Artificial intelligence in dental education: ChatGPT's performance on the periodontic in-service examination.

BACKGROUND: ChatGPT's (Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer) remarkable capacity to generate human-like output makes it an appealing learning tool for healthcare students worldwide. Nevertheless, the chatbot's responses may be subject to inaccuracies, putting forth an intense risk of misinformation. ChatGPT's capabilities should be examined in every corner of healthcare education, including dentistry and its specialties, to understand the potential of misinformation associated with the chatbot's use as a learning tool. Our investigation aims to explore ChatGPT's foundation of knowledge in the field of periodontology by evaluating the chatbot's performance on questions obtained from an in-service examination administered by the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP). METHODS: ChatGPT3.5 and ChatGPT4 were evaluated on 311 multiple-choice questions obtained from the 2023 in-service examination administered by the AAP. The dataset of in-service examination questions was accessed through Nova Southeastern University's Department of Periodontology. Our study excluded questions containing an image as ChatGPT does not accept image inputs. RESULTS: ChatGPT3.5 and ChatGPT4 answered 57.9% and 73.6% of in-service questions correctly on the 2023 Periodontics In-Service Written Examination, respectively. A two-tailed t test was incorporated to compare independent sample means, and sample proportions were compared using a two-tailed χ2 test. A p value below the threshold of 0.05 was deemed statistically significant. CONCLUSION: While ChatGPT4 showed a higher proficiency compared to ChatGPT3.5, both chatbot models leave considerable room for misinformation with their responses relating to periodontology. The findings of the study encourage residents to scrutinize the periodontic information generated by ChatGPT to account for the chatbot's current limitations.

Social networking website increases efficacy and engagement in a distance learning course about oral lesions.

PURPOSE: Distance learning appears to be an attractive approach to continuing education courses, but one barrier is maintaining learner engagement throughout the course. The primary aim of this research was to evaluate the operational efficacy of a private Facebook™ group (FG) in serving as a support mechanism for distance learning courses, and its impact on three fundamental dimensions: the attrition rates of participants who did not complete the course (commonly referred to as dropout rates), the rates of course completion and approval, and the overall performance of the participants. METHODS: The participants of this quasi-experimental study comprised 159 dental students and 565 dentists enrolled in an e-learning course on oral mucosal lesion diagnosis. Prior to the initiation of the course, all participants were provided with the option to join a private FG. Within this group, moderators shared motivational messages and provided reminders concerning deadlines. Moreover, participants had the opportunity to engage in interactive discussions pertaining to topics related to the course. The course itself followed a self-guided format, employing the flipped-classroom methodology, spanning a total of 50 instructional hours. In order to assess the effectiveness of the course, participants were presented with photographs illustrating 30 oral lesions and were asked to propose diagnostic hypotheses both before and after the educational intervention (pre-tests and post-tests). RESULTS: Dentists who participated in the FG exhibited a significantly lower rate of discontinuation. As for dental students, their involvement in the group was positively associated with better performance, as determined by the percentage of accurate diagnostic hypotheses (a minimum of 70% correct responses was required for their approval in the course). CONCLUSIONS: Facebook™ demonstrates promise as a supplementary pedagogical tool in distance education courses. The interactive nature of the platform has the potential to alleviate the inherent challenges of remote learning.

Characteristics of dentists in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network.

OBJECTIVES: Our aims are to describe the characteristics of dentists, members of the US National Dental practice-based research network (PBRN) in the United States, and determine how often these dentists provide specific dental procedures. METHODS: Dentists completed a questionnaire when they enrolled in the Network about their demographic and training characteristics and characteristics of their practices and patients. Dentists also reported the frequency of providing specific dental procedures. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Of 4,483 dentists in active clinical practice, 34% identified as females, 70% as white, and 73% as general dentists. Most dentists practiced in large metropolitan areas (87%) and in solo or small practices (72%). On average, they reported about one-half of their patients were children or older adults, a third were from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, and one-quarter were covered by public insurance. Most dentists routinely performed restorations and fixed prosthetics (78%), extractions (59%), removable (44%) and implant (40%) prosthetics, and endodontics on incisor and premolar teeth (44%). CONCLUSIONS: Dentists participating in the National Dental PBRN have much in common with dentists at large. The network has a broad representation of dentists, practice types, patient populations, and treatments offered, including diversity regarding race/ethnicity, gender, insurance, and geography of its practitioners and patients. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Characteristics of National Dental PBRN dentists suggest that a broad range of dentists is interested in participating in national-level research studies, thereby enabling an array of clinical study settings and topics that can optimize the generalizability of study findings.

