RDA and RDH retention surveys. CDA's Council on Education and Professional Relations.

This article presents the results of a survey of dental auxiliaries conducted by the California Dental Association's Council on Education and Professional Relations. The survey found that a surprisingly high number of dental assistants (56 percent) and hygienists (42 percent) are considering whether to remain in the dental health care field, stated reasons for this include lack of paid benefits and little opportunity for career growth. The results also suggest, however, that if the perceived deficiencies in these areas were addressed, RDAs and RDHs might remain in the profession.

Writing all prescriptions by computer.

The information needed for safe prescribing is voluminous, complex and subject to continuous change. The computer makes an ideal instrument on which to store, access, and update general practice prescribing information. By using a desktop computer to check and write all prescriptions, it is possible for the general practitioner to build up a medication data base which has the capacity to record response to treatment and to supply information which can be reported to a remote central drug authority on a regular basis.

Aesthetic aspects of composite oromandibular cancer resection and reconstruction.

Disfigurement after oromandibular cancer surgery is as much feared as the tumor itself. A deviated jaw, collapsed neck and muffled speech are external markers that may prevent normal life. Yet such stigmata are not necessary. For two years we have used an immediate reconstruction that avoids these problems. In 12 patients we used a pectoralis musculocutaneous flap plus a stainless steel shaped bridging bone plate placed under or through the flap. The flap reconstructs the floor of the mouth, while the bridging bone plate preserves mandibular continuity. A McFee incision avoids vertical scarring, and the muscle pedicle duplicates the missing neck contents. Meticulous lip closure completes the procedure, which often does not necessitate tracheotomy scarring. Our patients have maintained a highly satisfactory appearance of face and jaw, with normal swallowing and clear speech. In treatment of oromandibular cancer, aesthetic considerations are essential.

A methodology for evaluating size at birth.

Data from the Swedish Medical Birth Registration, 1977-78, were utilized to develop methods of calculating reference standards for evaluating size at birth. Using the clinical information available, a 'healthy' sub-group was extracted. The individual distributions of birthweight (BW), birth length (BL) and birth headcircumference (BHc) at each week of gestational age (GA) were modelled following some truncation of their ranges. Application of the Box-Cox power family of transformations was generally found to improve the normality of the data. Certain percentages (such as 2.28, 50 and 97.72) were linked through a smoothing device. Features of the results include a positively skewed BW distribution in most GA weeks, a normal positively skewed BW distribution in most GA weeks, a normal distribution of BL and BHc at term, a larger relative variation in BW at lower GA than at term, and a distinct sigmoid shape of the median and other BW curves. Compared with five commonly quoted standards, the present data show the least deceleration in the fullterm region. Disregarding the clinical information, 'primary' sub-groups were also extracted using decomposing techniques. These gave rise to similar BW/GA relationships. Using data from the WHO comparative study, the method just mentioned was applied to standardize BW and BW-specific early neonatal mortality rates. This resulted in an improved description of biological events.