Comparative Analysis of Manual Dexterity of Dental Students at Ajman University following One Academic Year of Preclinical Training Sessions: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES: Dental students must complete two stages of training, namely, preclinical training on phantom head models and clinical training on actual patients to acquire the practical skills required by their Bachelor of Dental Surgery program.Our objectives are to evaluate the level of improvement of the manual skills obtained by third-year dental students after one full academic year of preclinical training courses using dexterity tests under direct and indirect vision and to compare the improvement among male and female dental students under the same conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 72 preclinical students participated in our cohort trial, each of whom was assigned a random identification number that was only known to the researchers. After the beginning of the academic year, the experiment was performed under identical conditions for both the O'Connor Tweezer Dexterity Test and the Purdue Pegboard Test. The examinations were conducted at two distinct times: T0 before phantom laboratory training (the beginning of preclinical sessions) and T1 after phantom laboratory training (9 months after T0). STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Signed-rank test of Wilcoxon over two separate periods (T0 and T1), comparisons were made between the direct and indirect visual dexterity test scores. In addition, the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare results across gender. The statistical significance (p-value) was set at below 0.05 with a confidence level of 95%. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference was detected between the T0 and T1 assessments on the Purdue Pegboard Test and the O'Connor Tweezer Dexterity Test for all selected dentistry students in both direct and indirect conditions (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Further investigation in other dental departments or schools, particularly those with different entry standards, is required prior to making a definitive conclusion about the use of these dexterity assessments as predictors of prospective dental students' performance.

Effect of a Novel Betel Leaf Dentifrice on Commonly Seen Oral Hygiene Parameters-A Randomized Clinical Crossover Study.

The use of herbal medicine in dentistry has grown exponentially over time. Currently, herbal medicine is considered an effective oral hygiene aid. The objective of the current study is to assess the anti-plaque efficiency and reduction of gingival bleeding of betel leaf and miswak (Salvadora persica) toothpaste. This randomized clinical cross-over pilot study enrolled 60 individuals with mild gingivitis. They were segregated into two groups by drawing lots. The study lasted 20 days and included a two-week washout period between miswak and betel leaf toothpaste. The gingival and plaque index were measured at specific time intervals during the research period. The results revealed that betel leaf and miswak herbal toothpaste significantly decreased plaque index. Nevertheless, betel leaf toothpaste caused a more significant reduction in gingival bleeding scores (p < 0.001) when compared to miswak (p = 0.007). No significant decrease in gingival and plaque index was seen when subjects were asked to return to their conventional chemical toothpaste. The current study concluded that betel leaf toothpaste displayed a more substantial decrease in gingival bleeding when compared to miswak toothpaste. Additionally, more studies should be done on the therapeutic benefits of betel leaf toothpaste.