Evaluating a dental sleep apnea mini-residency program using the Kirkpatrick model.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate a Dental Sleep Medicine Mini-Residency (DSMMR) continuing education (CE) program using the Kirkpatrick model. METHODS: After receiving ethical approval, data from participants in the 2019-2020 DSMMR CE course were included for the Kirkpatrick evaluation. The analysis was stratified and all the Kirkpatrick levels were integrated: level 1 (satisfaction) was assessed via Likert scale and open-ended questions; level 2 (learning) was evaluated using pretest and posttest knowledge data following Module 1 (M1) and an assessment of multiple-choice questions (MCQs) developed by participants; level 3 (behavior) was evaluated using Likert scale questions; and level 4 (results) was assessed via the percentage of participants who passed the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine (ABDSM) examination on their first attempt. RESULTS: A total of 90 participants were included in the study. At least 83.1% of participants agreed/strongly agreed with positively worded statements about satisfaction. Knowledge scores significantly increased from pre-M1 to post-M1 (p < 0.001); however, only 15.2% of MCQs were evaluated as well-formulated. At least 88.6% of participants agreed/strongly agreed with positively worded statements about transfer of knowledge/skills to their practice. 91.1% passed the ABDSM examination on their first attempt. CONCLUSION: The evaluation of the 2019-2020 DSMMR using the Kirkpatrick model suggests its overall positive impact as a training program. The Kirkpatrick model provided information that can be used to improve the quality of a program. Future studies should assess other dental CE programs using the Kirkpatrick model or another evaluation model.

Divergence between confidence and knowledge of endodontists regarding non-odontogenic pain

Abstract This study aimed to assess the self-reported levels of confidence and knowledge related to non-odontogenic pain among a group of Brazilian endodontists. Methodology A total of one hundred and forty-six endodontists affiliated with the Brazilian Society of Endodontics participated in the survey. The questionnaire, distributed via email or WhatsApp, contained inquiries designed to gauge self-perceived confidence and knowledge concerning non-odontogenic pain. The practitioners were categorized into four groups based on their self-reported familiarity with various orofacial pain types, classified as either sufficient or insufficient, and on their engagement in ongoing educational programs related to orofacial pain. Data were analyzed by Chi-Square Test and Fischer's exact test (p<0.05). Results Overall, self-reported confidence about non-odontogenic pain was high, especially for endodontists who considered their knowledge about orofacial pain sufficient, regardless of whether they had (71.1% - 97.8%) or not (35.7% - 96.4%) been continuously involved in education courses on orofacial pain. In general, self-reported knowledge about non-odontogenic pain was insufficient (0% - 42%), except in the question about how they would act in cases of pain that persists beyond the normal healing time after an endodontic procedure (70.6% - 81.9%). In general, endodontists are confident in their diagnosis and treatment of non-odontogenic pain. Nonetheless, this confidence did not correlate with a commensurate knowledge depth of. Thus, specialization courses in endodontics should highly consider training and qualifying these professionals in the diagnosis of non-odontogenic pain.

Continuing professional development programs for general dentists in Isfahan province, Iran: Interests, priorities, and obstacles.

Background: Continuing professional development (CPD) is a life-long learning process for all health-care members including dentists to improve their knowledge and skills in their profession and provide the best quality services. This study aimed to assess the needs, priorities, and obstacles of attending dentists in these programs in Isfahan province, in 2020. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was performed on general dentists in Isfahan province. Data were collected through a three-part questionnaire, online and on paper; it included demographic information, prioritization of seven disciplines, and scoring of 33 dental subfields, as well as obstacles limiting participation in the CPD programs. This questionnaire was developed and validated by researchers. Statistical analysis was carried out through Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, and Chi-square tests, and a significance level of 0.05 was considered. Results: Of 326 dentists (90.5% response rate) participating in this study, 157 were (48.2%) female, and most of them were in the high work experience group (45.1%). The highest mean scores standard deviation related to the dentist's interest and needs, among the seven dental disciplines, belonged to practice management (6.68 [2.9]), oral and dental reconstruction (6.29 [2.55]), and pediatric dentistry (6.291 [2.87]). On the other hand, lack of time (70.6%), inefficient teaching methods and organization (65%), and irrelevant topics (58.6%) were the most common obstacles limiting dentists in the CPD programs. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, dentists in Isfahan province reported more interest and need to participate in some fields of CPD courses including practice management, pediatric dentistry, and oral and dental reconstruction. Thus, a system for continuing education based on dentists' needs and preferences is highly suggested.

