Undergraduate dental students' perceptions of dental pain in children - A grounded theory study.

INTRODUCTION: There is an underuse of pain management strategies in dental care for children, possibly owing to perceived stress and discomfort when treating children, which has also been reported by dental students. The aim of this study was to explore how undergraduate dental students experience and understand pain related to dental treatment in children. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Interviews were held with 21 Swedish dental students, from 3 dental schools, all in their final 2 years of education. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed according to Grounded Theory. RESULTS: A core category, seeking guidance to avoid pain, was identified and related to 6 conceptual categories. The students used different strategies to manage pain prevention in child dentistry and to become skilled dentists. They described high levels of stress, as well as having high expectations on themselves when treating children. The stress led to a surface learning approach, something the students were not fully aware of. CONCLUSION: All children should have the right to be ensured optimal pain prevention in dental care. The basis for this is laid during undergraduate education. Thus, pain management in child dentistry is an area in need of special attention in this respect. The academic staff has an important role in supporting their students in their process to gain an identity as professional dentists. To ensure that students incorporate an understanding of the importance of pain prevention when treating children there is a need to create more integration between theory and clinical training in undergraduate education.

Assessment of dental students' knowledge and performance of master gutta-percha cone selection and fitting during root canal treatment: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Misconceptions should be detected early in dental students' training to improve their clinical performance. Accordingly, this study aimed to assess undergraduate dental students' knowledge and performance of master gutta-percha (GP) cone selection and fitting during clinical endodontic courses at the College of Dentistry, King Saud University. METHODS: Ninety-nine undergraduate dental students completed an online survey about their knowledge of master GP cone selection. Forty-five of these students were observed by faculty members in clinical endodontic courses while they fitted master GP cones during root canal treatments. The observers recorded the details of each student's cone-fitting techniques. The data were analysed using t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and chi-square tests (p < 0.05). Inter- and intra-observer reliability were tested using Fliess' Kappa. RESULTS SURVEY: All participants had good knowledge of over-extended cone management, while 80.8% knew how to properly manage a short cone. The proper flaring assessment method was selected by 86.9% of the female and 34.2% of the male students, and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.0001). OBSERVATION: The students labelled the working length on the master GP cone with an indentation in 64.4% of the cases and by bending the cone 35.6% of the time. Of all students, 84.4% encountered an apical stop, and this rate correlated significantly with the length of the cone on the master apical cone radiograph (p = 0.001). Improper shaping of the canal was the most common cause of ill-fitting cones (83.3%), while 16.7% of the students chose the wrong cone size. The final obturation length was adequate in 80% of the cases; 57.8% of the students were helped by instructors. CONCLUSIONS: Most students had the basic knowledge required to solve problems related to the selection of master GP cones. However, in the clinical setting, more than half of the students required the assistance of an instructor to adjust their cone's fit. The presence of an apical stop had the most significant effect on the length of the fitted master GP cone on radiography. The most common cause of ill-fitting master cones was improper shaping of the canal.

Well-being of undergraduate dental students: Questionnaire design, findings and future directions.

INTRODUCTION: The recent pandemic has highlighted the importance of addressing well-being in the overall health of students. There is a need for support systems within dental schools to help students demonstrate resilience, adapt to learning environments and thrive in their professional careers. OBJECTIVES: The main aim of the study was to evaluate Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) students' understanding and experience of well-being. The objectives were to create a suitable survey to assess students' well-being, investigate the factors affecting dental students' well-being and develop a student well-being action plan based on the analysis of the survey. METHODS: A literature review was conducted to identify and critically assess existing measures of well-being in dental students. Four domains of well-being (emotional, physical, social, intellectual) relevant to dental students were identified. Through a comprehensive iterative process, a two-part survey was developed and tested, which measured individual experiences of well-being across the four domains and collected feedback on proposed initiatives to support student well-being. The survey was disseminated to all 452 dental students from Years 1 through 6, of which 71% (321) responded. RESULTS: The survey revealed low levels of overall well-being among the dental student population, which worsened with increasing years of clinical study. Fear of failing exams presented the biggest challenge with regard to emotional well-being, while sleep deprivation and occupational health hazards most affected the physical well-being domain. Intellectual well-being was compromised by insufficient free time to pursue extracurricular interests and concerns about achieving the required skills. Despite a majority experiencing positive relationships with their peers and tutors, less than a fifth agreed that the Faculty of Dentistry 'supported my well-being as a dental student'. CONCLUSION: As the first investigation of the well-being of dental students in Hong Kong, the key stressors identified were examinations, long schedules and the physical burden of dental work, which are consistent with international literature. The findings reveal students' needs and preferences for well-being initiatives which will be optimized in the implementation of student-centred curricular activities.

