Exploring health advice by dental professionals in USA: A secondary data analysis of NHANES (2015-2018).

OBJECTIVES: To examine socioeconomic and ethnic variations in the provision of health advice by dental professionals. METHODS: Data were from the National Health and Examination Survey (NHANES) (2015-2018). Socioeconomic position (Poverty-income ratio and education) and ethnicity were the main exposures. The outcome variable of interest was whether participants received health advice regarding the "benefits of quitting cigarettes," "benefits of monitoring blood sugar levels," and "importance of oral cancer screening". Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between socioeconomic factors/ethnicity, and health advice after adjusting for covariates. RESULTS: The analysis included a total of 5524 people aged eighteen and above who had complete data. Black and Hispanic individuals had higher odds of receiving advice on smoking (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.04-2.12 and OR = 1.48, 95% CI: 1.05-2.07, respectively) and glucose monitoring (OR = 3.00, 95% CI: 2.03-4.43 and OR = 3.14, 95% CI: 2.04-4.82, respectively), but no significant difference for cancer screening advice.Higher poverty-income ratios (PIR) were associated with lower odds of receiving smoking advice (OR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84-0.98), but no significant associations were observed for glucose monitoring or cancer screening advice. The study's findings reveal a social gradient in the provision of cancer advice, with individuals having higher education levels, particularly university education (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.24-2.31), showing significantly higher odds of receiving cancer screening advice CONCLUSION: The study highlights significant variations in health advice provision in dental settings, with education level, ethnicity, and smoking status playing prominent roles, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions to promote equity and cultural competence in delivering health advice in dental settings. PRACTICE IMPLICATION: The results emphasize the importance of strong policies and ongoing education for dental professionals to ensure optimal treatment and prevention.

Medical emergencies in dental practice: A nationwide web-based survey of Italian dentists.

Objective: Dentists must be prepared to manage medical emergencies, which are arisen during dental practice together with the increase of age population and medically compromised patients. This study aims at assessing the occurrence of medical emergencies in a cohort of Italian dentists, to ascertain their level of confidence in the management of these conditions, also based on their educational training and type of medical graduation, and, finally, to know their educational needs, in order to plan appropriate institutional interventions for specific training. Methods: A national-based cross-sectional study was carried out by means of an online survey sent to all dentists working in Italy. Results: The survey included 6818 questionnaires. Most of the respondents (n = 4443; 65.2%) reported the occurrence of at least one medical emergency during their professional life. The events rarely resulted in death as declared by only 62 (0.9%) of respondents. The commonest medical emergency was the vasovagal syndrome. Most medical emergencies occurred during the dental procedure (n = 4883; 71.6%). An average degree of satisfaction about the ability to diagnose and manage medical emergencies was reported by most of respondents, with high level of confidence in treating vasovagal syndrome, while a lack in preparedness about the management of myocardial infarction or transient ischemic attack (TIA) and stroke. Medical doctors were more confident in managing the emergencies than dentistry graduates (p < .01). Considering the educational needs, almost all of participants (n = 6721; 98.6%) declared the need to improve their training and expressed their interest in theoretical-practical institutional courses as well as in the establishment of an official national register for medical emergencies occurred in dental practice. Conclusions: Medical emergencies are not negligible and the dentist should receive adequate training and continuing education to be updated and ready for their correct management. Clinical significance: The dentist should be ready to deal with medical emergencies and provide first aid to the patient. The dentist is not always prepared to manage the most complex emergencies; therefore, there is the need to organize post-graduate courses and to set up an emergency register.

Microbial Air Contamination in a Dental Setting Environment and Ultrasonic Scaling in Periodontally Healthy Subjects: An Observational Study.

The risk of microbial air contamination in a dental setting, especially during aerosol-generating dental procedures (AGDPs), has long been recognized, becoming even more relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, individual pathogens were rarely studied, and microbial loads were measured heterogeneously, often using low-sensitivity methods. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess microbial air contamination in the dental environment, identify the microorganisms involved, and determine their count by active air sampling at the beginning (T0), during (T1), and at the end (T2) of ultrasonic scaling in systemically and periodontally healthy subjects. Air microbial contamination was detected at T0 in all samples, regardless of whether the sample was collected from patients treated first or later; predominantly Gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus and Bacillus spp. and a minority of fungi, were identified. The number of bacterial colonies at T1 was higher, although the species found were similar to that found during the T0 sampling, whereby Gram-positive bacteria, mainly Streptococcus spp., were identified. Air samples collected at T2 showed a decrease in bacterial load compared to the previous sampling. Further research should investigate the levels and patterns of the microbial contamination of air, people, and the environment in dental settings via ultrasonic scaling and other AGDPs and identify the microorganisms involved to perform the procedure- and patient-related risk assessment and provide appropriate recommendations for aerosol infection control.

