Dental Surgical Activity in Hospitals during COVID-19: A Nationwide Observational Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: The number of surgical extractions performed in hospitals in England remains unclear. This study reports the volume of surgical extractions conducted in hospitals and change in activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide observational cohort study using Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) in England for patients undergoing surgical removal of a tooth (defined using OPSC-4 code F09) between April 1, 2015, and December 31, 2020. Procedures were stratified by age, gender, and urgency (elective or nonelective), reported using descriptive statistics, number, and percentage. We conducted post hoc modeling to predict surgical activity to December 2023. In addition, we contrasted this with aggregate national data on simple dental extraction procedures and drainage of dental abscesses in hospital as well as dental activity in general practice. RESULTS: We identified a total of 569,938 episodes for the surgical removal of a tooth (females 57%). Of these, 493,056/569,938 (87%) were for adults and 76,882/569,938 (13%) children ≤18 years. Surgical extractions were most frequent in adult females. Elective cases accounted for 96% (n = 548,805/569,938) of procedures. The median number of procedures carried out per quarter was 27,256, dropping to 12,003 during the COVID-19 pandemic, representing a 56% reduction in activity. This amounted to around 61,058 cancelled procedures. Modeling predicts that this activity has not returned to prepandemic levels. CONCLUSIONS: The number of surgical extractions taking place in hospitals during the pandemic fell by 56%. The true impact of this reduction is unknown, but delayed treatment increases the risk of complications, including life-threatening infections. KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT: The result of this study provides an evidence-based overview of the trends relating to surgical extractions of teeth in England taking place in hospitals. This information can be used to inform service and workforce planning to meet the needs of patients requiring surgical extractions. The data also provide an insight into the oral health needs of the population in England.

A Dentist-Led Oral Care System Can Prevent Stroke-Associated Pneumonia: The Effects of Early Intervention by Dental Team.

Background: Our facility's dental team consists of a full-time dentists and dental hygienists who work exclusively in the wards to implement best practices in oral healthcare. We executed the dental care system (DCS) that includes lectures and practical training for nurses conducted by dentists and dental hygienists, the introduction to oral assessment, standardization of oral care procedures, a process for nurses to request the dental team, and early bedside oral screening conducted by the dental team. This study investigated the DCS's effects on the incidence of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP). Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included 2,771 acute stroke patients who were newly hospitalized between April 1, 2012, and March 31, 2020. The 8-year period was divided into four phases at two-year intervals as follows: Pre (N=632), Post-1 (N=642), Post-2 (N=716), and Post-3 (N=781). Pre was prior to DCS practice. Post-1 was an early introduction to DCS. Post-2 simplified dental team requests from nurses, and Post-3 added bedside oral screening within 72 hours of admission by the dental team. Statistical analysis was performed using the Cochran-Armitage trend test, followed by multivariate logistic regression. Results: A decrease in SAP rates was observed across the four groups (P<0.0001). Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant difference for respiratory disease (odds ratio 7.74, 95% confidence interval 5.49-10.90), hypertension (2.28, 1.39-3.73), cardiac failure (1.72, 1.04-2.85), and diabetes (1.59, 1.11-2.26), 3-digit code on the Japan coma scale (3.57, 2.53-5.05 [reference ≤2-digit code]), age ≥90 years (2.34, 1.15-4.77 [reference 18-59 years]), male (1.86, 1.31-2.67), and the Post-1 (0.49, 0.31-0.76 [reference Pre]), Post-2 (0.38, 0.25-0.61 [reference Pre]), and Post-3 (0.24, 0.15-0.40 [reference Pre]) periods. Conclusion: The suppression of SAP is effectively achieved through early intervention and education of nurses by dental professionals.