Analysis of shade-matching ability in dental students: a comparative study under clinical and correcting light conditions.

BACKGROUND: Selecting the ideal tooth shade is essential to the success of aesthetic dental restorations. Students' cognitive abilities are involved in the multifaceted and intricate process of shade matching. Hence, the present study aimed to assess and compare the shade-matching ability of undergraduate dental students in various years of dental education under clinical and correcting light. METHODS: This comparative cross-sectional study was instigated amongst male 4th, 5th, and 6th-year students of the dental complex of King Faisal University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A total of 72 male dental students assessed the shade under clinical (fluorescent light) and correcting light (handheld Dental Base Light) by using VITA Classical shade guides. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 23 (Armonk, NY, USA). The Chi-square test was used to evaluate the association between correct and incorrect shade matching under correcting and clinical light. RESULTS: Out of 72 male students, 22(30.6%) were from the 4th year, 26(36.1%) were from the 5th year, and 24(33.3%) were from the 6th year, with a mean age of 22.92 ± 1.01 years. The majority of the 6th-year students selected shade of anterior tooth # 11 correctly under clinical and correcting light, and 3(12.5%) students selected incorrectly under clinical and correcting light, with a statistically significant association among them (p = 0.004). As far as the shade selection of the posterior tooth is concerned, a statistically significant difference was observed under clinical light among all clinical students (p = 0.008). CONCLUSION: The clinical performance of dental students in shade matching improved with advancing years of dental education. Additionally, the shade matching ability of all groups of dental students was superior under correcting light compared to conditions under clinical light.

Assessment of the students' performance and support needs in a novel digital carving exercise.

OBJECTIVES: In recent years, digital technology has been rapidly expanding in dental practice, which entails an early integration of digital dentistry into the preclinical dental curriculum. This study introduces first-year dental students to a digital carving exercise and investigates its role in enhancing their understanding and performance in traditional wax carving activities. Another objective was to explore the students' challenges and needs for support in the digital carving activity. METHODS: Digital carving exercise was introduced into the first-year dental morphology curriculum in 2020. Students' performance in anterior wax carving was quantitively compared prior to and following the implementation of the exercise. The students' grades in the digital carving exercise were also compared across three academic years: 2020, 2021, and 2022. Qualitatively, an interpretive description approach using focus group with 31 first-year dental students was utilized to explore their perspectives regarding the digital exercise. RESULTS: A statistically significant improvement was found in the students wax carving performance following the incorporation of the digital carving activity (p-value = 0.0001). Students' performance in the digital carving exercise also statistically improved over the years. Students' challenges included the technology's unfamiliarity, and a perceived irrelevance of the exercise. Additional guidance, resources, and timely feedback were reported among the students' support needs during the exercise. CONCLUSION: Digital carving is a promising tool in anatomical education that can improve the students' spatial understanding and manual dexterity. However, educators need to carefully integrate it into the curriculum to address the students' challenges and optimize their learning experience.

Undergraduate Students' Experience of Dental Education Programs across Saudi Arabia: An Exploratory Study.

