A Citywide Assessment of Oral Hygiene Needs of 5- to 7-Year-Old Children.

The purpose of this study was to assess the oral hygiene needs of 6,957 kindergarten and first-grade children enrolled in the San Bernardino City Unified School District. The findings from this study revealed that 9 percent of first-graders did not own a toothbrush, 15 percent shared a toothbrush and 25.3 percent self-reported mouth pain. In one school, 30 percent of the first-graders did not own a toothbrush and overall 38 percent of kindergarteners shared a toothbrush.

Pre-Eruptive Intracoronal Resorption (PEIR): Literature Review and Case Report.

Pre-eruptive intracoronal resorption (PEIR) are lesions that are often located in the occlusal portion of the crown in unerupted teeth. The etiology and pathology of these lesions remain unclear and most go undetected until later stages of development. Prognosis is dependent on early detection, and conservative treatment is recommended. This report reviews the etiology, prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of PEIR and describes a case of a permanent second molar with PEIR diagnosed in an 11-year-old patient.

Fluoride concentration in commonly consumed infant juices.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to measure the fluoride concentration in the most commonly consumed, commercially available infant fruit juices and to determine if a significant difference existed among various juice flavors and brands. METHODS: Ninety samples of different flavors from three infant juice manufacturing companies were analyzed using the Taves microdiffusion method. The fluoride content in one serving juice container was calculated and compared to the recommended optimal daily fluoride intake. RESULTS: Fluoride concentrations ranged from 0.11 to 1.81 ppm (mean=0.75+0.45 ppm) for all samples. A statistically significant difference in fluoride concentration among different manufacturers (P<.001) was found. Gerber juices contained higher fluoride amounts (mean=1.1+0.22 ppm) than Beechnut juices (mean=0.43+0.42 ppm) and Earth's Best juices (mean=0.34+0.13 ppm). CONCLUSION: Fluoride was found in all tested infant juice samples, and concentrations varied among manufacturers and flavors assessed. Fluoride in all tested samples was below the recommended optimal daily intake. When taking other fluoride sources into consideration, infants six months old and younger who consume three times the American Academy of Pediatrics' recommended amounts of juice per day may be at risk of developing fluorosis.

Leadership training for oral health professionals: a call to action.

With dramatic changes in the scope and mode of delivering oral health care on the horizon, a strategic approach to addressing the emerging opportunities and challenges is required. Such an approach will demand new and sustained initiatives to develop leaders with the skills, knowledge, and passion to guide oral health care into the future. The purpose of this position paper is to define the need for leadership training programs for dental and dental hygiene students to become future leaders. Whether these oral health professionals become leaders within a solo or group practice or at the local or national level of their profession, they must be given the mindset and tools to lead. This position paper will describe goals for leadership training and give examples of some programs that currently exist in dental education and other professional settings as the background for a call to action for dental education to provide leadership training opportunities for its students.

Program design considerations for leadership training for dental and dental hygiene students.

Since leadership is an essential part of the oral health professions, oral health educators can play an essential role in establishing a culture of leadership and in mentoring students to prepare them for future leadership roles within the profession. However, leadership training for oral health professionals is a relatively new concept and is frequently not found within dental and dental hygiene curricula. The purpose of this article is to propose several models for leadership training that are specific to the oral health professions. The authors hope that providing an overview of leadership programs in academic dental institutions will encourage all U.S. and Canadian dental schools to begin developing a culture that promotes leadership development.