Queratocisto odontogênico em maxila: relato de caso

Objetivo: Relatar o processo de diagnóstico e tratamento de um queratocisto odontogênico (QO) em seio maxilar e a sua importância na investigação e diagnóstico de Síndrome de Gorlin-Goltz (SGG). Relato de caso: Paciente do gênero feminino, 20 anos, apresentou-se no serviço de odontologia encaminhada pela equipe de genética médica para investigar a presença de QO para definição de diagnóstico de SGG. Foi realizada radiografia panorâmica e verificou-se a presença de alterações no trabeculado ósseo em tuberosidade maxilar do lado esquerdo. Por isso, foi solicitada a tomografia computadorizada de seios maxilares e encontrou-se uma lesão bem delimitada, ocupando quase completamente o seio maxilar esquerdo em íntimo contato com a raiz do dente 27. Portanto, foi realizada biópsia incisional da lesão, acompanhada da aspiração do conteúdo. Na aspiração foi obtido um conteúdo de característica caseosa sugestivo de queratina. O laudo histopatológico da lesão foi de cisto odontogênico. Com isso, foram realizados os procedimentos de exodontia do dente 27 e a enucleação da lesão em seio maxilar pela equipe da odontologia e da otorrinolaringologia, respectivamente, em centro cirúrgico. O laudo histopatológico confirmou a presença de QO, assim foi possível confirmar o diagnóstico da SGG pela equipe da genética médica. A paciente não apresentou sinais de recidiva e nem de novos QO após 2 anos do procedimento. Considerações finais: A SGG requer atenção odontológica especial, visto a alta taxa de QO nos pacientes com essa síndrome. Exame odontológico minucioso envolvendo exame clínico e exames radiográficos devem ser realizado nas consultas de seguimento.

Objective: To report the process of diagnosis and treatment of an odontogenic keratocyst (OK) in the maxillary sinus and its importance in the investigation and diagnosis of Gorlin-Goltz Syndrome (GGS). Case report: A 20-year-old female patient presented at the Dentistry and Stomatology service, referred by the Medical Genetics team to investigate the presence of OK to define the diagnosis of GGS. Panoramic radiography was performed and the presence of alterations in the bone trabeculae in the maxillary tuberosity on the left side was verified. For this reason, computed tomography of the maxillary sinuses was also requested and a well-defined lesion was found, occupying almost completely the left maxillary sinus in close contact with the root of tooth 27. Therefore, an incisional biopsy of the lesion was performed, accompanied by puncture of the same. In the puncture, a characteristic caseous content suggestive of keratin was obtained. The histopathological report of the lesion was described by the pathologist as an odontogenic cyst. With this, tooth extraction procedures for tooth 27 and enucleation of the lesion in the maxillary sinus were carried out by the dentistry and otorhinolaryngology teams, respectively, in a surgical center. The histopathological report confirmed the presence of OK, so it was possible to confirm the diagnosis of GGS by the medical genetics team. The patient showed no signs of recurrence or new OK after 2 years of the procedure. Final considerations: GGS requires special dental attention, given the high rate of OK in patients with this syndrome. A thorough dental examination involving clinical examination and radiographic examinations should be performed at follow-up visits.

Dental Management of Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease that affects the upper and lower motor neurons with upper and lower motor neuron manifestations. It is divided into two variants: a spinal onset and a bulbar onset. The first starts as focal muscle weakness and wasting that spreads with disease progression, while the second phenotype presents with dysarthria, dysphonia, and dysphagia. Moreover, an extra-motor manifestation could be reported with the most commonly reported symptoms being the change in cognition and sleep disorder. Oral manifestations include increased salivation, limited mouth opening, and dysphagia. Patients with ALS have difficulty maintaining oral hygiene, and it is important for the practitioner and the caregiver to take care of this group of population. We herein provide a short review of the disease with a focus on the oral manifestations and dental considerations for management for this group.

Comparison of Pediatric Dentistry Under General Anesthesia in a Surgery Center vs a Hospital.

OBJECTIVE: Pediatric patients who undergo general anesthesia (GA) for dentistry may be treated in different venues. This retrospective study compared patients treated in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) to those treated in a hospital operating room (H-OR). The 2-venue model was also compared with a historical hospital-only model. METHODS: Twelve months of data were collected via records review: patient demographics, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) classification, and medical comorbidities. Data from patients treated at the H-OR 10 years prior were referenced for comparison. RESULTS: Between July 2017 and June 2018, 1148 patients were treated: 635 at the ASC and 513 at the H-OR. The most common age range for both venues was 3 to 8 years. Of all the ASC patients, 78% were ASA I, while 48% of H-OR patients were ASA III (P < .001). The number of patients treated with the 2-venue model represented a 240% annual increase compared with those treated historically using the hospital-only model. CONCLUSION: Because of differences in patient medical comorbidities, both the ASC and H-OR are needed to adequately address the needs of pediatric dental patients who require GA. Treating healthy patients in an ASC also creates increased capacity in the H-OR to better accommodate those with higher medical acuity.