Background: Students' satisfaction surveys are valuable tools for assessing and improving the quality of education being imparted. Limited data are available from Saudi Arabia regarding students experience at halfway through an undergraduate dental program. Objective: To determine students' perception of their halfway experience on various attributes of the quality of dental education programs in public dental schools across Saudi Arabia. Methods: This exploratory study included all students from four major public universities who had completed their third year of undergraduate dental education during the academic year 2022-23. A previously validated, self-administered, 23-item Students Experience Survey was modified and used to collect data regarding the following five factors: course characteristics, infrastructure and facilities, learning resources, instructor characteristics, and program efficacy. Results: The questionnaire was administered to 296 students, of which 252 (85.1%) responded. Overall, 84% of the students had a positive experience regarding the quality of the dental education programs. Females reported significantly higher positive experiences than males (mean score: 4.36 vs. 4.21, respectively; P = 0.042). Course characteristics (P = 0.041), instructors' characteristics (P = 0.002), and program efficacy (P = 0.009) were significant predictors of students' overall experience. Conclusion: This study found that the majority of students had a positive halfway experience with the quality of dental education programs offered in Saudi Arabia. The significant predictors of satisfaction identified in this study can be useful for policymakers to further improve satisfaction levels.

A Qualitative Study on the Development of Professionalism Among Japanese Dental Students.

BACKGROUND: Professionalism is believed to vary depending on factors such as era and culture. Therefore, clarifying the meaning of professionalism in each country, region, and workplace is essential. However, how professionalism is cultivated among dental students in Japanese schools has yet to be fully elucidated. Therefore, this study examined whether professionalism among Japanese dental students changes by year. This research will contribute to effective professional education. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: The participants included six fourth-year dental students and nine fifth-year dental students. Semi-structured interviews were conducted from November 2018 to January 2019, and verbatim transcripts were created from the recorded data. Based on these verbatim transcripts, thematic analysis was utilized to examine and identify professionalism components for each academic year. RESULTS: Three themes based on 14 constituent concepts were obtained for fourth-year students. Three themes based on 20 constituent concepts were obtained for fifth-year students. Fourth-year students primarily focused on technical aspects. In contrast, fifth-year students placed greater emphasis on attitude and communication skills. CONCLUSION: From fourth-year students, who primarily focus on classroom learning and practical training, to fifth-year students who gain clinical experience, the constituent elements of professionalism became more complex. However, this study did not examine other aspects of healthcare professionalism, such as interprofessional collaboration. A comprehensive education program tailored to the clinical setting is necessary for cultivating professionalism.

Opinions of professors, dental students, and patients for publishing the patient images in the articles.

INTRODUCTION: The journals must have an instruction for writers to observe the essential ethical principles like privacy-preserving, secrecy, and keeping the patients' identities hidden. Even though patient secrecy is an important ideology in medicine's ethics, most journals have a little guide on this topic for the authors. According to the absence of such studies in dentistry and limited studies in medicine, our goal in this article is to review the opinions of professors, Kerman dentistry students, and patients for publishing the patient images in the articles. METHOD: This research is an analytical, sectional, and descriptive study. The studied society includes the professors of the dentistry faculty (54 people), the 4th to 6th years dentistry students (122 people), and 129 patients who referred to the offices, the faculty, and other clinics in Kerman city base on simple random sampling method. A query including the personal questions, and questions related to the participants' opinions about publishing the images was given to contributors. Abundance, average tables, chi-square (χ 2) test, T-test, and SPSS 21 software were used for data description. RESULTS: The contributors' attitudes were different in three groups of participants: more than half of the patients (58.91%), 39.5% of students, and 31.38% of professors believed that no permission is needed. While, 64.34% of the patients, 89.34% of students, and 83.3% of professors believed that written permission is needed for publishing. CONCLUSION: From the participants' viewpoints, more strict forms are needed by increasing identity recognizability. The professors are more eager than the patients to receive patients' permission for any kind of image. By reducing the level of identification, doctors and students are more eager than patients to receive approvals.

