Using live stream technology to conduct workplace observation assessment of trainee dental nurses: an evaluation of effectiveness and user experience.

AIM/OBJECTIVE: This study evaluates the effectiveness and users' experience of using live stream technology to conduct workplace observation assessments of trainee dental nurses. Information on the usability, accessibility, and general satisfaction of this technological technique were collected. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted in Scotland and included one focus group and three online questionnaires with qualitative and quantitative questions. The quantitative responses were described using standard descriptive analysis, while the quantitative data were investigated using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Eighty-one trainee dental nurses, 35 clinicians and 19 assessors participated in this study. Live stream observation was generally well received by the trainee dental nurses and clinicians, who thought that it had helped increase their confidence to perform practical skills. The assessors also stated that overall satisfaction was high, and that live stream observation met their expectations for efficacy. However, several technical challenges, such as network issues were brought up by responders. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence that workplace observation assessments can be performed in the future by using live stream technology. However, additional investigation and comparison will aid in determining the most effective way of using this approach and providing feedback to promote learning among dental trainees.

Invasive Aspergillosis Associated with a Foreign Body.

Invasive aspergillosis is a serious complication in immunocompromised individuals. It is associated with a high mortality rate, which demands a combined approach involving radical surgery and antifungal therapy. Here, we describe a patient who presented with nonspecific fever, refractory to antimicrobial agents. Though it primarily involved the nasal cavity and sinuses, it perforated into the oral cavity causing palatal changes. Surprisingly, a foreign body was found in the involved tissues that might have acted as a nidus of infection. A sufficient dose (3 mg/kg/day) of liposomal amphotericin B was initiated soon after a thorough debridement procedure and the patient survived.

The Francis Report--Implications for the Education and Training of Dental Professionals.

This paper explores the implications of the Francis Report for education of the dental team. It considers selection of candidates for training, issues relating to the curriculum itself, including assessment and the importance of listening to trainees. The overriding importance of the 'informal' or 'hidden' curriculum, through which students and trainees observe their teachers and develop a sense of the professional and ethical culture within an educational institution, is stressed. Clinical relevance: Sound education, rooted in the recognized ethical principles highlighted in the Francis Report, is essential to the delivery of a dental work force that will deliver care according to the fundamental standards laid down by the GDC.

World Workshop on Oral Medicine VI: an international validation study of clinical competencies for advanced training in oral medicine.

OBJECTIVE: To explore international consensus for the validation of clinical competencies for advanced training in Oral Medicine. STUDY DESIGN: An electronic survey of clinical competencies was designed. The survey was sent to and completed by identified international stakeholders during a 10-week period. To be validated, an individual competency had to achieve 90% or greater consensus to keep it in its current format. RESULTS: Stakeholders from 31 countries responded. High consensus agreement was achieved with 93 of 101 (92%) competencies exceeding the benchmark for agreement. Only 8 warranted further attention and were reviewed by a focus group. No additional competencies were suggested. CONCLUSION: This is the first international validated study of clinical competencies for advanced training in Oral Medicine. These validated clinical competencies could provide a model for countries developing an advanced training curriculum for Oral Medicine and also inform review of existing curricula.

Oral medicine: defining an emerging specialty in the United States.

Oral medicine is a specialized area of study within the scope of dental medicine. This discipline is often viewed as the crossroads between medicine and dentistry and has become integral in both pre-and postdoctoral dental education. Oral medicine is recognized as a dental specialty throughout most of the world and currently represents an emerging specialty in the United States. Historically, oral medicine has been loosely defined in the United States without a clear consensus definition. Recent published studies regarding international oral medicine postdoctoral programs and clinical practice have helped to provide more specific information regarding oral medicine from many perspectives. This article will review the literature relevant to defining oral medicine in the United States and present a new definition of this important discipline based on recent studies.

Oral medicine: 5. Halitosis.

Oral malodour can have a range of causes, though most cases of true malodour have an oral cause, and many others are imagined.