Changes in dental and medical visits before and during the COVID-19 pandemic among U.S. children aged 1-17 years.

OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic has tremendously impacted the U.S. healthcare system, but no study has examined the impact of the pandemic on utilization of dental care among U.S. children. Changes in past-year dental versus medical visits and perceived unmet health needs between 2019 and 2020 among U.S. children aged 1-17 years were examined. METHODS: National and state representative, cross-sectional data from the National Survey of Children's Health conducted during June 2019-January 2020 (i.e. pre-pandemic, n = 28 500) and July 2020-January 2021 (i.e. intra-pandemic, n = 41 380) were analysed. Any past-year visit and perceived unmet needs (i.e. delay or inability to receive needed care) were reported by the parent proxy. Weighted prevalence estimates were compared using two-tailed chi-squared tests at p < .05. Poisson regression analyses were used to explore the relationship between having dental and/or medical unmet needs during the pandemic and indicators of poor health and social wellbeing. RESULTS: Between 2019 and 2020, a significantly reduced prevalence of past-year medical (87.2%-81.3%) and dental visits (82.6%-78.2%) among U.S. children aged 1-17 years (all p < .05) were observed. Correspondingly, perceived unmet needs increased by half for dental care (from 2.9% in 2019 to 4.4% in 2020) and almost one-third for medical care (from 3.2% to 4.2% in 2020). Subgroups with the highest prevalence of unmet dental need included those with low socio-economic status, living with their grandparents, uninsured and living with a smoker. CONCLUSIONS: Unmet health needs increased in general but increased more for dental than for medical care among U.S. children aged 1-17 years. Enhanced and sustained efforts will be needed to deliver targeted services towards disadvantaged segments of the population to narrow existing disparities.

Evaluating Trust in the Patient-Dentist Relationship: A Mixed-Method Study.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this article was to understand the trust of study participants in dental providers and trust-building practices used by dentists to establish and maintain trust with their patients. METHODS: This study used a concurrent cross-sectional mixed-methods design to measure the participants' trust in their dental providers. An 11-item Dental Trust Scale (DTS) questionnaire was administered to 150 White, Black, and Hispanic study participants. In addition, the research team conducted semistructured interviews with 7 dentists in order to understand their perspectives related to patient trust. The internal consistency of the DTS was tested using Cronbach's α. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression models were run to test the association between the DTS mean score and individual participant factors. Qualitative information from interviews was analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS: The overall mean score of dental trust for the entire sample was 3.4. The DTS had good internal consistency (α = 0.93). Overall, dental trust was significantly higher in participants who had a regular dentist (F = 8.74, P = 0.003). The qualitative data were grouped under these key thematic categories: the importance of trust, building trust, and trust in treatment planning. Qualitative analysis also showed that the 2 main trust-building tools used by dentists were communication and understanding the patient's lifestyle or social determinants of health. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: This study provides insight into the dentist-patient relationship. It increases our understanding of levels of dental trust among patients and examines methods used by the dentist to build trust. The outcomes of this study can be considered by dentists in their everyday practice as they seek to build trust with their patients.

The Effect of Sound in the Dental Office: Practices and Recommendations for Quality Assurance-A Narrative Review.

Sound is inextricably linked to the human senses and is therefore directly related to the general health of the individual. The aim of the present study is to collect data on the effect of two dimensions of sound, music, and noise from an emotional and functional point of view in the dental office and to perform a thorough review of the relevant literature. We collected articles from the databases PubMed and Google Scholar through keywords that were related to noise and music in healthcare. Important information was also extracted from articles on the web and official websites. Screening of the relevant literature was performed according to accuracy and reliability of the methodology tested. A total of 261 articles were associated to sound and music in healthcare. Ninety-six of them were the most well documented and were thus included in our article. Most of the articles associate noise with negative emotions and a negative impact on performance, while music is associated with positive emotions ranging from emotional state to therapeutic approaches. Few results were found regarding ways to reduce noise in a health facility. If there is a difficulty to find effective methods of reducing the daily noise-inducing sounds in the dental office, we must focus on ways to incorporate music into it as a means of relaxation and therapy.

