A mixed methods evaluation of the effectiveness of an oral health training program for disability care workers in Burkina Faso.

BACKGROUND: While efforts to improve the oral health of vulnerable populations have received little attention in general, the situation of children with disabilities in low- income countries (LICs) remains especially challenging. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of an oral health training provided to disability care workers in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso thereby contributing to closing the knowledge gap in disability research in relation to oral health in LICs. METHODS: This was a single-arm pre-post study following an embedded mixed methods design using the New World Kirkpatrick training effectiveness evaluation model. For the purposes of this study, three levels of the Kirkpatrick (KP) evaluation were considered: reaction, learning and behaviour. RESULTS: A total of 44 care workers from 6 disability centres participated in the study. Care worker post-training scores (Md = 17) were significantly higher compared to pre-training scores (Md = 13) [Wilcoxon signed-ranks test: Z= -5.53, p < .001, r = .59.] The median value for care worker confidence in applying training material in their everyday job was 7 out of 10 points (IQR = 3). At the 1-month training follow-up, 3 centres had implemented daily toothbrushing for people with disabilities. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that tailored training led to an increase in care worker confidence and motivation to implement oral health activities, in knowledge about oral health and a partial implementation uptake of daily toothbrushing in disability centres. Further long-term evaluations with dental care provision in rural and urban settings are needed to lower the high oral disease burden of people with disabilities in Burkina Faso.

Oral Adverse Events Following COVID-19 Vaccination: Analysis of VAERS Reports.

Background: Oral adverse events (AEs) following COVID-19 vaccination have been sporadically reported during the previous months, warranting further investigation for their prevalence and suspected relationship with vaccine-elicited immune response. Methods: A retrospective analysis using the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) data was conducted to evaluate AEs within the oral cavity (mucosa, tongue, lips, palate, dentition, salivary glands) and AEs involving taste and other sensations. Oral AEs reported after receiving COVID-19 vaccination (test group) and seasonal influenza vaccination (control group) were extracted and cross-tabulated to assess their relative prevalence. Results: Among the 128 solicited (suspected) oral AEs, oral paresthesia (0.872%) was most reported after receiving COVID-19 vaccines, followed by the swelling of lips (0.844%), ageusia (0.722%), oral hypoesthesia (0.648%), swollen tongue (0.628%), and dysgeusia (0.617%). The reported prevalence of oral AEs was higher in the COVID-19 vaccine group than in the seasonal influenza group. The distribution pattern of the most reported oral AEs was similar for both COVID-19 and seasonal influenza vaccines. Female sex, older age (>39 years old), primer doses, and mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines exhibited a higher reported prevalence of oral AEs. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, COVID-19 vaccines were found to be associated with rare oral AEs that are predominantly similar to those emerging following seasonal influenza vaccines. The most commonly reported oral AEs were oral paraesthesia (mouth-tingling), lip swelling, and ageusia, representing various pathophysiologic pathways that remain unclear. Taste-related AEs should be acknowledged in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and the public should be adequately informed about a potential taste dysfunction after receiving the COVID-19 vaccination. Dentists and dental teams need to be aware of the prevalence, severity, and prognosis of oral AEs to inform their patients and increase public confidence in vaccines.

Estonian Dental Students' Oral Health-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours (KAB): National Survey-Based Study.

The strategic plan for dentistry and oral health in Estonia of 2030 focuses on oral health promotion and disease prevention through undergraduate dental curricula and fostering public health-oriented research among students. The present study was designed as a descriptive cross-sectional study to evaluate oral health-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours (KAB) of dental students in Estonia. The study was carried out in the spring semester of 2020, and it used a modified version of the Hiroshima University Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI). A total of 129 students responded to the survey, constituting a response rate of 93.5% due to the total population sampling (census) technique used in this study and the small target population size. Out of the 124 students included in the final analysis, 79% were females, 62.1% were clinical students, 11.3% reported smoking tobacco at least once a week, and 86.3% reported problematic internet use. The present study found that mean HU-DBI score of Estonian dental students was 8.09 ± 1.22 which is so far the highest recorded HU-DBI score in Europe. There was no significant difference between female vs. male or preclinical vs. clinical students in terms of HU-DBI score. While clinical students reported less faulty oral hygiene practices, such as hard toothbrush use and aggressive toothbrushing, preclinical students reported a slightly higher mean HU-DBI score. Smoking behaviour was more common among male and clinical students, and it was also associated with alcohol drinking and worry about teeth colour and halitosis.

Harnessing the digital potential of the next generation of health professionals.

Digital technologies are rapidly being integrated into a wide range of health fields. This new domain, often termed 'digital health', has the potential to significantly improve healthcare outcomes and global health equity more broadly. However, its effective implementation and responsible use are contingent on building a health workforce with a sufficient level of knowledge and skills to effectively navigate the digital transformations in health. More specifically, the next generation of health professionals-namely youth-must be adequately prepared to maximise the potential of these digital transformations. In this commentary, we highlight three priority areas which should be prioritised in digital education to realise the benefits of digital health: capacity building, opportunities for youth, and an ethics-driven approach. Firstly, capacity building requires educational frameworks and curricula to not only be updated, but to also place an emphasis on interdisciplinary learning. Secondly, opportunities are important for youth to meaningfully participate in decision-making processes and gain invaluable practical experiences. Thirdly, training in digital ethics and the responsible use of data as a standard component of education will help to safeguard against potential future inequities resulting from the implementation and use of digital health technologies.