Impact of a dental care intervention on the hospital mortality of critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units: A quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the impact of providing dental care to critically ill patients on their risk of death and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). METHODS: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2 intensive care units (ICU) from 2016 to 2019. The intervention consisted of implementing routine dental care, focusing on oral hygiene and periodontal treatment, at least 3 times a week, for patients admitted to the study units. In the pre-intervention period, routine oral hygiene was provided by the ICU nursing staff. The primary and secondary study outcomes were mortality, evaluated at the end of the ICU stay, and VAP incidence density, respectively. Data were analyzed using the ARIMA (autoregressive integrated moving average) time series model in R software. RESULTS: During the intervention period, 5,147 dental procedures were performed among 355 patients. The time series showed that ICU mortality was 36.11%, 32.71%, and 32.30% within the 3 years before the intervention, and 28.71% during the intervention period (P = .015). VAP incidence density did not significantly change during the study period (P = .716). CONCLUSION: A dental care intervention focused on oral hygiene and periodontal treatment regularly provided by dentists to critically ill patients may decrease their risk of dying in the ICU. Randomized clinical trials should be performed to confirm these findings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: WHO-affiliated Brazilian Clinical Trials Registry. RBR-4jmz36. Registered 7 October 2018, before first patient enrollment.

The use of general anaesthesia in special care dentistry: A clinical guideline from the British Society for Disability and Oral Health.

BACKGROUND: General anaesthesia (GA) may be required to support the care of those seen in Special Care Dentistry (SCD) services for various reasons, such as enabling extensive dental care for people with severe learning disabilities or severe dental phobia. Guidance is needed for teams delivering SCD using GA due to the potential risks, implications, and costs of using GA to deliver dental care. AIM: To present evidence-based recommendations, where possible, for teams involved in providing GA for dental care for adults within SCD services. METHODS: A multidisciplinary working group, supported by a formal literature search and stakeholder involvement, iteratively produced and refined the recommendations presented. RESULTS: There was little evidence to inform the guidelines. Recommendations are therefore based mainly on the working group's expert consensus opinion. Clinical guidelines are presented as a set of overarching principles followed by six key sections reflecting patients' pathways from referral to dental services through to their care during and after GA. CONCLUSION: Guidelines are presented to support those providing GA to provide SCD. The need for comprehensive and person-centered assessment and planning is emphasized.

Dental manpower and treated dental diseases in department of dentistry, Taipei Hospital (the predecessor of National Taiwan University Hospital) in 1923.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: In 1906, there was a dental treatment room established in the department of surgery of Taipei Hospital to introduce modern dental services to Taiwan. It is undoubtedly the earliest hospital dentistry in Taiwan. This study tried to assess the dental manpower and treated dental diseases in Taipei Hospital, and hence to explore the appearance of Taiwan's early hospital dentistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study utilized the secondary data analysis to evaluate the dental manpower and treated dental diseases of dental outpatients in the 27th Annual Report of Taipei Hospital (Taisho 12th year or 1923). RESULTS: Our results found that there were 3 dentists and one dental technician in the dental department of Taipei Hospital in 1923. These 3 dentists totally treated 3 inpatients and 1759 outpatients with 4511 outpatient visits (1959 for male patients and 2552 for female patients) in that year. Dental caries and retained root were the two most common dental diseases in Japanese and Taiwanese dental outpatients, and followed in a descending order by missing tooth, pulp necrosis, and pulpitis for Japanese outpatients as well as pulpitis, suppurative periodontitis, and acute or chronic periodontitis for Taiwanese outpatients. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the dentistry of Taipei Hospital in 1923 does have a modern form of dentistry with 3 dentists and one dental technician. Its dental patients are mainly Japanese and minorly Taiwanese. Moreover, the treated dental diseases are mainly tooth diseases for Japanese outpatients and both tooth and periodontal diseases for Taiwanese outpatients.