Relationship between career education experience among final-year dental hygiene students and their perspective towards work and profession: A nationwide survey in dental hygiene schools of Japan.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to clarify the relationship between the experience of receiving career education among final-year dental hygiene students and their views regarding their work and profession, as part of research on the working style of dental hygienists. METHODS: An anonymous, self-administered survey was sent by post to all the 162 dental hygienist schools in Japan with dental hygiene students in their final year in November 2019. The main questions were regarding student attributes, career aspirations, their perspective on work and profession and whether or not they received career education at a dental hygienist training school. Analysis was conducted by cross-tabulation and logistic regression. RESULTS: Completed questionnaires were sent to us by 150 schools (response rate 92.6%), with a response from 6,270 students. The students who had received career education had significantly higher awareness and plans for the profession and a positive attitude towards the work (p < 0.01). Following adjustment for age, sex, educational attainment, length of the course of study and timing of class the results shows that there was a significant relation between the experience of the career education with having future plans (odds ratio = 2.11, 95% confidence interval = 1.88-2.38, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: It was observed that the experience of receiving career education just before graduating from dental hygienist school was related to an increased positive attitude of the students towards their work and profession. Further long-term investigations are necessary to evaluate the effects of career education among dental hygiene students and their attitude towards their profession.

Immersion and haptic feedback impacts on dental anesthesia technical skills virtual reality training.

OBJECTIVES: Administering anesthesia to the inferior alveolar nerve is 1 of the most stressful processes in dental training. Most studies using virtual reality (VR) for dental training have used non-immersive technologies. The purpose of this work is to assess the impact of immersive technologies on skills training. METHODS: On May 2019, an experimental study was conducted with 163 clinical dental students, divided into 4 groups across 2 phases (preceptorship and training) with haptic feedback either On or Off. The participants trained on the inferior alveolar dental anesthesia procedure in a haptic VR simulator. Their technical skills were evaluated in terms of needle insertion features which were computed from a haptic device providing kinematic data. Also, the participants reported their subjective experience with syringe handling and simulator sickness. A machine learning method was implemented to automatically evaluate the needle insertion point performance of the student. RESULTS: Groups receiving immersive preceptorship and/or immersive training showed more accuracy and confidence in administering the anesthesia. Participants perceived a high sense of realism with the haptic feedback when handling the syringe. The machine learning method was validated, with an accuracy of 84%, as a good classifier to assess a student's needle insertion point performance. CONCLUSIONS: The immersive VR simulator allows the practice of the inferior alveolar nerve block under near real conditions and with immediate feedback to the dental student with respect to the needle insertion point. This machine learning based automatic evaluation provides a method to improve technical skills, contributing to dental training.

Dental Hygienists' and Dentists' Tobacco Cessation Continuing Education Preferences: Application of a Discrete Choice Method.

Despite ample opportunity, dental professionals frequently fall short of connecting tobacco-using patients with effective cessation support, often citing lack of training as a barrier. To inform development of training options, the aim of this study was to quantify the preferences of practicing dental hygienists and dentists in California for continuing dental education (CDE) offerings related to tobacco and patient tobacco cessation. Two statewide surveys of California dental hygienists and dentists were conducted. In addition to providing their own and their practice characteristics, in a discrete choice experiment, participants indicated their preferences between pairs of randomly generated hypothetical tobacco cessation CDE offerings that differed in topic, cost, delivery modality, and duration. Ultimately, 641 dental hygienists (20.5% of the total invited minus those with undeliverable emails, n=3,129) and 654 dentists (8.5% of the total invited minus those with undeliverable emails, n=7,669) responded to at least one of the discrete choice items, and their responses were analyzed. The results showed that each CDE attribute was independently associated with preference. Cost and topic were more strongly associated with preference than were delivery modality and duration. Lower cost, shorter duration courses were generally favored. Alternative tobacco products and patient communication were the most popular topics for participating dental hygienists and dentists, respectively. CDE preferences differed according to participant characteristics: live webinars were the least preferred modality for more experienced dental professionals, and shorter courses were not preferred by dentists in non-urban locations. These findings showed that these dental professionals considered multiple attributes in selecting CDE courses. To reach the broadest audience, CDE providers should offer low-cost options across a range of delivery modalities, such as full-day workshops in rural areas and online webinars for earlier career professionals.