Avaliação da sonolência e queixas de sono dos estudantes de odontologia da Universidade Federal do Ceará / Evaluation of sleepness and sleep complaints among dentistry students from the federal University of Ceará / Evaluación de somnolencia y quejas de sueño en estudiantes de odontología de la Universidad Federal de Ceará

O sono é um estado essencial para sobrevivência humana, ele exerce função biológica, restauradora e de conservação energética do organismo, promovendo equilíbrio físico e mental. Alta prevalência da má qualidade de sono e sonolência diurna excessiva (SDE) têm sido relatadas por estudantes universitários de diversos cursos, ocasionando prejuízos na concentração e queda dos rendimentos acadêmicos. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a qualidade de sono, a SDE e suas possíveis associações com sintomas depressivos em estudantes de odontologia. Foi realizado um estudo transversal e descritivo com 251 alunos do curso de odontologia da Faculdade de Farmácia, Odontologia e Enfermagem da Universidade Federal do Ceará. Os instrumentos utilizados foram o Índice de Qualidade de Sono de Pittsburgh (IQSP), Escala de Sonolência de Epworth (ESE) e Inventário de Depressão de Beck (IDB). Verificou-se uma alta prevalência de má qualidade de sono (53,4%) e SDE (35,1%) entre os estudantes, sem diferença significante em relação ao sexo para ambas. Foi encontrada correlação positiva entre IDB com IQSP e ESE (r = 0,478; p = 0,000 e r = 0,202; p = 0,000, respectivamente). Os resultados mostraram uma alta prevalência de má qualidade de sono e SDE e ambos os achados apresentaram associação com sintomas depressivos.

Sleep is an essential state for human survival. It has a biological, restorative and energy conservation function for the organism, promoting physical and mental balance. A high prevalence of poor sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) has been reported among university students from different courses, causing impaired concentration and a drop in academic performance. This study evaluates sleep quality, EDS and their possible associations with depressive symptoms in dentistry students. A cross-sectional descriptive research was conducted with 251 students from the Dentistry Course at the School of Pharmacy, Dentistry and Nursing, Federal University of Ceará. Variables of interest were assessed by Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Results show a high prevalence of poor sleep quality (53.4%) and EDS (35.1%) among students, with no significant difference regarding gender. BDI had a positive correlation with PSQI and ESS (r= 0.478, p= 0.000; and r= 0.202, p =0.000, respectively). Both findings were associated with depressive symptoms.

El sueño es un estado esencial para la supervivencia humana, tiene una función biológica, reparadora y de conservación de energía para el organismo, favoreciendo el equilibrio físico y mental. Se ha reportado una alta prevalencia de mala calidad del sueño y somnolencia diurna excesiva (SDE) en estudiantes universitarios de diferentes carreras que provoca alteración de la concentración y caída del rendimiento académico. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la calidad del sueño, la SDE y sus posibles asociaciones con síntomas depresivos en estudiantes de odontología. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal con 251 estudiantes de la carrera de Odontología de la Facultad de Farmacia, Odontología y Enfermería de la Universidad Federal de Ceará. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron el Índice de Calidad del Sueño de Pittsburgh (PSQI), la Escala de Somnolencia de Epworth (ESS) y el Inventario de Depresión de Beck (BDI). Hubo una alta prevalencia de mala calidad del sueño (53,4%) y SDE (35,1%) entre los estudiantes, sin diferencia significativa en relación con el género para ambos. Se encontró una correlación positiva entre BDI con PSQI y ESS (r= 0,478; p= 0,000 y r= 0,202; p = 0,000, respectivamente). Los resultados mostraron una alta prevalencia de mala calidad del sueño y SDE, y ambos hallazgos se asociaron con síntomas depresivos.