Human Monkeypox: Oral Implications and Recommendations for Oral Screening and Infection Control in Dental Practice.

The World Health Organization declared the spread of the human monkeypox virus (MPXV) an "emerging threat of moderate health concern" on 23 June 2022. Although about 20,000 cases of Monkeypox (MPX) were recorded in Europe and more than 28,000 in the United States from May to October 2022, their number is still small compared to the number of dental patients treated annually. Therefore, the likelihood of oral healthcare workers encountering an MPX case is relatively low in not endemic regions. In addition, MPX-positive individuals are considered contagious only during the prodromal or acute phase. However, the exact shedding and transmission routes of MPX and the associated risk of transmission in the dental setting remain unclear. Moreover, infected subjects whose disease is confined to the head and neck may require oral and dental care because they complain of lymphadenopathy involving the cervical lymph nodes. Furthermore, MPX lesions may first appear in the oral cavity or perioral area. Therefore, given the recent spread of MPXV in non-endemic areas where dentists are not used to considering this disease in the differential diagnosis and taking appropriate preventive measures, all oral healthcare providers nowadays should be aware of the oral presentation of MPX for adequate oral screening and appropriate preventive measures for infection control in the dental practice.

Posición de los terceros molares mandibulares durante su erupción en pacientes con tratamiento ortodóncico

Introducción: La posición del tercer molar mandibular durante su erupción puede influir en el resultado del tratamiento de ortodoncia o que se necesita recurrir a este nuevamente. Objetivo: Describir la posición de los terceros molares mandibulares durante su erupción en pacientes que recibieron tratamiento ortodóncico en el consultorio Desing Dental en la ciudad de Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador. Método: se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal, el universo lo constituyeron el total de pacientes que recibieron tratamiento ortodóncico en edades comprendidas entre 13 y 33 años¸ el muestreo fue aleatorio simple y la muestra quedó conformado por 23 pacientes, 11 del sexo masculino y 12 del femenino. La recolección de la información se realizó a través de la revisión documental de los informes radiográficos mediante una guía confeccionada para este fin. Los resultados se presentaron en tablas y fueron contrastados con los de otras investigaciones. Se respetaron los principios éticos. Resultados: La posición de los terceros molares más común según edad y sexo fue: para el sexo masculino de 11 pacientes, 2 presentaron la vertical, 8 la mesioangular y 1 la horizontal; mientras que, en el sexo femenino con una muestra de 12 pacientes: 2 pacientes presentaron la posición vertical, 8 la mesioangular y 2 la distoangular. Conclusiones: La posición más frecuente de los terceros molares durante su erupción en los pacientes con tratamiento de ortodoncia fue la posición mesioangular.

Introduction: The position of mandibular third molar during its eruption can influence on the outcome of orthodontic treatment or the need to turn to an orthodontic treatment again. Objective: To describe the position of mandibular third molars during eruption in patients who received orthodontic treatment at the dental office Desing Dental, in the city of Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out; the universe was constituted by the total of patients who received orthodontic treatment, patients between 13 and 33 years of age; the sampling applied was simple random and the sample selected gathered 23 patients, 11 male and 12 female. The information collected was obtained throught a documentary review of the radiographic reports, using a guide prepared for this purpose. The outcomes were presented in tables and were contrasted with those of other investigations. Ethical principles were respected. Results: The most common position of the third molars according to age and sex was as follow: From the 11 male patients, in 2 of them the position was vertical, 8 mesioangular and 1 horizontal; whereas in the 12 female patients, in two of them the position was vertical, 8 mesioangular and 2 distoangular. Conclusions: The most frequent position of third molars during eruption in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment was the mesioangular position.

