Effect of pilot-guided implant placement concept on the accuracy of osteotomy preparation and implant placement.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy of osteotomy preparation and implant placement for 3 pilot-guided (PG) concepts, namely, a surgical template with a metal sleeve (MS), a surgical template with an in-built nonmetal sleeve (NMS), and a surgical template with an in-built nonmetal sleeve for round bur indentation (RB). METHODS: Surgical models with missing maxillary molars were studied. The MS templates were designed to accept metal sleeves, while the NMS and RB templates were designed with in-built nonmetal sleeves. Ten templates were tested per group (n = 10). After each step (pilot drilling, 2nd drilling, 3rd drilling, profiling, and implant placement), the surgical model was scanned and compared against the planning model to determine maximum horizontal deviation (MHD) and maximum angle deviation (MAD). RESULTS: The MS and NMS templates exhibited a similar increase in MHD with successive drilling steps. The MAD for the pilot drilling step was significantly lower for MS than for the other groups. However, the differences among groups for MHD and MAD diminished in later steps. All templates had an MHD of 1.0 mm or less and an MAD less than 8°. CONCLUSION: The investigated PG implant placement concepts resulted in similar deviations in the placed implants.

Effects of Racial Trauma on Black Doctor of Pharmacy Students.

Objective. In the wake of several high-profile police killings, in 2020 the United States began another reckoning with structural racism, injustice, and violence against Black Americans. The objectives of this study were to explore the impact of racialized sociopolitical events on Black Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) students.Methods. Focus groups were conducted with second- to fourth-year Black PharmD students enrolled at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy. The focus groups were conducted in summer 2020, beginning two months after the murder of George Floyd and concluding before the start of the fall semester. Data analysis was conducted using a phenomenological approach, and themes were identified using inductive coding.Results. Twenty-four participants were recruited into five focus group sessions. Thematic analysis of the transcripts resulted in three distinct themes related to the study objectives: Vicarious Trauma, Hypervigilance, and Fight or Flight Responses. Black students reported that they experienced significant psychological distress as a result of prominent racially traumatic events. Some Black students reported withdrawing from non-Black persons due to hypersensitivity and anxiety while others were willing to engage in candid conversations.Conclusion. Racial trauma has implications for student wellness and academic success. As racism and police brutality have proven to be an ever-present problem, this study offers key information for consideration as institutions recruit, support, and retain diverse learners. The data may also inform educators and pharmacy students regarding interactions with Black patients, coworkers, and health professionals during times of sociopolitical unrest.

Pharmacy Technicians, Stigma, and Compassion Fatigue: Front-Line Perspectives of Pharmacy and the US Opioid Epidemic.

The opioid epidemic in the United States has led to a quadrupling of opioid overdoses since the 1990s. Stigmas exist among healthcare professionals, and it is essential to educate the next generation of pharmacy technicians regarding opioid use disorder. The main objective of this study was to characterize the phenomenon of stigma through the pharmacy technician lens when taking care of patients who are using opioid medications. Grounded in Van Manen's phenomenological approach and the Link and Phelan stigmatization model, a qualitative study was conducted from February to June 2020 to understand pharmacy technicians' perceptions and attitudes towards patients using opioid medications. Focus groups (n = 46) with pharmacy technicians were conducted in-person and online over five months in 2020. Thematic analysis identified three themes that characterize the stigma and the relationship between pharmacy technicians and patients taking opioid medications: (1) pharmacy technician perspectives on stigma and patients with addictive opioid-use behavior; (2) current approaches of pharmacy technicians towards patients with addictive opioid-use behavior; (3) future approaches of pharmacy technicians towards patients with addictive opioid-use behavior. The findings highlight an "ever-present" negative connotation associated with the stigma that is formed from patient interaction. It is necessary to develop proper resources and educational materials to manage the stigma that exists in pharmacies throughout the nation. These resources will facilitate how to address and prevent the stigma among pharmacy technicians in the U.S.