Correlation between attitude towards dental care for older adults and ageism in dental students and clinical trainees: Cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Since the needs for dental care among older adults in Japan are expected to increase in the future, this study aimed to examine the influence of ageism among dental students and clinical trainees on the attitude towards the older adults in dental care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 2022, we conducted a questionnaire survey of 9th-, 11th-semester dental students and first-year clinical trainees enrolled at Kyushu Dental University, using the Japanese version of Ageism Scale for Dental Students (ASDS-J), Japanese version of Fraboni Scale of Ageism (FSA-J). Questions on intention to provide dental care to the older adults, relationships with the older adults and living with the older adults were also surveyed. RESULTS: There were 162 participants (84 males and 78 females), and the response rate was 71.7%. The participants were divided into the positive group for dental care to older adults (68 respondents) and the negative group (94 respondents). The ASDS-J score of the negative group was significantly higher than that of the positive group [49 (36-66) vs. 52 (34-88), p < .001]. The binomial logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratio of being negative attitude was 1.1 per one point of ASDS-J (95% confidence interval: 1.0-1.2) in the model adjusted for student grade, interaction with the older adults, gender, experience living with the older adults and FSA-J. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that ageism specific to dental students and clinical trainees (as assessed using the ASDS-J) was independently correlated with negative attitudes towards dental care for older adults.

Patients satisfaction with the dental treatment provided at the University of Jordan's student clinics.

INTRODUCTION: To assess patients' satisfaction with the dental care provided to them by the undergraduate students at Jordan University Hospital. In addition, to investigate whether the age or gender of patients had any correlation with the level of satisfaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Dental Satisfaction Questionnaire (DSQ) developed by the RAND Corporation was used to measure patient satisfaction. The questionnaire was translated to Arabic the native language of the country and it consisted of 14 questions, which measure the overall satisfaction and the subscales of access, convenience and availability, continuity of treatment and quality of dental care provided. RESULTS: A total of 94 patients (58.5% female, 41.5% male) answered the DSQ, the Overall Dental Satisfaction Index (DSI) was found to be 86.2%, and there was no correlation between gender or age groups and the DSI (p < .05). All 14 questions scored above 4/5 except the question about whether the schools' building and dental units being modern and well equipped (3.7/5), and the general satisfaction question (3.2/5). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who were treated at the student clinics at the University of Jordan, School of Dentistry were found to be satisfied about both the quality of treatment and the dental environment, while reporting some negative aspects related mainly to the clinics building which they found to be very old and crowded. This study found no correlation between patients' satisfaction and the age or gender of the participants.

Percepción sobre el proceso de aprendizaje bajo el contexto de virtualidad en estudiantes de odontología / Perception of the learning process under the context of virtuality in dental students

El presente artículo tiene como objetivo conocer la percepción de los estudiantes de odontología sobre su proceso de aprendizaje bajo el contexto de la virtualidad. Para ello se realizó la búsqueda de artículos científicos, artículos de revisión y tesis publicadas desde el año 2020 hasta el 2023. Las bases de datos de donde se recopilaron los estudios fueron: Pubmed/MEDLINE, Scopus, SciELO, y Google Académico. Las opiniones de los estudiantes fueron positivas en su mayoría. Los aspectos positivos de la virtualidad se relacionaron a la flexibilidad de horarios, ahorro de tiempo y gastos extras; así mismo indicaron que resulta ser una manera didáctica de llevar las asignaturas teóricas. Por otro lado, los aspectos negativos se vincularon a las asignaturas clínicas y de laboratorio, señalaron que su proceso de aprendizaje durante la pandemia fue deficiente en estas materias. Sin embargo, algunos estudios demostraron que la virtualidad es una buena alternativa complementaria para los estudiantes de preclínica, debido a que los prepara para abordar al paciente con mayor confianza y seguridad. Se puede concluir que la virtualidad es un buen aliado en el aprendizaje de educación dental, algunos de los estudiantes alientan a que esta modalidad continúe a través del tiempo, sobre todo en cursos teóricos y preclínicos. La virtualidad puede seguir siendo parte de la educación dental en nuestro país, pero de ello también depende de las estrategias y metodologías de enseñanza que lo acompañen.