Evaluation of a Distance Education Course Using the 4C-ID Model for Continuing Endodontics Education.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is needed in endodontics, and distance learning environments and courses may be preferable for CPD. Instructional designs (IDs) have been reported to strongly influence the educational effectiveness of these courses. Four Component Instructional Design (4C-ID) is an ID found to be effective for distance learning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a distance learning CPD course on regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs) designed with a 4C-ID model. The study was conducted between April 2017 and March 2018 with volunteers from the 2015-16 graduates of Selçuk University's Faculty of Dentistry in Turkey. Pre- and posttests and skill assessment guide were used for assessment. To determine the participants' satisfaction levels, the Satisfaction Scale for e-Learning Process and an open-ended question were used. Of the 86 graduates invited to participate, 79.1% (n=68) responded they would; but the investigators limited the participants to 30, and the first 30 volunteers who had identified a need for REPs CPD were accepted to the course. Four (0.13%) had to drop out during the course, so data from the 26 who completed it were evaluated. The findings showed the difference between pre- and posttest results was significant (p<0.001). The mean score for psychomotor skills at the end of the course was 99.62±1.96 out of 100. On the satisfaction scale, the mean score for all participants was 138.5 on a scale from 29=lower satisfaction to 145=greater satisfaction with the e-learning process. At the end of the REPs course, the participants' knowledge levels had increased, and they were able to apply REP steps on a model. These results suggest the 4C-ID was effective in this distance education course in REPs.

Pictograph system for diagnosis making and data management in endodontics / Sistema de pictograma para elaboração de diagnóstico e gerenciamento de dados em endodontia

Objective: this questionnaire aimed to evaluate the approval of a new pictograph system for endodontic diagnosis by undergraduate and graduate students/endodontist instead of a conventional method. Methods: after a presentation to a total of 224 participants explaining the pictograph system, the participants (166 undergraduate students and 58 graduate students/endodontist) received a standardized questionnaire with three questions. The data were analyzed using the mult prop macro basing on Tukey's test for multiple comparison with (P ≤ 0.05). The first question was to define the education level of the participants; the second question about which diagnosis method is preferred; and the third question about the intention of using one of the methods in the future. The questionnaire was realized in May 2019. The response rate was 97.7%. Results: the first question showed that 74.10% and 25.90% were under graduate and graduate students/endodontist respectively. After statistical analysis there was no significant difference between the groups in the second and the third questions. In the second question (71.08% and 62.06%) of undergraduate and graduate student/endodontists respectively preferred the pictograph method over the conventional method. In the third question (60.24% and 51.72%) of undergraduate and graduate student/endodontists respectively showed interest in using the pictograph method in their professional career. Conclusion: the pictograph method in endodontic diagnosis is accepted by the majority of undergraduate and graduate students/endodontists. Training and experience affect the diagnosis making. (AU)

Objetivo: este questionário teve como objetivo avaliara aprovação de um novo sistema de imagem para diagnóstico endodôntico por estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação/endodontista, em vez de um método convencional. Métodos: após uma apresentação a um total de 224 participantes explicando o sistema de pictograma, os participantes (166 estudantes de graduação e 58 de pós graduação/endodontista) receberam um questionário padronizado com três perguntas. Os dados foram analisados usando a macro multi propósito baseada no teste de Tukey para comparação múltipla com (P ≤ 0,05). A primeira pergunta foi definir o nível de escolaridade dos participantes; a segunda pergunta sobre qual método de diagnóstico é preferido; e a terceira pergunta sobre a intenção de usar um dos métodos no futuro. O questionário foi realizado em maio de 2019. A taxa de resposta foi de 97,7%. Resultados: a primeira pergunta mostrou que 74,10% e 25,90% eram estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação / endodontista, respectivamente. Após análise estatística, não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos na segunda e na terceira questões. Na segunda questão (71,08% e 62,06%) dos estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação / endodontistas, respectivamente, preferiram o método de pictograma ao método convencional. Na terceira questão (60,24% e 51,72%) dos estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação /endodontistas, respectivamente, demonstraram interesse em utilizar o método de pictograma em sua carreira profissional. Conclusão: o método do pictograma no diagnóstico endodôntico é aceito pela maioria dos estudantes de graduação e pós-graduação / endodontistas. Treinamento e experiência afetam a elaboração do diagnóstico (AU)

Effectiveness of Motivational Interviewing Training for Primary Care Dentists and Dental Health Technicians: Results from a Community Clinical Trial.

