A 3-year clinical trial to compare efficacy of dentifrices containing 1.14% and 0.76% sodium monofluorophosphate.

A 3-yr daily supervised toothbrushing study with a double blind design was conducted to evaluate the anticaries effectiveness of a 1.14% sodium monofluorophosphate (MFP) dentifrice (1500 ppm F) compared to a 0.76% MFP dentifrice (1000 ppm F). This study began with nearly 4000 children, primarily aged 8-11, in grades 3-5, residing in a nonfluoridated community in Florida. A total of 2415 children completed 3 yr of the study, representing 61% of the children who began the study. The results indicate a statistically significant (P less than 0.001) anticaries benefit was derived over a 3-yr period from the use of the higher fluoride dentifrice (1500 ppm F) when compared to the positive control (1000 ppm F). Percent reductions in mean dental caries increments were 20.9%, 22.1%, 21.8%, 24.3%, and 35.2% for DMFT, DFT, DMFS, DFS, and DFS Interproximal, respectively.

Menu preferences of dental public health diplomates--a pilot study.

Forty-six of 103 dentists responded to a survey of their preferences for fish or chicken in preparation for the 1986 Dinner Meeting of the American Board of Dental Public Health in Miami, Florida. Approximately three-fourths of the respondents (74%) requested fish (F). Analysis of preferences with regard to geographic location indicated that almost half of the respondents requesting fish were from Region IV (Southeast), while preferences according to year of certification indicated that more than three-quarters of the respondents (77%) who had been certified since 1970 preferred fish. There were no significant differences between the two groups in mode of transportation, time since last visit, and number of denture wearers.

Survey of diplomates of the American Board of Dental Public Health, 1980.

A survey was mailed to all active diplomates of the American Board of Dental Public Health in January of 1980 requesting information regarding activities for the period including January 1978 to December 1979. Eighty-two of the then 86 full-time active diplomates responded to the survey. Comparisons with the results of a survey conducted 11 years earlier by Johnson and Bernstein were made with respect to employment, primary activity within employment, and degree of participation in workshops, conferences and seminars. An analysis of results from the two surveys indicates few significant changes in many areas.

A survey of extramural experiences for dental students.

A survey was conducted of the chairmen of the departments of community dentistry (or an equivalent department) within all full-curriculum dental schools in the United States as of September 1973, to obtain information on the rane of extramural experiences, the departmental responsibilities for these experiences, the times and the distributions of the experiences, and on feedback related to the experiences. Thirty-six respondents reported a wide variety of experiences with most activities under the auspices of departments of community dentistry. A trend toward concentration of the extramural experiences in the latter years of the curriculum was noted. Feedback from both the participating dental students and the patients was mostly positive to strongly positive. Most responding chairmen agreed that the extramural experiences may be helping to create a more socially conscious graduate, although few had conducted formal evaluations of the programs which could support this impression.