Introdução: A posição do terceiro molar inferior durante sua erupção pode influenciar no resultado do tratamento ortodôntico ou que seja necessário recorrer a ele novamente. Objetivo: Descrever a posição dos terceiros molares inferiores durante sua erupção em pacientes que receberam tratamento ortodôntico no consultório Desing Dental na cidade de Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Equador. Método: Foi realizado um estudo descritivo transversal, o universo foi constituído pelo número total de pacientes que receberam tratamento ortodôntico entre 13 e 33 anos, a amostragem foi aleatória simples e a amostra foi composta por 23 pacientes, 11 masculinos e 12 femininos. A coleta de informações foi realizada por meio da revisão documental dos laudos radiográficos utilizando um roteiro elaborado para esse fim. Os resultados foram apresentados em tabelas e contrastados com os de outras investigações. Os princípios éticos foram respeitados. Resultados: A posição mais comum dos terceiros molares de acordo com idade e sexo foi: para o sexo masculino de 11 pacientes, 2 apresentaram a vertical, 8 a mesioangular e 1 a horizontal; enquanto, no sexo feminino com uma amostra de 12 pacientes: 2 pacientes apresentaram a posição vertical, 8 a mesioangular e 2 a distoangular. Conclusões: A posição mais frequente dos terceiros molares durante sua erupção em pacientes com tratamento ortodôntico foi a posição mesioangular.

Aerosol reduction efficacy of different intra-oral suction devices during ultrasonic scaling and high-speed handpiece use.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes in the provision of dental services, aimed at reducing the spread of respiratory pathogens through restrictions on aerosol generating procedures (AGPs). Evaluating the risk that AGPs pose in terms of SARS-CoV-2 transmission is complex, and measuring dental aerosols is challenging. To date, few studies focus on intra-oral suction. This study sought to assess the effectiveness of commonly used intra-oral suction devices on aerosol mitigation. METHODS: Ultrasonic scaling and high-speed handpiece procedures were undertaken to generate aerosol particles. Multiple particle sensors were positioned near the oral cavity. Sensor data were extracted using single board computers with custom in-house Bash code. Different high-volume and low-volume suction devices, both static and dynamic, were evaluated for their efficacy in preventing particle escape during procedures. RESULTS: In all AGPs the use of any suction device tested resulted in a significant reduction in particle counts compared with no suction. Low-volume and static suction devices showed spikes in particle count demonstrating moments where particles were able to escape from the oral cavity. High-volume dynamic suction devices, however, consistently reduced the particle count to background levels, appearing to eliminate particle escape. CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic high-volume suction devices that follow the path of the aerosol generating device effectively eliminate aerosol particles escaping from the oral cavity, in contrast to static devices which allow periodic escape of aerosol particles. Measuring the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in a dental setting is multi-factorial; however, these data suggest that the appropriate choice of suction equipment may further reduce the risk from AGPs.

What Counts for the Old and Oldest Old?-An Analysis of Patient Criteria for Choosing a Dentist-Part I: Awareness and Selection Criteria, Infrastructure, and Dental Office Equipment.

Utilization of a dentist is influenced by many factors. The aim of this study is to present the factors relating to how patients become aware of a dentist, according to which criteria they select the dentist, and which factors in the infrastructure, equipment of dental offices, and human interactions are important for patients. A telephone survey with 466 participants (female 59.9%) in three age groups (ag 1: 35−50 years, ag 2: 70−84 years, ag 3: >85 years) in three German cities was conducted. Data were analyzed with respect to age, gender, and place of residence. Hardly any differences in the selection of the dentist and the selection criteria applied were found between the sexes, the age groups, or the places of residence. Recommendation seems to be the major aspect regarding how patients become aware of or select their dentist (n = 278, 65.6%), while modern technologies, e.g., the internet, play a subordinate role (n = 31, 7.3%). The unimportance of modern technologies increases significantly with the increase in age. As age increases, factors such as infrastructure (e.g., elevator available (ANOVA p < 0.001; Bonferoni correction: significant differences between ag 1 and ag 2 p < 0.001, ag 1 and ag 3 p < 0.001, and ag 2 and ag 3 p = 0.009); accessibility by wheelchair (ANOVA p < 0.001; Bonferoni correction: significant differences between ag 1 and ag 2 p = 0.006; and ag 1 and ag 3 p < 0.001); etc.) and dental office equipment become significantly important and influence the choice of dentist, while the importance of good parking facilities significantly decreased with age (ANOVA p = 0.003; Bonferoni correction: significant differences between ag 1 and ag 3 p = 0.004, and ag 2 and ag 3 p = 0.023). With increasing age, e.g., the importance of a television in the waiting room (ANOVA p = 0.012; Bonferoni correction: significant differences between ag 1 and ag 3 p = 0.014; and ag 2 and ag 3 p = 0.011), a modern waiting room (ANOVA p < 0.001; Bonferoni correction: significant differences between ag 1 and ag 3 p < 0.001; and ag 2 and ag 3 p < 0.001) or the possibility to visualize the oral situation on a screen decreases significantly (ANOVA p < 0.001; Bonferoni correction: significant differences between ag 1 and ag 2 p < 0.001; ag 1 and ag 3 p < 0.001, and ag 2 and ag 3 p < 0.001). If dentists want to welcome and treat older people, they should adapt the accessibility, infrastructure and equipment of their practice to the needs of older people in order to be able to guarantee continuous lifelong dental care regardless of the need for assistance or care.

