Assessing students' mental health in two American dental hygiene programs.

OBJECTIVES: Dental hygiene students adapt to new environments while learning technical skills and providing clinical care during their education. Understanding how stress affects students in their professional healthcare program warrants exploration. This study assessed stress among dental hygiene students in two educational settings in the Southeastern United States. METHODS: First and second-year dental hygiene students (N = 136) from a community college setting (n = 67) and a university setting (n = 69) were invited to complete an anonymous online survey on mental health in fall 2019. Validated surveys on depression, anxiety, social support, and burnout were included. Data analysis included chi-squared and Mantel-Haenszel statistics, depending on the scale of measurement, with the level of significance set at 0.05 for all analyses. RESULTS: Participants included 54 dental hygiene students from a community college (Response rate = 80.6%) and 69 dental hygiene students from a university (RR = 100%). There was a statistically significant difference in the proportion of students reporting moderately severe or severe anxiety (p = 0.007), with 56% (n = 30) of the community college respondents and 36% (n = 24) of the university reporting these anxiety levels. Students attending a community college were also more likely to express feelings of worry (n = 34) compared to students in a university setting (p = 0.005). There was no statistically significant difference in depression (p = 0.07) or suicidal thoughts (p = 0.41). CONCLUSION: Dental hygiene students enrolled in these two programs reported high levels of self-reported stress, mental and emotional concerns that may increase suicidal tendencies.

Transition to a Competency-informed Dental Hygiene Clinical Evaluation System.

Purpose: Competency-informed clinical education includes rigorous and specific performance outcomes with an emphasis on demonstrated outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess faculty and dental hygiene (DH) student perceptions and elicit feedback regarding the transition to a competency-informed clinical evaluation model in the DH program at the University of North Carolina Adams School of Dentistry for the purpose of continuous quality improvement.Methods: A mixed-methods approach was utilized to survey senior DH student (n = 36) and clinical DH faculty (n = 15) during the 2018 -19 academic year. Cohort-specific surveys included demographics, Likert-scale questions, and open-ended questions to gauge perceptions of the new system. Two debriefing sessions were held, one for faculty and one for students, to provide open feedback and expand discussions. Survey responses were compared using descriptive statistics. Open-ended responses and debriefing comments were reviewed to identify common themes.Results: All senior DH students (n=36) and two-thirds of the faculty (67%, n=10) completed the survey. Findings revealed an overall preference to the new evaluation system and indicated that it was a more accurate reflection of clinical performance. Open-ended and debriefing comments revealed an increased quantity and quality of faculty feedback with an emphasis on patient-centered care, rather than a grade-based focus. Students reported decreased stress levels regarding asking clinical care questions and grade outcomes. While improvement in faculty calibration was reported, students also noted a need for continued calibration.Conclusion: Surveys and debriefing sessions revealed areas of strengths and challenges in a competency-informed clinical evaluation system. Transitioning to a competency-based system provided an environment that is conducive to learning and patient-centered care rather than focused on grades.

Teaching methodologies for improving dental students' implementation of ergonomic operator and patient positioning.

OBJECTIVES: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) related to operator and patient positioning are prevalent among dentists. Knowledge of correct operator and patient positioning promotes safe working postures that can prevent the development of MSDs. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of inter-professional teaching on the application of those skills associated with correct operator and patient positioning in dental settings. METHODS: A randomized case-control study was conducted with 83 first-year dental students at the UNC-Chapel Hill Adams School of Dentistry in 2019. Forty-one (n = 41) of the students solicited for the project participated. All 83 students in the cohort participated in a didactic lecture on ergonomics and correct operator and patient positioning, along with a pre-clinical practice session with peer patients. During the clinical practice session, students in the case group received an additional 10 minutes of 1-on-1 instruction by a trained physical therapy student or dental faculty member. Two weeks later, the final cohort (n = 41) was assessed by 2 faculty members using a scored rubric on operator and patient positioning for restorative work on an anterior tooth, posterior mandibular tooth, and posterior maxillary tooth. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups with respect to the composite ergonomic positioning score (P = 0.006), operator shoulder abduction position (P = 0.03), and lateral flexion of the spinal column (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Hands on instruction with physical therapists and trained dental faculty positively affects ergonomic compliance and provides students with tailored feedback that can be applied to clinical practice.

Circulating Omentin-1 and Chronic Painful Temporomandibular Disorders.

AIMS: To investigate the relationship between omentin-1 levels and painful temporomandibular disorders (TMD). METHODS: In a case-control design, chronic painful TMD cases (n = 90) and TMD-free controls (n = 54) were selected from participants in the multisite OPPERA study (Orofacial Pain: Prospective Evaluation and Risk Assessment). Painful TMD case status was determined by examination using established Research Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD). Levels of omentin-1 in stored blood plasma samples were measured by using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Binary logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence limits (CLs) for the association between omentin-1 and painful TMD. Models were adjusted for study site, age, sex, and body mass index. RESULTS: The unadjusted association between omentin-1 and chronic painful TMD was statistically nonsignificant (P = .072). Following adjustment for covariates, odds of TMD pain decreased 36% per standard deviation increase in circulating omentin-1 (adjusted OR = 0.64; 95% CL: 0.43, 0.96; P = .031). CONCLUSION: Circulating levels of omentin-1 were significantly lower in painful TMD cases than controls, suggesting that TMD pain is mediated by inflammatory pathways.