BeSiDe time to move behavior support in dentistry from an art to a science: A position paper from the BeSiDe (Behavior Support in Dentistry) Group.

AIMS: To share the need for agreement in terminology around how people are supported to receive dental care. METHOD: In this position paper, we make the case for a shift in behavior support in dentistry from an art to a science. RESULTS: We outline why we need agreement on the definition of behavior support across dentistry, agreement on underlying theory, aims and values, and why we need agreement on terms for specific techniques. CONCLUSIONS: We share how patients and dental teams can benefit through better science, education and practice of dental behaviour support.

Dental management of a 26-year-old female with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva: A case report.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the report is to present a rare case of clinical management of a 26-year-old patient with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), and discuss treatment options and possible outcomes. SUMMARY: FOP is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder of the connective tissue that affects one in two million people. It is characterized by multiple areas of progressive heterotopic endochondral ossifications. The symptoms typically begin with painful soft tissue swellings in the patient's first decade, which frequently occur after minor trauma, but may also happen spontaneously. The soft tissue swellings eventually form hard bony masses that cause joint limitations, growth defects, skeletal deformities, and chronic pain. The results are severely limiting to the activities of daily living and overall quality of life with the average life expectancy being 40 years of age. Medical and dental treatment, including the use of general anesthesia, may be complicated by increased risk of ossification of the soft tissues in the airway and lungs. The following case report focuses on a 26-year-old Caucasian female, with FOP. The patient presented to the Erie County Medical Center Dental clinic in Spring 2019 with generalized dental pain. She reported a history of multiple dental infections over many years which were periodically treated with antibiotics. A thorough intraoral exam and radiographs were not able to be completed upon initial presentation due to severe trismus and mobility limitations. The patient was a wheelchair user, verbal, and maintained a completely liquid diet by mouth. The patient also had a medical history significant for dysphagia and aspiration. After a substantial pre-operative optimization process, the patient was brought to the operating room for full mouth dental extractions. At the 2-week follow-up from surgery the patient showed excellent healing. CONCLUSION: While there are greater potential risks with placing a patient with FOP patient under general anesthesia, proper management of dental disease can relieve the patient from recurrent infections and discomfort.

Atenção em saúde bucal no âmbito hospitalar: uma revisão de literatura / Attention to the oral health care in the hospital environment: a literature review

Esta dissertação é uma revisão da literatura que aborda a atenção em saúde bucal no ambiente hospitalar, com ênfase na atenção clínica odontológica prestada ao paciente sob regime de internação. Tem por finalidade identificar as principais contribuições dessa assistência no atendimento à saúde do paciente hospitalizado, além de relatar os principais aspectos normativos e legislativos relativos à atenção clínica odontológica no Brasil, com foco no atendimento aos princípios do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Para isso, foram consultadas fontes como documentos do Ministério da Saúde, literatura cinzenta, além de quatro bases de dados. Os principais resultados da pesquisa, de forma geral, apontam para as diferentes necessidades em saúde bucal e cuidados odontológicos ao paciente sob regime de internação, a exemplo de pacientes a serem submetidos a tratamento oncológico, onco-hematológico, transplantes, cirurgias médicas, como a cirurgia cardíaca, pacientes portadores de transtornos psiquiátricos, neurológicos, pacientes idosos, dependentes de cuidados, pacientes cuja nutrição possa estar sendo comprometida devido a problemas bucais, portadores de alterações sistêmicas como diabetes, doença renal crônica, dentre outros. Esta atenção pode contemplar atividades preventivas, diagnósticas e terapêuticas com a finalidade de contribuir com o cuidado integral ao paciente hospitalizado e se caracteriza pela atuação do cirurgião-dentista em diferentes espaços hospitalares, incluindo ambiente de enfermarias e atendimento em unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI). Os pacientes podem apresentar, durante o período de internação, problemas e complicações bucais relacionadas à dor, inflamação, infecções, lesões em mucosa oral, manifestações bucais relacionadas a doenças sistêmicas ou à terapia a qual o paciente é submetido, o que corrobora com a potencial possibilidade de contribuição da odontologia neste lócus. Observa-se a interdisciplinaridade como um ponto-chave desta prática, e também um desafio relacionado à atuação e à formação profissional. Apesar dos avanços normativos, um outro desafio observado encontra-se na ampliação do acesso dos usuários do SUS a este cuidado. Com a finalidade de propor a melhoria desta assistência e qualificação do cuidado prestado ao paciente hospitalizado, sugere-se realização de mais estudos e pesquisas direcionadas à atuação do cirurgião-dentista nas UTIs, além de pesquisas relacionadas a protocolos, diretrizes e consensos sobre melhores práticas de cuidados bucais e de atenção odontológica ao paciente hospitalizado. Sugere-se também investimento na capacitação profissional de equipes odontológicas já atuantes nos hospitais da rede SUS.

