, 80 premenopausal women and 80 PMW were enrolled. For analyzing the oral dryness, clinical score of oral dryness (CSOD) on a scale of up to 10 was used. Complete dental profiling of all the patients was done. Digital panoramic radiographs were taken for all the patients. Bone mineral density (BMD) was evaluated by measuring the following parameters: mandibular cortical index (MCI), panoramic mandibular index (PMI), mandibular cortical width (MCW), and fractal dimension (FD). Osteocalcin levels were evaluated with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. All the results were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Mean osteocalcin levels of PMW (453.12 ng/mL) were significantly higher in comparison to the premenopausal women (249.28 ng/mL). Postmenopausal women had significantly higher CSOD and number of peri-apical radiolucencies in comparison to premenopausal women. Bone mineral density as assessed by MCI was found to be negatively and significantly correlated with oral disease status and osteocalcin levels. Significant difference was obtained while comparing the MCI inbetween the two study groups. CONCLUSION: There is significantly higher prevalence of oral lesions along with oral dryness in postmenopausal women. Also, thinning of mandibular cortex is significantly higher in postmenopausal women. Higher plasma osteocalcin levels help in predicting osteopenia/osteoporosis at an early stage in such patients. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In PMW, special considerations should be made while planning for dental implant therapy.