Intensidad lumínica de las lámparas de fotocurado LED en los consultorios odontológicos de Piura, Perú / Output intensity of LED light curing units in dental offices of Piura, Peru

Introducción: La lámpara de fotocurado, que utiliza diodos emisores de luz (LED), se emplea en odontología para la conversión polimérica de los materiales de restauración dental. Se ha comunicado que una intensidad lumínica inadecuada de la lámpara no aseguraría la correcta polimerización del material de restauración. Objetivo: Determinar la intensidad lumínica de las lámparas de fotocurado LED en consultorios odontológicos de la ciudad de Piura, Perú, 2020. Métodos: Estudio observacional, descriptivo. Se midió la intensidad lumínica en 70 lámparas de fotocurado LED, usando un radiómetro con una longitud de onda de 400-500 nm, con capacidad de medida de la intensidad lumínica de hasta 3500 mw/cm2. Por debajo de los 400 mw/cm2 indica intensidad baja, de 400 a 800 mw/cm2 intensidad media, de 800 a 1200 mw/cm2 intensidad alta y por encima de los 1200 mw/cm2 indica intensidad muy alta. Resultados: El 48,5 por ciento de las lámparas analizadas presentaban intensidad media, el 22,86 por ciento intensidad alta, mientras que el 15,71 por ciento intensidad baja y finalmente el 12,86 por ciento de las lámparas presentaban intensidad muy alta. Se reportó menor frecuencia de lámparas con mayor uso clínico. Conclusiones: Las lámparas de fotocurado LED, utilizadas en los consultorios dentales de la provincia de Piura durante el 2020, emiten una intensidad lumínica promedio de 778,14 mW/cm2, equivalente a la intensidad media(AU)

Introduction: Light curing lamps that use light-emitting diodes (LED) are used in dentistry for the polymeric conversion of dental restorative materials. It has been reported that inadequate light intensity in the lamp would not ensure the appropriate polymerization of restorative materials. Objective: Determine the output intensity of LED light curing units used in dental offices of the city of Piura, Peru, in the year 2020. Methods: An observational descriptive study was conducted. Measurements were taken of the light output of 70 LED light curing lamps using a radiometer with a wavelength of 400-500 nm and a light intensity measurement capacity of up to 3 500 mw/cm2. Intensity below 400 mw/cm2 was recorded as low, from 400 to 800 mw/cm2 as medium, from 800 a 1 200 mw/cm2 as high and above 1 200 mw/cm2 as very high. Results: Intensity was medium in 48.5 percent of the lamps analyzed, high in 22.86 percent, low in 15.71 percent and very high in 12.86 percent. A lower frequency of lamps with greater clinical use was reported. Conclusions: The LED light curing lamps used in dental offices of the province of Piura during the year 2020 emit an average output intensity of 778.14 mW/cm2, which corresponds to medium intensity(AU)

Efficacy of Combining an Extraoral High-Volume Evacuator with Preprocedural Mouth Rinsing in Reducing Aerosol Contamination Produced by Ultrasonic Scaling.