Motivational interviewing (MI) is an approach that uses dialogue about behavioral change to encourage a constructive relationship between professionals and patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the maintenance of basic MI skills in the daily practice of dentists and oral health technicians (OHTs) after a training course and for two years of follow-up in the context of primary health care (PHC). A randomized community trial, from September 2012 to September 2014, was conducted at the Community Health Service of Conceição Hospital Group in Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. The experimental group consisted of all 41 dentists and OHTs who received an intensive eight-hour training course in basic MI principles; the control group consisted of 31 dentists and OHTs who did not receive MI training. The follow-up assessments were at one and two years using three instruments validated for MI. In the one- and two-year follow-ups, improvement was maintained in responses with a statistically significant difference for use of open questioning, reflective listening, and total percentage of correct answers (p<0.001), with a large effect size (ES=1.12). On the Helpful Responses Questionnaire, the participants continued using open questioning and reflective listening (p<0.001), maintaining an increase in the percentage of responses compatible with MI (p<0.001). Likewise, the effect size remained large (ES=1.33) over time. These results suggest that the training course with dentists and OHTs of the PHC oral health staff was effective over the two-year follow-up in enabling them to act in the spirit and techniques of MI.

How do dental faculty members relate to Evidence-Based Dentistry?

Building the rationale to critically appraise scientific evidence on the best approach for each patient requires incorporating the Evidence-Based Dentistry (EBD) model, preferably into undergraduate dental courses. This approach would favor the diffusion of EBD culture amongst dental professionals. Therefore, this study aimed to characterize the relationship of dental faculty members with the EBD model. The study was conducted in 2018 with all 23 dental faculty members (100% response rate) of a community university. They responded the Evidence-Based Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ) and a set of supporting questions involving sociodemographics, search for information, proficiency of foreign languages, and perceived need for knowledge on issues related to EBD. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics. A total of 73.9% of faculty members claimed having been prepared to search for scientific evidence and 69.5% are aware of connected computer systems for research. Scientific journals, the internet, courses, and colleague opinions were the main sources of information. Reading and comprehension of foreign languages was limited to 30%. The practice and attitudes towards EBD by dental faculty members were positive, with the lowest mean value of 4.85. Knowledge and skills related to EBD had lower mean values, which coincided with a relatively high perceived need for knowledge on EBD. Dental faculty members present a positive attitude towards the EBD model, have been trained to search for scientific information and acknowledge the existence of institutional structure for applying and teaching EBD. On the other hand, knowledge and skills associated with EBD may require improvement (AU).

A construção do raciocínio para avaliar criticamente a evidência científica sobre a melhor abordagem para cada paciente requer a incorporação do modelo de Odontologia Baseada em Evidências (OBE), preferencialmente ainda no ensino de graduação. Essa abordagem favorece a difusão da cultura da OBE entre os profissionais de Odontologia. Assim, este estudo teve como objetivo caracterizar a relação de docentes de um curso de Odontologia com o modelo OBE. O estudo foi conduzido em 2018 com todos os 23 professores de uma universidade comunitária. Eles responderam o EvidenceBased Practice Questionnaire (EBPQ) e algumas perguntas complementares envolvendo fatores sociodemográficos, busca por informação, proficiência em idioma estrangeiro e necessidade percebida de conhecimento sobre aspectos relacionados à OBE. Os dados foram analisados descritivamente. Aproximadamente 74% dos professores afirmaram ter sido preparados para pesquisar por evidência científica e 69,5% reconheceram a existência de computador conectado para essa finalidade. Periódicos, internet, cursos e opinião de colegas foram as principais fontes de informação. Leitura e compreensão de idiomas estrangeiros foram limitadas a 30%. A prática e as atitudes voltadas à OBE pelos professores foram positivas, com um valor mínimo de 4,85. O conhecimento e as habilidades relacionadas à OBE tiveram valores mais baixos, que coincidiram com alta necessidade percebida de informação sobre OBE. Os professores apresentaram uma atitude positiva com relação ao modelo da OBE, foram treinados para buscar informação científica e reconhecem a estrutura institucional para fazê-lo e ensiná-lo. Por outro lado, o conhecimento e as habilidades relacionadas à OBE requerem melhorias (AU).