This academic paper is a review of the literature on oral health care in the hospital setting, with a focus on clinical assistance provided to hospitalized patients. Its goal is to identify the main contributions of this type of health care assistance to hospitalized patients, as well as to report on the major normative and legislative aspects related to clinical dental care in Brazil, with a focus on the SUS system's (Sistema Único de Saúde) principles. Because of this specific interest, sources such as Ministry of Health documents, gray literature, and other four different types of main databases were consulted. The main findings point to the various needs in oral health and dental care of hospitalized patients, such as those undergoing oncological, onco-hematological treatment, transplants, and medical surgeries such as cardiac surgery. Patients with psychiatric and neurological disorders, elderly patients requiring care, others whose nutrition may have been compromised due to oral problems, patients with systemic alterations such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and others are also included. Proper attention may include preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic activities to contribute to the comprehensive, supportive, and whole assistance for hospitalized patients characterized by the performance of the dental professional in various hospital centers, including hospital ward environments and assistance in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Patients may present oral problems and complications related to pain, inflammation, infections, oral mucosa lesions, oral manifestations related to systemic diseases or to the therapy to which the patient is subjected during the hospitalization period, corroborating the potential contribution of dentistry in this locus. Interdisciplinarity is seen as a key feature of this practice, as well as a challenge in terms of professional performance and training. Despite normative progress, another challenge observed is the expansion of SUS users' access to this care. Further studies and research on the performance of the dentist in ICUs, as well as research on protocols, guidelines, and consensus on best practices of oral care and dental care to hospitalized patients, are suggested in order to propose improvements to this assistance and qualification of care provided to hospitalized patients. As a result, investment is unquestionably required and also recommended for dental teams that are already working in hospitals in the SUS system.

Hospital Dentistry for Intensive Care Unit Patients: A Comprehensive Review.

This study aimed to review the oral hygiene status, oral care guidelines, and outcomes of oral care in intensive care unit (ICU) patients from a dental perspective for effective oral care. A literature search using the keywords "Hospital dentistry" OR "Oral care" OR "Intensive care unit" OR "Hospital inpatient" OR "Hospitalization" OR "Emergency service" AND "Oral health" OR "Oral hygiene" OR "Dental plaque" was conducted in PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar to identify publications reporting on the oral care of the patients admitted to ICUs. A total of 17,400 articles were initially identified. Of these, 58 were selected and classified into three categories for critical review. Seven of these studies evaluated the oral status of ICU patients, and most of the studies indicated that ICU patients had poor oral hygiene or required active dental treatment. Thirty-three of these studies evaluated oral care methods for ICU patients, and in general, oral care methods using chlorhexidine as adjuncts along with tooth brushing were recommended. However, there were insufficient studies to evaluate oral hygiene through effective assessment tools from a dental perspective. In 36 studies on the outcomes of oral care in ICU patients, interventions by dental professionals showed effective results in preventing hospital-acquired infection. This review highlights the importance of establishing guidelines for the evaluation of oral status in ICU patients and summarizes data that may be useful for future studies. Further studies on maintaining good oral hygiene among ICU patients are needed.

Accidental aspiration of removable dental prosthesis in a patient with Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease.

Accidents involving dental prostheses are unusual but relevant, which may result in complications in the upper respiratory airways and esophagus. A 47-year-old male patient with Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease (CJD), completely dependent on care, was reported by his family to have a partial obstruction and intraoral bleeding after swallowing his upper Removable Partial Denture (RPD). After difficulties in the endoscopy procedure, a surgical approach by exploratory cervicotomy to remove the prosthetic device was conducted, without postoperative complications. Considering individual impairments and the patients' advanced age, the removal of dental prostheses during sleep or for patients under intensive care is a preventive strategy to reduce comorbidities in patients with unstable health conditions.