The coronavirus disease pandemic has afforded dental professionals an opportunity to reconsider infection control during treatment. We investigated the efficacy of combining extraoral high-volume evacuators (eHVEs) with preprocedural mouth rinsing in reducing aerosol contamination by ultrasonic scalers. A double-masked, two-group, crossover randomized clinical trial was conducted over eight weeks. A total of 10 healthy subjects were divided into two groups; they received 0.5% povidone-iodine (PI), essential oil (EO), or water as preprocedural rinse. Aerosols produced during ultrasonic scaling were collected from the chest area (PC), dentist's mask, dentist's chest area (DC), bracket table, and assistant's area. Bacterial contamination was assessed using colony counting and adenosine triphosphate assays. With the eHVE 10 cm away from the mouth, bacterial contamination by aerosols was negligible. With the eHVE 20 cm away, more dental aerosols containing bacteria were detected at the DC and PC. Mouth rinsing decreased viable bacterial count by 31-38% (PI) and 22-33% (EO), compared with no rinsing. The eHVE prevents bacterial contamination when close to the patient's mouth. Preprocedural mouth rinsing can reduce bacterial contamination where the eHVE is positioned away from the mouth, depending on the procedure. Combining an eHVE with preprocedural mouth rinsing can reduce bacterial contamination in dental offices.

Screening for High Blood Pressure at the Dentist's Office.

Background: High blood pressure is a worldwide issue that can go undetected. Many are unaware of such a problem due to the lack of symptoms in early stages. Visiting the dentist can be a good place to screen for such health issues. Screening dental patients at every dental visit can be of great benefit. The aim of this study was to determine if screening for blood pressure at the dental office is efficient and beneficial for patients. Methods: The HEYER VizOR Digital Blood Pressure Monitor was used to measure the blood pressure of all the patients visiting the dental clinic, ranging in age from 18 to 85. The study was comprised of patients who had never been diagnosed as hypertensive by a physician or if they had been diagnosed before. Results: A total of 273 participants met the inclusion criteria. One hundred and thirty-seven (50.1%) patients had high blood pressure readings compared to 136 (49.8%) patients with normal blood pressure readings. It also showed that 54 (38%) of patients with high blood pressure readings had never been diagnosed by a physician with hypertension and were unaware of their blood pressure status. In addition, 83 (63.3%) of patients who had been diagnosed with hypertension by a physician had high blood pressure readings. The data also showed that 5.3% of patients diagnosed by their physician do not take their prescribed medication. Conclusion: In this study, we showed that screening blood pressure at the dental office can detect high blood pressure readings in dental patients. It is also a useful screening tool for blood pressure for diagnosed and undiagnosed patients. Screening dental patients at the dental office is a useful tool that can help in the screening for blood pressure and should be implemented at every visit.

Knowledge, awareness, and practice of biomedical waste segregation in a dental office.

Biomedical waste (BMW) is any sort of litter generated in the course of human or animal research operations, such as diagnosis, treatment, or immunization, or during the development or trial of pharmaceutical products or in health camps. In dental sectors, BMW, if not adequately handled, can provide a number of health risks to dental practitioners, patients, and other dental healthcare service providers who operate in dental offices. The aim of the study is to examine the knowledge, awareness, and practice of BMW segregation among dental offices. A well-framed questionnaire containing 10 self-structured questions was formed and distributed among 100 students of dentistry through an online Google Forms link. The results were collected, tabulated, and statistically analyzed using the Software SPSS. Chi-square test was performed to assess the P value. Biological waste segregation was known to 98% of the participants, in which most of them had more than 10 years of expertise in dentistry. It is evident that dentists with a lot of experience over the years in the field of dentistry possess considerably increased awareness regarding the segregation of BMWs in their dental offices. Chi-square test done between the years of experience in dentistry and the knowledge on BMW segregation reveals that 0.031 < 0.05 is the P value, which is statistically significant. Most dentists having experience of above 10 years in the field of dentistry have excellent knowledge and practice of segregating BMWs in their dental offices.

Experimental evaluation of aerosol mitigation strategies in large open-plan dental clinics.