The objective of this article is to know the perception of dental students about their learning process under the context of virtuality. For this purpose, a search was carried out for scientific articles, review articles and theses published from 2020 to 2023. The databases from which the studies were compiled were: Pubmed/MEDLINE, Scopus, SciELO, and Google Scholar. The opinions of the students were mostly positive. The positive aspects of virtuality were related to the flexibility of schedules, time savings and extra expenses; They also indicated that it turns out to be a didactic way of carrying out the theoretical subjects. On the other hand, the negative aspects were linked to clinical and laboratory subjects; they indicated that their learning process during the pandemic was deficient in these subjects. However, some studies have shown that virtuality is a good complementary alternative for preclinical students, because it prepares them to approach the patient with greater confidence and security. It can be concluded that virtuality is a good ally in learning dental education; some of the students encourage this modality to continue over time, especially in theoretical and preclinical courses. Virtuality can continue to be part of dental education in our country, but it also depends on the teaching strategies and methodologies that accompany it.

Oral Cancer Awareness Among Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Dental Students and Interns.

BACKGROUND: Dentists have a very important role in the early diagnosis of oral cancer premalignancy. This aspect of dental practice requires an adequate level of knowledge. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the level of knowledge of undergraduate dental students and dental interns about early diagnosis and risk factors of oral cancer. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study was conducted at the Dental College, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Saudi Arabia. Fourth-year and fifth-year students and dental interns were enrolled in the study. The participants were recruited using a convenient, non-probability sampling method. A total of 103 participants filled out a close-ended, online questionnaire. We used descriptive and analytical statistics to analyze the responses to the questionnaire. RESULTS: The level of general knowledge was moderate (67%). More than half of the participants gave complete responses to questions related to early signs of oral cancer (67%), risk factors (54%), risk sites (75%), treatment plans for leukoplakia (66%), and unhealed ulcer management (58%). We found significant associations between the correct responses and the year of the study regarding early signs of oral cancer (p=0.0001), high malignant potential lesions (p=0.00001), and chronic unhealed ulcer management (p=0.015).  Conclusion: A more satisfactory level of awareness is needed among future dentists, to prevent missing patients undiagnosed with early oral cancerous lesions during routine screening. Consequently, upgrading theoretical curricula, clinical experience, and post-graduate participation in cancer prevention programs is highly recommended.

Evaluation of relational factor in patient satisfaction with the treatment received by dental students.

INTRODUCTION: The study focused on the importance of the relational factor and empathy in the general satisfaction of patients for the treatment received by university dental students. To achieve this objective, a tool capable of evaluating the most humanistic dimensions (empathy, kindness, trust) in the development of dental treatment has been designed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A review of the literature was carried out and, based on its findings, a questionnaire was designed to assess patient satisfaction with the dental student's empathy. It consisted of 20 questions and was completed by 80 patients. The questionnaire was subjected to a validation process using the Delphi method (content validity) and psychometric analysis (construct validity), through a principal components analysis (PCA). RESULTS: The results of the PCA showed the existence of four components that suggest grouping the 20 questions into three blocks with a sequential structure, in which the questions would describe the patient's satisfaction throughout their treatment: reception and explanation of the treatment; development and progress of treatment; and expectations and completion of treatment. In each of these blocks, satisfaction was determined by a specific humanistic dimension: communication, trust and benevolence. CONCLUSION: The validated questionnaire is an effective tool to analyse the relational factors that determine patient satisfaction in a treatment. Furthermore, the analysis of the questionnaire suggests that communication, trust and benevolence are elements that acquire singular importance throughout the care process. This analysis is essential for the acquisition of humanistic skills by future professionals and to optimize the dentist-patient relationship.