Dental Considerations in Patients with Loeys-Dietz Syndrome: A Review of the Literature and Case Report.

Loeys-Dietz Syndrome (LDS) is a rare connective tissue disorder with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance, linked to heterozygous mutations in six genes from the transforming growth factor beta receptor complex. The classical syndrome characteristics include aortic aneurisms with generalized arterial tortuosity, hypertelorism and cleft palate or bifid/broad uvula. LDS is also associated with a wide range of skeletal, craniofacial, cutaneous and ocular abnormalities, as well as allergic, atopic and inflammatory diseases. Common oral findings include high arched and/or narrow palate, enamel defects and class II skeletal malocclusion. Dental management of patients with LDS is complex and includes approaches to prevent medical complications, as well as considerations for safe delivery of dental care. The purpose of this report, reviews the literature related to LDS oral manifestations as well as to describe the comprehensive dental management of an adolescent patient with LDS and discuss the challenges that dental practitioners may face when providing treatment for these patients. LDS is a newly described syndrome and the literature reviewing its oral manifestations is limited. Patients are reported to have lower oral health-related quality of life as a result of tooth sensitivity and malocclusions. Dental management is compounded by the complexity of medical factors that should be taken into consideration for the safe delivery of care. The presented case is an example of the challenges that dental practitioners may face when providing treatment for LDS patients.

Radiographic Interpretation in Oral Medicine and Hospital Dental Practice.

Oral medicine practice includes the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of oral and orofacial diseases and oral manifestations of systemic conditions. Oral medicine specialists in medical and dental settings often require imaging in assessment and treatment of these conditions. This article reviews imaging that may be used in practice, particularly as relevant for facial pain, bone conditions, and salivary gland disease. It reviews imaging that may be considered in a hospital setting for assessment of admitted patients, patient evaluation before surgical procedures, and provision of dentistry in a hospital setting for patients who cannot submit to treatment in an outpatient setting.

Frequent and Persistent Salivary Gland Ectasia and Oral Disease After COVID-19.

The clinical picture of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in various target organs has been extensively studied and described. However, relatively little is known about the characteristics of oral cavity involvement. This is surprising, considering that oral mucosal and salivary gland cells are known targets for the direct replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and that the presence of the virus in saliva is a source of transmission of the infection. The aim of our study was to investigate the presence and prevalence of oral manifestations in COVID-19 survivors. We profiled the oral involvement in 122 COVID-19 survivors that were hospitalized and followed up at a single-referral university hospital in Milan, Italy, between July 23, 2020 and September 7, 2020, after a median (interquartile range) time from hospital discharge of 104 (95 to 132) d. We found that oral manifestations, specifically salivary gland ectasia, were unexpectedly common, with oral manifestations being detected in 83.9% while salivary gland ectasia in 43% of COVID-19 survivors. Salivary gland ectasia reflected the hyperinflammatory response to SARS-CoV-2, as demonstrated by the significant relationship with C-reactive protein (CRP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels at hospital admission, and with the use of antibiotics during acute disease. Both LDH levels and antibiotic administration survived as independent predictors of salivary gland ectasia at multivariable analysis. Temporomandibular joint abnormalities, facial pain, and masticatory muscle weakness were also common. Overall, this retrospective and prospective cohort study of COVID-19 survivors revealed that residual damage of the oral cavity persists in the vast majority of patients far beyond clinical recovery, and suggests that the oral cavity represents a preferential target for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Further studies are needed to clarify the connection between SARS-CoV-2 infection and oral disorders.

Inpatient dental consultations at a pediatric hospital: A single center 1-year review.

