Enhancing interprofessional education readiness in undergraduate dental students: a scenario-based peer learning programme.

BACKGROUND: Interprofessional Education (IPE) is an educational approach that brings together students from different healthcare professions to foster collaborative learning and teamwork. Before integrating IPE into the curriculum of health preprofessional students, it is necessary to increase their readiness for IPE. Dentistry increasingly values interprofessional collaboration and teamwork for enhanced patient care and healthcare team competencies, an emphasis also echoed by recent dental education authorities. The aim of this quasi-experimental research was to assess the influence of Scenario Based Learning Peer Learning (SBPL) programme, which involved scenarios necessitating interprofessional communication, on the readiness for IPE among a cohort of undergraduate dental students studying within the framework of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA). METHODS: This study investigates undergraduate dental students' readiness for IPE and the influence of SBPL programme on their readiness. Participants (n = 25) from 18 EHEA countries completed the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) before and after SBPL programme, held at the 70th European Dental Students' Association (EDSA) meeting. Data were analyzed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test (p = 0.05). RESULTS: After the SBPT programme, there was a statistically significant increase (p < 0.05) in the mean of the total scale, teamwork and collaboration, roles and responsibilities and professional identity subscale. In general, SBPL programme showed a constructive effect on interprofessional readiness. Although there was no statistically significant increase only in items 9,12,18 of the 19 items of the RIPLS, there was an increase in the averages in all except item 12. CONCLUSION: Our research emphasizes the importance of diverse perspectives and IPE in the realm of dental education. Within the limits of this study, it showcases the efficacy of a brief half-day SBPL programme with interprofessional scenarios in enhancing participants' readiness. The programme notably enhanced dental students' readiness in grasping crucial aspects of IPE: teamwork and collaboration, professional identity, and roles and responsibilities. However, this study does not delve into the potential impact of a comprehensive, long-term curriculum integrating IPE principles. This gap underscores the need for further exploration into the sustained influence of IPE on the interprofessional skills of dental school graduates.

A comparative study of root canal shaping using protaper universal and protaper next rotary files in preclinical dental education.

BACKGROUND: Dentistry has undergone an evolution in endodontics practice caused by the advancement of rotary techniques for root canal preparation and their subsequent incorporation into the teaching of dentistry undergraduates. This research aimed to evaluate the shaping ability of third-year dental students as their first experience in rotary instrumentation using ProTaper Universal (PTU) and ProTaper Next (PTN) (Dentsply Maillefer) rotary instruments in simulated curved canals. METHODS: Forty students instrumented 200 simulated canals with a 40° curvature in resin blocks according to the manufacturer's instructions with PTU and 39 students and 195 canals with PTN files. The canals were prepared at a speed of 300 rpm using a 16:1 reduction hand-piece powered by an electric motor (Xsmart; Dentsply Maillefer). The final apical preparation was set to F2 for the PTU and X2 for the PTN group. The change in canal curvature was evaluated based on Schneider technique using the AutoCAD 2007 software on post-digital photographs. The incidence of instrument fracture and deformation, the incidence of ledge, the change in working length (WL), and the working time were noted. The data were analyzed with Student's t-test and Chi-Square test at a significance level of 0.05 using SPSS. RESULTS: PTN maintained the original canal curvature better, resulting in fewer fractures and ledges, and shaped the canals faster than the PTU (P < 0.05). The mean curves of the resin canals after the instrumentation for the PTU and PTN groups were 24.03° ± 3.14° and 25.64° ± 2.72°, respectively. Thirty-three (17.4%) PTU and 18 (9.3%) PTN files fractured (p < 0.05). Nine (4.5%) PTU and 2 (2.6%) PTN deformed (p > 0.05). The change in WL after instrumentation was 0.97 mm ± 0.95 mm in PTU and 0.96 mm ± 0.80 mm in PTN (p < 0.05). The mean times were 627 s ± 18 s for PTU and 379 s ± 18 s for PTN (p < 0.000). DISCUSSION: PTN can be recommended in severely curved root canals in terms of maintenance of the original canal curvature, superior instrument fracture and fewer ledges. Even if training before preparation provides an acceptable level of canal shaping for preclinical students, the use of NiTi rotary instruments should be included in the undergraduate dental curriculum, contributing to an increase in the quality of root canal shaping and, consequently, to an improvement of the clinical experience of students.

Shaping ability of the profile 25/0.06 and protaper F2 in rotary motion, and reciproc in simulated canals.

BACKGROUND: Since the introduction of nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) instruments to dentistry, a wide variety of Ni-Ti instruments have become commercially available. These Ni-Ti instruments are expensive, which limits their usage in developing countries and forces practitioners to use instruments repeatedly. Another problem is the possible prion cross-contamination associated with the multiple usage of endodontic instruments. In addition, the use of these instruments requires new skills and experience. In this article, the shaping capacities of two conventional rotary file systems, ProFile 25/0.06 and ProTaper F2, were reviewed and compared with the Reciproc single-file system. METHODS: A total of 45 simulated canals with 40° curvature, in clear resin blocks, were prepared using conventional rotary systems consisting of ProFile orifice shaping (OS) #3 and final flaring #25/.06, Reciproc R25, and ProTaper shaping file SX and finishing file F2. Pre-and post-instrumentation images were analyzed at ten different levels, using AutoCAD 2007 software. The measurement positions were defined in 1-mm intervals: positions 0-3 established the apical part, positions 4-6 constituted the middle part, and positions 7-10 established the coronal part of the canal. The amount of removed resin, the transportation, instrumentation time, change in working length (WL), instrumentation fractures, and the presence of ledge were evaluated. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and independent t-test (p < 0.001). RESULTS: ProFile removed the least resin (p < 0.001) and caused less transportation than Reciproc and ProTaper, in total (p < 0.001). ProTaper caused more transportation ProFile and Reciproc in the apical part (p < 0.000). Reciproc caused more transportation than ProTaper and ProFile (p < 0.001), and the transportation tendency toward the inner aspect of the curvature in the middle part. Reciproc caused the less transportation than ProFile and ProTaper in the coronal part. The transportations tended to occur toward the outside of the curvature, except the middle part with Reciproc and at points 5 and 6 with ProTaper. There were no significant differences among the groups in terms of maintaining the original WL. Reciproc was significantly faster than the others group (p < 0.001). Only one instrument fracture (25/0.06 ProFile) was noted. All groups showed one ledge each. DISCUSSION: The results of the present study showed that both ProFile 25/06 and ProTaper F2, combined with a file used for coronal enlargement (OS3 and SX), have the potential to create satisfactory canal shape in the curved root canals. Further studies using real human teeth are needed to confirm our results.