Musculoskeletal disorders among dental students: a survey from Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) are injuries affecting bones, joints, muscles, and tendons due to improper working conditions with serious consequences on health and career. Dentists were found to be at greater risk of developing WMSD compared to other healthcare providers. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors of WMSD among dental students in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey-based study recruited dental students across the kingdom using respondent-driven sampling technique. Data was collected using the Nordic Musculoskeletal scale and a validated, self- administered, close-ended questionnaire which assessed WMSDs predisposing factors, enabling factors and musculoskeletal disorders consequences and management. The questionnaire was administered in both Arabic and English languages and was distributed online using google forms. Data analysis was performed using SPSS, Chi-square test or Fisher Exact test was used where appropriate and Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of developing WMSDs. RESULTS: The prevalence of WMSD was 87% (95% CL; 83.9% to 90.3%) among the 462 respondents. Gender, study year, type of practice, having clinics for left-handed, hours of clinical practice, sitting in the proper position while working, use of coping strategies were significantly associated with WMSD prevalence (P < 0.05). Males were OR = 10 times at higher risk of WMSD compared to females (P = 0.0001). Those with daily clinical practice were OR = 5 times at higher risk of WMSD than those who have weekly practice. Those practicing walking, workout, and yoga showed lower prevalence of WMSD (OR = 0.377 & 0.323, p = 0.015, 0.010 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of WMSD among dental students in KSA was high. Males and those with prolonged clinical sessions were at greater risk of WMSD. There is a need for awareness campaigns to educate dental students about risk factors of WMSD. Collegesy, dental colleges should adopt policies in reducing WMSD among their students.

Evaluation of Self-Reported Oral Health Attitudes and Behavior of Dental Students in Antalya, Turkey.

Background Dental students are expected to play a critical role in the oral health education of society as future providers of dental care, and their attitudes on this subject have a possible impact on the awareness of patients regarding the importance of preventing oral diseases and improving oral health. This study aimed to evaluate the oral health attitudes and behavior of dental students. Methodology The Turkish version of the Hiroshima University Dental Behavior Inventory (HU-DBI) questionnaire regarding oral health attitudes and behaviors with an additional nine questions was distributed among 250 native Turkish-speaking dental students at the Faculty of Dentistry in Antalya, Turkey. The validity of the nine questions added to the original questionnaire was evaluated by expert opinion and a pretest method. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis, and the statistical significance level was set at p-values <0.05. Results The mean age of the 250 students in the study was 20.96 ± 1.66 years. In total, 157 (62.8%) students were preclinical (first, second, and third year) dentistry students, and 93 (37.2%) students were clinical (fourth and fifth year) dentistry students. The mean HU-DBI score of all students was 5.95 ± 1.65, and the mean HU-DBI score of clinical students (6.42 ± 1.65) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of preclinical students (5.67 ± 1.59). The mean HU-DBI score of male and female students was 5.63 ± 1.55 and 6.24 ± 1.69, respectively, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). The study showed significant improvement in the behavior and attitude regarding the oral health of the clinical dental students compared with the preclinical dental students. Conclusions Among dental students, clinical students and female students had generally better attitudes and behaviors about oral health self-care compared to preclinical students and male students, respectively.

Patient-dental student provider communication in an academic dental clinic setting: A dyadic data analysis.

PURPOSE: Patient-dentist communication is an inherently dyadic social process; however, it is rarely regarded as such in research and pedagogy. This study utilizes a dyadic data analysis approach to study patient-dental student provider communication in an academic dental clinic. PROCEDURES: Using pairwise data collected from patient-dental student provider dyads, we conducted unadjusted and adjusted actor-partner interdependence models to examine the association of intrapersonal (actor) and interpersonal (partner) effects of three communication skills on the assessment of appointment interaction among patient-dental student provider dyads in a pre-doctoral comprehensive care academic dental clinic setting. MAIN FINDINGS: Actor effects were most evident among the associations in the study. Dental student providers' assessment of their own shared decision-making predicted positive changes in their overall interaction assessment in both unadjusted and fully adjusted models. Patients' ratings of their dental student provider's capability/confidence predicted positive changes in their overall interaction assessment in both unadjusted and adjusted models. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that dental students and their patients are primarily impacted by actor perspectives regarding dental student communication and its impact on the assessment of their respective overall appointment interaction. Findings suggest a need for the incorporation of interpersonal skill building in collaboration with patients to strengthen the communication skills and practice of dental students.