BACKGROUND: Aerosols are generated routinely during patient care in dentistry. Managing exposure risk requires understanding characteristics of aerosols created during procedures such as those performed using high-speed drills that operate at 200,000 revolutions per minute. METHODS: A trained dentist performed drilling procedures on a manikin's incisors (teeth nos. 8 and 9) using a high-speed drill and high-volume evacuator. The authors used high-speed imaging to visualize the formation and transport of aerosol clouds and particle sampling to measure aerosol concentration and size distribution at several locations. The authors studied several aerosol mitigation strategies. RESULTS: Aerosols produced during high-speed drilling were erratic and yielded high concentrations that were at least an order of magnitude above baseline. High-speed imaging showed aerosols initially travelled at 1 m per second. Owing to erratic behavior of aerosols, supplemental suction was not effective at collecting all aerosols; however, barriers were effective. CONCLUSIONS: Barriers are the most effective mitigation strategy. Other methods studied have limitations and risks. To the authors' knowledge, this article presents the first characterization of aerosols generated during high-speed drilling by a dentist. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: With thorough preoperative planning and the use of this investigation's findings about effectiveness of mitigation strategies as a guide, dental offices may be able to return to prepandemic productivity.

Dental practice modification, protocol compliance and risk perception of dentists during COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia: a cross-sectional study / Modificación de la práctica odontológica, seguimiento a protocolos y percepción de riesgo de los odontólogos durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en Colombia: estudio de corte transversal

ABSTRACT Introduction: this study aimed to evaluate practice modification, use of personal protective equipment, biosafety measures, impact on career plans, prevalence of contagion, and risk perception of dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic 19 in Colombia. Methods: this is a cross-sectional study. Following ethical approval, an anonymous digital survey was conducted with dentists in Colombia. The questions comprised four domains: 1) sociodemographic, 2) employment and impact on career plans, 3) protocol compliance and biosafety, and 4) knowledge, risk, and contagion risk perception. A descriptive analysis of the data is presented. Results: 5,370 general and specialist dentists participated in the study (women: 3878; average age: 45 years). 41.94% were general dentists. Compliance with safety guidelines and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) was greater than 99%. The majority of dentists (91.29%) canceled their clinical activities during quarantine and have thought about reducing their working hours (77.96%). The perception of COVID-19 risk contagion was high (95.91% reported that contagion is likely/highly likely), although COVID-19 contagion self-report was low (0.61%). Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic has strongly impacted the practice of dentistry in Colombia, leading to changes in clinical activities and career prospects. Biosafety measures compliance and PPE use was high. Although the contagion risk perception was high, self-reported contagion was very low.

Resumen Introducción: este estudio tuvo como objetivo evaluar la modificación de la práctica, uso de elementos de protección personal, protocolos de bioseguridad, afectación en los planes de carrera, prevalencia de contagio y percepción de riesgo de los odontólogos durante la pandemia de COVID-19 en Colombia. Métodos: tras obtener la aprobación ética, se aplicó una encuesta digital anónima a los odontólogos de Colombia. Las preguntas incluyeron cuatro dominios: 1) sociodemográficos, 2) laborales y afectación en los planes de carrera, 3) Seguimiento a protocolos y bioseguridad y 4) Conocimientos, riesgo y percepción de riesgo de contagio. Se presenta un análisis descriptivo de los datos. Resultados: 5370 odontólogos generales y especialistas participaron del estudio (mujeres: 3878; mediana de edad: 45 años). El 41,94% fueron odontólogos generales. La adherencia a protocolos de seguridad y el uso de elementos de protección personal (EPP) fue mayor al 99%. La mayoría de odontólogos (91,29%) suspendió sus actividades clínicas durante la cuarentena y ha pensado en disminuir sus horas de trabajo (77,96%). La percepción de riesgo de contagio de la COVID-19 fue alta (95,91% refirió que es muy probable/probable el contagio), aunque el auto-reporte de contagio por COVID-19 fue bajo (0,61%). Conclusión: la pandemia de la COVID-19 ha impactado fuertemente la práctica de la odontología en Colombia, generando cambios en las actividades clínicas y en las perspectivas de carrera. El seguimiento de protocolos de bioseguridad y de uso de EPP fue alto. Aunque la percepción de riesgo de contagio fue alta, el contagio auto-reportado fue muy bajo.

