ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The authors argue that dental curricula in Latin America are noted for providing highly technical and individualistic training that may fail to address society's problems or instil in the dentist the idea that he/she has a social responsibility to contribute to his/her community. OBJECTIVES: This study's main objectives were to determine whether the curriculum and the faculty teaching practices of the School of Dentistry at the University of Chile contribute to its students' commitment to ethical and social responsibility. METHODS: This was a qualitative study that investigated the perceptions of sixteen subjects (eight students and eight faculty members). Data were collected in thorough deep interviews. The interview process model conceptualised and organised the information into sets of dimensions and categories. The dimensions studied were ethical commitment and social responsibility. The categories assessed within ethical commitment were honesty, tolerance, responsibility and respect. In the social responsibility dimension, the categories were solidarity, teamwork and concern for and communication with the patient. Analysis of the textual data was performed using a method of content analysis based upon constructed qualitative matrices. RESULTS: Our results show that students and scholars alike realise that ethical commitment and a sense of social responsibility are not promoted in the curriculum. They do, however, recognise the importance of these qualities in dental practitioners. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the current curriculum and teaching practices used in our School of Dentistry need to be reviewed and that programmes promoting professionals' commitment to their role in society need to be implemented.
Subject(s)
Curriculum , Education, Dental/methods , Ethics, Dental/education , Schools, Dental/organization & administration , Social Responsibility , Chile , Education, Dental/standards , Faculty, Dental/standards , Qualitative ResearchABSTRACT
Se presenta un caso clínico de una lesión endoperiodontal tipo III (combinada o verdadera) en un paciente de sexo femenino de 41 años de edad sin antecedentes sistémicos. La paciente fue derivada del Curso de Especialización en Periodoncia de la Escuela de Graduados de la Universidad de Chile debido a una lesión periapical en la pieza 3.6. El pronóstico en este tipo de lesiones es dudoso, ya que es necesario que se efectúe el tratamiento endodóntico así como el periodontal, y el resultado recae más en el tratamiento periodontal. La pieza fue tratada endodónticamente dejando medicamento intraconducto a base de Clorhexidina al 2 por ciento en gel por 7 días. Una vez obturado el diente se citó a la paciente 3 meses después para un control radiográfico. Actualmente el diente está totalmente asintomático, sin movilidad y con señales de reparación.
We report a case of a type III periodontal-endodontic lesion (combined or true) in a 41-year-old female patient without systemic history. The patient was transferred from the Specialization Course in Periodontology at the Graduate School of the University of Chile due to a periapical lesion in the tooth 3.6. The prognosis for this type of lesion is uncertain, since it is necessary to perform endodontic and periodontal treatment, and the result depends more on the periodontal treatment. The piece was treated endodontically leaving intracanal medication based on 2 percent Chlorhexidine gel for 7 days. Once the tooth obturated, we gave the patient an appointment 3 months later for a control radiography. Currently, the tooth is completely asymptomatic, without mobility and with signs of repair.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Adult , Periodontal Diseases/diagnosis , Periodontal Diseases/therapy , Dental Pulp Diseases/diagnosis , Dental Pulp Diseases/therapy , PrognosisABSTRACT
La periodontitis apical es una enfermedad de los tejidos periapicales de etiología bacteriana. Su tratamiento requiere erradicar los microorganismos del conducto radicular y obturarlo para lograr la reparación posterior. El objetivo de éste trabajo fue determinar la frecuencia de periodontitis apical en la población que asiste a la clínica de Endodoncia de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de Chile y su relación con diferentes variables: diagnóstico específico, edad, sexo, agudas vs. crónicas, éxito/fracaso del tratamiento y rehabilitación post-tratamiento. Se recolectó información de 292 dientes de pacientes tratados en dicha clínica, analizándose la información de aquellos con dientes diagnosticados con algún tipo de periodontitis apical clasificándolo según la nueva nomenclatura de la asociación de endodoncia americana. La frecuencia de periodontitis apical fue de un 36.7 por ciento (92 pacientes), de los cuales un 77.8 por ciento presentaron patologías de tipo crónicas. Un 75 por ciento de los pacientes pertenecieron al sexo femenino y la 5ta década representó un 34.8 porciento de los pacientes. El 100 por ciento de los pacientes que acudieron a control presentó éxito en sus tratamientos según variables clínico-radiográficas, mientras que la restauración más frecuente post-tratamiento fue la resina compuesta (52.4 por ciento). Dado el pequeño número de pacientes que concurrieron a la citación de control para determinar el éxito del tratamiento, esta variable debe ser considerada como preliminar. Nuestros resultados mostraron que la condición mas frecuente fue la periodontitis apical de tipo crónica, afectando más a mujeres y a la 5ta década.
Apical periodontitis is a microbially induced inflammatory disease of the periapical tissues. Its treatment requires eliminating microorganism from root canal and sealing it properly to induce further tissue repair. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of apical periodontitis and its distribution by gender, age, range, acute vs. chronic, treatment success and rehabilitation in the population attended at the undergraduate clinic of Endodontic at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Chile. Information was collected from 292 teeth of patients treated at the clinic, recording data of those with teeth diagnosed with some type of apical periodontitis and related to different variables: specific diagnosis, age, gender, acute vs. chronic, successful or failed treatment and post-treatment restoration. The frequency of apical periodontitis was 36.7 percent (92 patients). 77.8 percent of the teeth with apical periodontitis had a chronic disease. 75 percent of the patients were female. The 5th decade represented a 34.8 percent. There was a 100 percent success rate in their treatments, while the most common restoration was the composite (52.4 percent). The low number of patients who responded to the dental revision to determine the success of the treatment, despite the 100 percent rate, cannot be evaluated as a significant result. Our data showed that the most frequent condition was chronic apical periodontitis, affecting more female patients, and the 5th decade and incisors.