AIMS: Inpatient dental consultations done at a pediatric hospital in 2017 were analyzed to determine consult reasons, requesting departments, and patient characteristics. Findings were compared to a 2007 study from the hospital. METHODS AND RESULTS: Data were collected from medical records. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were calculated. In 2017, 300 consults were performed for 211 patients (1.8% of inpatients). hematology-oncology requested the most consults (63%). Evaluation prior to cancer treatment, cardiac surgery, or organ transplantation was the most common reason for consult requests (52%). Fifty-eight percent patients had a dental home; older patients were more likely to have a dental home (P < .001). Patients with a dental home were less likely to have caries (P = .047). Many patients with a dental home had caries (33% in 2007 and 29% in 2017); more patients without a dental home had caries (46% in 2007 and 38% in 2017). CONCLUSIONS: This study both supports the dental home concept and reveals that many children with a dental home have treatment needs. This indicates that medical providers should not equate having a dental home with having dental health and emphasizes the value of an in-hospital dental service to support the management of critically ill children.

An evaluation of the geriatric dental curricula within Advanced Education in General Dentistry and General Practice Residency programs in the United States.

AIM: To compare the geriatric dentistry curricula between Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) and General Practice Residency (GPR) programs. METHODS: A 108-item survey was developed to assess residents' didactic and clinical experiences pertaining to geriatric patients. Surveys were mailed in 2018 to all AEGD (N = 89) and GPR (N = 180) program directors. Statistical analysis consisted of descriptive and bivariate analyses with the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and the Wilcoxon rank sum test (alpha = .05). RESULTS: Twenty-four AEGD and fifty-eight GPR directors completed surveys (response rate = 30%). Seventy-one percent of responding programs reported mandatory didactic training pertaining to frail and functionally dependent geriatric adults. Ninety-nine percent of respondents reported that residents provided treatment to geriatric patients; however, they were less likely to perform procedures on frail and functionally dependent patients. Only 15% of respondents provided nursing home care. Considering all patient encounters, responding GPR programs were more likely than AEGD programs to treat patients using IV bisphosphonates (63% vs 25%; P < .01), undergoing chemotherapy (48% vs 16%; P = .02), and undergoing head and neck radiation therapy (55% vs 25%; P = .02). CONCLUSION: A majority of responding AEGD and GPR programs reported providing educational experiences pertaining to geriatric patients; however, GPR programs reported treating more medically complex patients than AEGD programs.

Hospital Dentistry: The Swiss-Army Knife of Dental Medicine.

Hospital Dentistry is an inclusive synergism of the recognized dental specialties in an emergency/hospital atmosphere. This perspective composition serves to display the breadth of Hospital Dentistry from an observational and creative viewpoint while elucidating the role of the Hospital Dentist in the dynamic large university hospital setting. It calls for increased awareness of the field of Hospital Dentistry and the potential for its specialized role in the future of dental medicine. Hospital-based General Practice Residencies (GPR) expose trainees to Hospital Dentistry and its integrated role in medicine. Exploring the ventures of Hospital Dentistry highlight the need to increase Hospital Dentistry-focused student groups while encouraging advanced dental education through GPR programs. The rising geriatric community, complex patient caseload, and population growth call for the need to expand the field of Hospital Dentistry through its recognition as a specialty in the future of dental medicine.

The status of hospital dentistry in Taiwan in October 2019.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Dental care has been officially incorporated into the hospital accreditation system in Taiwan since 2015. The geographical distribution of dentist manpower still remains in an unbalanced status as shown by the dentist-to-population ratio. This study tried to assess the dental manpower issue in terms of the status of hospital dentistry, and hence provided two organizational-level suggestions with their policy implications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study utilized the secondary data analysis to evaluate the dental manpower in dental departments of medical centers, regional hospitals, and district hospitals in different regions of Taiwan in October 2019. RESULTS: Our results found that the dental manpower including the numbers of general dentists and dental specialists was highest in medical centers, followed by regional hospitals and district hospitals. Moreover, the dental resources and manpower were mostly concentrated in the northern region of Taiwan, followed by the central and southern regions of Taiwan, the eastern region of Taiwan, and offshore islands. CONCLUSION: The hospital dentistry in Taiwan develops toward large-scale and specialization. Both hospital general dentists and dental specialists are concentrated in the medical centers, especially the medical centers in the northern region of Taiwan, indicating the problem of oversupply in the northern Taiwan and unbalanced distribution of dentists among the regions in Taiwan. Therefore, the responsibilities of the hospitals in metropolitan areas are to develop the elderly and disabled dentistry and to assist with oral health promotion and oral disease prevention in remote areas to reduce the urban-rural gap in dental resources in Taiwan.