Ethical Decision Making Levels of Nursing Students.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted to determine nursing students' levels of ethical decision-making. METHODS: The sample of the descriptive study consisted of 240 nursing students. The data were collected using the Student Information Form and "Nursing Dilemma Test". RESULTS: It was found that Principled Thinking (PT) mean score (48.38±7.97) of nursing students was above average while their Practical Consideration (PC) mean score (17.87±4.13) was close to average. It was also determined that the nursing students participated in the study were not familiar (17.75±2.77) with the dilemmas included in the Nursing Ethical Dilemma Test. CONCLUSION: The students paid attention to consider ethical principles when making decisions about ethical dilemmas; however, they are also affected by environmental factors as well. Sex and class level were found to be influential in the process of ethical decision making.

Does Maintaining Apical Patency during Instrumentation Increase Postoperative Pain or Flare-up Rate after Nonsurgical Root Canal Treatment? A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.

INTRODUCTION: The concept of maintaining apical patency (AP) is a controversial issue in endodontics. The primary objectives of this systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were to determine the influence of maintaining AP during instrumentation on postoperative pain severity and the prevalence of flare-ups. A second objective was to assess the effect of maintaining AP on the use of analgesics. METHODS: RCTs and controlled clinical trials were searched for in MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), and the Cochrane Library. Four reviewers independently screened all identified articles for eligibility. The included studies were assessed for bias using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach was used to rate the quality of the body of evidence. Because of the considerable heterogeneity of the studies, a meta-analysis was not possible. Therefore, the results were analyzed narratively. RESULTS: Five RCTs that included a total of 848 patients were found eligible and included in the review. An assessment of the risk of bias in the included studies provided results that classified the studies as showing a low risk (n = 1), high risk (n = 1), or unclear risk (n = 3) of bias. The available evidence indicated that maintaining AP (1) did not increase postoperative pain in teeth with nonvital pulp, (2) did not increase postoperative pain in teeth with vital pulp, and (3) did not cause (0%) flare-ups. The available evidence also indicated that maintaining AP did not increase analgesic use. The available evidence indicated that maintaining AP did not increase postoperative pain when a single-visit or 2-visit root canal treatment approach was used. CONCLUSIONS: In light of the current evidence, maintaining AP does not increase postoperative pain in teeth with vital/nonvital pulp when compared with nonapical patency (low to moderate quality evidence). Furthermore, maintaining AP did not cause flare-ups (low evidence) and did not increase analgesic use (moderate evidence).

Examination of intensive care unit patients' oral health.

BACKGROUND: Oral health problems are common complications that most intensive care unit patients experience. There are many factors that affect oral health negatively and nurses have important responsibilities in this regard. AIM: The aim of this study was assessment of the intensive care unit patients' oral health and risk factors. METHODS: This study was planned as a descriptive study and conducted between December 2015 and June 2016, with 202 patients in 20 intensive care units of 6 hospitals in Turkey. Data were collected via Data Collection Form and Bedside Oral Exam guide. Oral health assessment of patients was made using a source of light and a tongue depressor. RESULTS: We observed a significant difference in score of the Bedside Oral Exam guide by age, consciousness, type of respiration and feeding, the frequency of oral health, the total number of drugs, and technique of oral care (P < 0.05). None of the intensive care units were using the oral assessment guide. CONCLUSION: The result of this study shows that there are various risk factors that adversely affect the oral health of intensive care unit patients. Nurses should undertake assessments on the basis of oral care protocols for patients at risk and carry out evidence-based individualized oral care applications.

Nurses' knowledge and care practices for infection prevention in neutropenic patients.

BACKGROUND: Neutropenia-associated infections can prolong hospitalization, increase re-admission, mortality and morbidity rates. AIM: To determine nurses' knowledge and infection control care practices in neutropenic patients. DESIGN: This descriptive study was conducted between January 2012 and May 2012, at oncology adult inpatient units of a university hospital in Turkey. Sample consisted of 51 staff nurses. METHODS: Data were collected by a form included sociodemographic characteristics, neutropenia knowledge questions, and infection control care practices. Each nurse was observed by researcher three times for infection control care practices. RESULTS: The mean score of nurses' knowledge was 21.3 ± 2.4 (min. 17; max. 27). For all three observations hand hygiene adherence was found low both in medication preparation, administration and vital signs assessment. Sterility disrupted in almost all preparation of parenteral medications. CONCLUSIONS: Even nurses' knowledge related with neutropenia and care of neutropenic patient was found above average their infection control care practices were found insufficient.