Dentists' use of digital radiographic techniques: Part I - intraoral X-ray: a questionnaire study of Swedish dentists.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to gain knowledge about the dentist's use and choice of digital intraoral imaging methods. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A questionnaire sent to 2481 dentists within the Swedish Dental Society contained questions about the type of X-ray technique used, problems experienced with digital radiography, and reasons for choosing digital technology, and about indications, clinic size and type of service. Response rate was 53%. RESULTS: Ninety-eight percent of the dentists had made the transition to digital radiography; only 2% used film technique, and solid-state detector (SSD) was the most used digital technique. More years in service decreases the likelihood of applying individual indications for performing a full mouth examination. More retakes were done with SSDs compared to storage phosphor plates. Reasons for choosing digital techniques were that work was easier and communication with the patients improved. However, dentists also experienced problems with digital techniques, such as exposure and projection errors and inadequate image quality. The Swedish Radiation Safety Authority states that all radiological examinations should be justified, something not always followed. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that 98% of the respondents, Swedish dentists within the Swedish Dental Society, used digital techniques, and the most used was the solid-state technique.

Keeping up with Dental Literature: A Study on Continuing Professional Development among Dental Practitioners in Hubli-Dharwad, India.

INTRODUCTION: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) refers to skills and knowledge attained for both personal development and career advancement. In India, very few studies have been documented to discover the patterns of information update by dental practitioners. AIM: To discover the educational tools that dentists of Hubli - Dharwad, Karnataka, India, prefer for updating their knowledge on new therapeutic methods and to assess the perceived usefulness of these CPD activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Face to face interview was carried out using questionnaire comprising questions on various CPD activities among all the practicing dentists. Pearson's chi-square test was used to evaluate any association between the frequency of information update and perceived usefulness with gender, qualification, practice types and academic attachments. RESULTS: Out of 112 practicing dentists in Hubli-Dharwad, 104 consented for the study. Mean age group of the study population was 32.3±7.56 (SD) years. Discussion with colleagues and discussion with medical sales representatives were the most frequently utilized information sources. On the other hand, attending dental fairs was found to be the most rarely utilized method of information access. Discussion with colleagues, reading textbooks and accessing internet were rated as most useful CPD activities and discussion with sales representatives and attending dental fairs were rated as least useful CPD activities. CONCLUSION: Both conventional methods of information sources like discussions with colleagues and textbook reading as well as contemporary information sources like accessing internet were the preferred methods of information update by dental practitioners of Hubli-Dharwad.

Knowledge about preventive dentistry versus self-reported competence in providing preventive oral healthcare - a study among Nepalese dentists.

BACKGROUND: Dentists' and dental healthcare providers' professional knowledge and attitude towards the prevention of oral diseases may have an impact on the oral health of the general population. The aim of this study was to describe Nepalese dentists' competency in giving preventive education and treatment to their patients, and to assess their level of knowledge about preventive dental health. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study of 195 dentists (71 males and 124 females). Knowledge of preventive oral healthcare and self-reported aspects of preventive oral healthcare were assessed using a close-ended multiple-choice questionnaire. Statistical evaluation was done using chi-squared test, independent sample t-test and factor analysis as appropriate. RESULTS: More than 90% of dentists self-reported to be competent in providing preventive treatment and oral hygiene education to their patients. Female dentists reported being more competent in giving oral hygiene education than their male counterparts (p = 0.045). Dentists scored a mean of 24.06 ± 3.8 [range (15-33)] out of 56 on knowledge based on self-reported awareness of seven different aspects of preventive dentistry. More than 70% of the dentists had relatively good knowledge regarding the use of fluoride, whereas the preventive knowledge in other aspects of dental health such as frequency of sugar consumption, xylitol use, dental visits, sealant, gingival health, dental and general health was found to be limited. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of participating dentists reported a high level of general competency in providing preventive treatment and oral health education to their patients, whereas their knowledge was found to be limited in some aspects of preventive dentistry.