Percepção de crianças sobre a prática odontológica / Children's perception of dental practice

Objetivou-se conhecer a percepção de crianças sobre a prática odontológica por meio de desenhos à mão livre e de um questionário sobre a sua experiência odontológica prévia. Trata-se de um estudo observacional transversal, com análise de dados quantitativa e descritiva, realizado com 266 crianças de 7 a 12 anos de escolas públicas e privadas da cidade de Piancó (PB) e seus responsáveis. Os dados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva e inferencial (Exato de Fisher e Qui-quadrado de Pearson) operados pelo programa SPSS v. 20.0., adotando nível de significância de 5%. Observou-se que 69,2% das crianças já tinham ido ao dentista e 65,0% tinha recebido trata mento preventivo. A impressão positiva do cirurgião-dentista foi expressa por 63,2% das crianças, que ainda o classificaram como uma pessoa amistosa (92,3%). Das crianças avaliadas, 89,1% receberam orientações sobre os procedimentos odontológicos realizados anteriormente, das quais, 86,9% compreenderam as orientações prévias ao tratamento. Houve associação entre ser de escola pública e possuir renda familiar igual ou inferior a um salário mínimo (p<0,001), bem como entre a impressão geral do desenho e o entendimento das explicações prévias ao tratamento (p=0,046). Conclui-se neste estudo que a imagem do profissional está intimamente relacionada com a comunicação que ele desenvolve com o paciente, havendo necessidade de qualificação continuada ao profissional que atenda ao público infantil... (AU)

The aims were to get to know the children's perception of dental practice through freehand drawings and a questionnaire about their previous dental experience. This is a cross-sectional observational study, with quantitative and descriptive data analysis, carried out with 266 children aged 7 to 12 years from public and private schools in the city of Piancó (PB) and their parents. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Fisher's Exact and Pearson's Chi-square) operated by the SPSS v. 20.0., Adopting a significance level of 5%. It was observed that 69.2% of the children had already gone to the dentist and 65.0% had received preventive treatment. The positive impression of the dentist was expressed by 63.2% of the children, who still classified him as a friendly person (92.3%). Of the children evaluated, 89.1% received guidance on the dental procedures performed previously, of which, 86.9% understood the guidelines prior to treatment. There was an association between being from a public school and having a family income equal to or less than a minimum wage (p <0.001), as well as between the general impression of the draw ing and the understanding of the explanations prior to treatment (p = 0.046). It is concluded in the study that the image of the professional is closely related to the communication that he develops with the pa tient, with the need for continued qualification to the professional that serves the child audience... (AU)

COVID-19 Management in Clinical Dental Care Part III: Patients and the Dental Office.

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic dramatically changed all aspects of life. In the context of clinical dental care, a significant number of new recommendations have been implemented to comply with public health policies, ensuring the safety of dental care professionals, staff, and patients and preventing further spread of the virus. This article is the third in a series of 3 on the management of COVID-19 in clinical dental care and presents a set of recommendations and standards to be implemented in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. These include remote contact with all patients for triage and guidance before scheduling a clinical visit to know if they have COVID symptoms or are positive for COVID, if they belong to a risk group, and if there is a suggestion that aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs) will be required during their visit. It also reviews additional precautionary measures in the waiting room and reception area, where the environment is reorganised to protect patients and clinical staff, avoiding situations that could result in cross contamination. The dental office operates under a strict set of guidelines, namely, use of personal protective equipment by professionals, contact with patients, a strategy to avoid aerosol-generating procedures, as well as disinfection procedures for the dental office before, during, and after each patient visit. The implementation of these protocols to mitigate cross infection and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in the dental office will help improve safety and restore the confidence required to provide dental care to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Awareness and preparedness of dentists at handling medical emergencies in Delhi-National Capital Region - A cross-sectional survey.

CONTEXT: A medical emergency (ME) may come as a surprise during our busy appointment schedules. Whether or not the office has prepared for this emergency generally decides how it will turn out. AIM: This cross-sectional survey aimed to evaluate the awareness and preparedness of dentists at handling MEs in a dental office. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The study was conducted over three months (December 2015 - February 2016) at two dental colleges of Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR). Materials and. METHODS: The total number of participants was 384, which were divided into four groups of ninety-six participants each, i.e., Group 1 (Interns); Group 2 (Academicians); Group 3 (Postgraduate students (PG)) and Group 4 (Private practitioners (PP)). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The collected data was analysed on the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20 and subjected to ANOVA and Posthoc Bonferroni tests. RESULTS: Academicians were found to have the maximum awareness about MEs occurring in the dental office, while, interns had the minimum preparedness for the same and their difference with the other groups was statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A huge gap exists between the awareness and preparedness of dentists at managing MEs. Sound knowledge of essential drugs reinforced by regular practical training, mock drills and properly equipped dental offices is the need of the hour.