Changes in the teaching of prosthodontics adopted in the last academic course of the degree in dentistry in Spain during the first period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the teaching of prosthodontics, on the 5th course of the Bachelor's degree in Dentistry in Spain. METHODS: In June 2021, a two-section survey was submitted to the coordinators of prosthodontics of the 23 Spanish faculties of Dentistry. The first section was focused on the theoretical lessons, seminars, and clinical discussion sessions. The second part relied on the clinical teaching and the implemented preventive measures. RESULTS: The response rate was 100%. By the end of the 2020-21 course, both the theoretical and practical teaching were replaced by online activities, returning to face-to face in 2021-22. While most participants preferred in-person seminars and clinical discussion sessions, concerning the theory, comparable percentages of professors chose either face-to-face or blended learning (BL). The students' satisfaction with BL is high, but they seem more attentive in-person. At the beginning of the pandemic, the most common emergency in prosthodontics was debonding. Overall, a low concern about cross-infection was noticed. The barrier measures were the mainly adopted for prevention. CONCLUSIONS: Although the BL is appreciated in prosthodontics for theoretical lessons, face-to-face teaching appears to be the best option for seminars and clinical case discussions. The students are satisfied with BL. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Spanish faculties of Dentistry responded quickly to continuing offering quality education through an accelerated digitization process that has created a new paradigm. Detailed analyses of these changes may help establish plans to respond systematically to unforeseen emergencies.

The present and future status of oral and maxillofacial pathology in Iran: A multicenter study.

Background: At present, the status of oral and maxillofacial pathology (OMFP) in the country is not properly good. This study aimed to investigate the current status and develop practical approaches to improve occupational condition of the specialty in the future from the viewpoint of the beneficiaries. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The participants were oral and maxillofacial pathologists of the country (200 individuals), OMFP residents (9 individuals), and final year dental students at six dentistry school of the country at 2020 (200 individuals) through multicenter design. At the first phase, the related questionnaires were developed and assessed psychometrically. Reliability of the questionnaires, internal consistency, and repeatability were computed and confirmed. At the second phase, the survey questionnaires on the current and future condition were sent electronically to the study groups. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistical tests (mean, standard deviation, percentage) and the Pearson test using SPSS. Results: At the first phase, after primary design of the study too, 23 variables with content validity ratio below 0.56 and content validity index (CVI) below 0.79 were omitted. The questionnaire for the specialists was confirmed with Cronbach's alpha of 0.75 and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) as 0.83, and the questionnaire for the students and the residents were confirmed with Cronbach's alpha of 0.95 and ICC of 0.80. Results of the second phase showed that score of tendency of students to select OMFP specialty to continue education was 1.58 ± 0.57 from 5. Satisfaction score of specialists on specialized activity of this specialty is 2.7 ± 1.52 from 5. The most important reason for the students to select this specialty was "interest in being faculty member," and the "difficulty of the specialty" was the most probable reason for not selecting this specialty. The most important priority of the residents was "interest in specialty" and for the specialists was "being faculty member." The most important reason to change attitude regarding the specialty by the specialists was mentioned as "high occupational and profession responsibility as well as low income" with the score of 1.38 ± 3.99. "Fundamental revision in the educational curriculum of the specialty" with a score of 4.60 ± 0.93 from 5 was considered as the most important revisionary approach from the viewpoint of specialists. Conclusion: At present, the main problem regarding the OMPF specialty in the country is "high number of graduates and lack of the present occupational opportunities." Evaluation and validation of the relevant specialized departments, producing occupational opportunities, and fundamental revision in the educational curriculum to train well-powered specialists are necessary.

The Life of a Dental Student: Educational and Social Changes from 1880 to 2020.

If one could attend the same College of Dentistry repeatedly, every twenty years, starting in 1880, the evolution and comparison of student life would be historically meaningful. Such a time travel, as a perpetual dental student through 140 years, is the purpose of this paper. To illustrate this unique perspective, New York College of Dentistry, was chosen. This large East-Coast private school has been in existence since 1865, and reflects the typical dental educational environment at that time. The changes that occurred over 140 years, however, may or may not be typical of most private dental schools in the United States due to a multiplicity of factors. Likewise, the life of a dental student has changed over the past 140 years, as dental education, oral care, and dental practice have significantly evolved.