Imaging More Imagining less: An Insight into Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Radiation Risk on Pregnant Women among Dentists of Ghaziabad - A Cross Sectional Study.

INTRODUCTION: The safety of diagnostic imaging during pregnancy is an important aspect for all clinicians. Pregnant women often do not receive proper dental care as the dentists are not aware of low diagnostic radiation doses involved in dental radiation. AIM: To assess awareness of radiation risks on pregnant women among dentists of Ghaziabad city. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 268 practicing dentists in Ghaziabad were selected for a questionnaire based cross-sectional study. Data consisted of 18 questions which assessed the knowledge, attitude and practice of dental professionals regarding radiation risks on pregnant women. The questionnaire was distributed and collected personally by the principal investigator. Data was analyzed by Mann Whitney U test and chi-square test. The level of significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: The results showed that the dentists who had attended continuing dental education program had increased level of knowledge regarding radiation effects among pregnant women as compared to the dentists who had not attended continuing dental education programs (p<0.05). Among them who had attended continuing dental education programs 93.3% were aware of the safe dose of radiation and 62% were aware of threshold radiation doses of pregnancy termination. On the contrary there was no significant difference in the knowledge, attitude and practice scores regarding radiation risks on pregnant women based on their academic qualification (p≥0.05). CONCLUSION: The level of knowledge among dentists was found to be satisfactory, this outcome shows that continuing dental education regarding radiation protection principles and its risks on pregnant women is required to ensure maximum safety both for clinician as well as pregnant women.

Preferences and flexibility in decision-making among dental clinicians regarding the treatment of multirooted teeth: an interactive communication device-based survey at two academic conferences.

PURPOSE: Decision-making by dental and medical experts can be influenced by their biases, interests, and experiences, and academic arguments about controversial issues may additionally be considered indirect experiences capable of affecting decision-making. This study reports on the use of interactive communication devices to evaluate preferences and flexibility in decision-making among dental care providers who attended two distinct academic conferences. METHODS: Two debates were presented by a team of two lecturers at two academic conferences (focusing on periodontology and implant dentistry, respectively) and the audience members of each session were surveyed. Before each lecture, two case modules about the diagnosis and treatment of multirooted molar lesions were provided, and interactive communication devices were used to collect responses about decision-making preferences in treatment planning immediately before and after a debate about treatment strategies. RESULTS: In total, 81 and 84 completed answers from both conferences were obtained for the first and second case modules, respectively. The preferred treatment plan differed significantly according to the focus of the conference, and a tendency emerged for the clinicians participating in each conference to express uniform preferences. However, attending the debates resulted in significant changes in decision-making preferences regardless of the conference focus or the characteristics of the participants. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that providing continuing education via debates on controversial issues may be effective in widening conceptual knowledge and reducing biases among experts in the dental and medical fields.

The changing tobacco landscape: What dental professionals need to know.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco products in the United States and the patterns of tobacco use are changing. Although cigarette smoking prevalence has declined, dental professionals are likely to encounter substantial numbers of patients who have tried and are continuing to use new and alternative tobacco products, including cigars, water pipes (hookahs), and electronic cigarettes, as well as conventional and new smokeless tobacco products. METHODS: The authors reviewed conventional and new tobacco products in the United States, their adverse oral and systemic health effects, and their prevalence of use. RESULTS: Tobacco products other than cigarettes account for a substantial portion of tobacco use. For this reason, tobacco-use prevention and cessation counseling provided by dental health care professionals must address all tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars, water pipes, and electronic cigarettes, as well as conventional and new smokeless tobacco products. Cigarette smoking and smokeless tobacco use are associated with immediate and long-term adverse health effects, including nicotine addiction, oral and systemic disease, and death. Novel products may attract new tobacco users, potentially leading to addiction that results in enduring tobacco product use and associated adverse health effects. CONCLUSIONS: This critical review of conventional, new, and emerging tobacco products presents information that dental professionals can use in providing tobacco-related counseling to patients who use or who are at risk for using tobacco products. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS: It is essential that dental professionals are knowledgeable about tobacco products and are able to answer patients' questions and provide them with evidence-based tobacco-related counseling. This information may prevent patients from initiating use or help reduce or cease use to avoid immediate and long-term adverse health effects, including nicotine addiction, oral and systemic disease, and death.