The Current Status of Dental Education and the Dental Profession in Chile

Objective: To describe the current situation of the dental profession in Chile, including training and workforce issues. Material and Methods: Data were collected from different national institutions, which included information regarding number of current registered dentists, university of graduation, geographical distribution, professional position, additional specialty certifications obtained, the number and characteristics of dental surgeons who work in the public and private sectors, the traditional character of the university, the accreditation status of the undergraduate dental programs and the general population number. Results: Currently there are 32 schools of Dentistry in Chile, of which 21 have their quality certified. There are 19,100 Chilean dentists and 1,727 foreign dentists registered. The number of graduates from private universities has increased significantly. Currently, 2,164 dentists work for MINSAL. Less than a third hold a specialty certification. Forty-five percent of the dental specialists obtained their certification from universities. The current professional ratio is 104 dentists per 100,000 habitants. Conclusion: The number of dentists in Chile has increased progressively during the last years, mainly associated with the opening of new dental schools. Only 28% of the Chilean dental schools have certified their quality for the total duration of the undergraduate program. Regarding the workforce, there is a public/private and geographical inequities in dentists' distribution.

Accidentes con Material Biológico entre Estudiantes Universitarios de Odontología / Accidents with biological material among University Students of Dentistry

Objetivo. Evaluar la prevalencia de los accidentes con material biológico entre los estudiantes de pregrado en las Facultades de Odontología del Norte de Minas de las Naciones en el ejercicio de su actividad clínica. Métodos. Estudio cuantitativo descriptivo, con una muestra de 73 estudiantes del 4º al 9º semestre que aceptaron participar en el proyecto. Los datos fueron tabulados y comparados por medio de análisis cuantitativo, mostrando los valores de frecuencia y porcentaje, calculados en función del número de individuos. El valor p fue del 5%. Resultados. La edad media de los estudiantes fue de 23,6 años. En relación a los accidentes con material biológico, el 23,3% de los estudiantes expresaron una experiencia o algún tipo de accidente, y desarrollaron estos accidentes en los que utilizaban el explorador odontológico. La mayoría de los eventos ocurrió mientras realizaban la limpieza del instrumental. El órgano más frecuentemente lesionado fue la mano. La mayoría de los estudiantes que sufrieron accidentes con material biológico han participado en el programa de vacunación contra la hepatitis B, pero no participaron en el protocolo después de la exposición, lavado de la herida con agua y jabón, y el procedimiento de guantes al momento del accidente. Mediante la prueba de Chi-cuadrado se observó una relación estadísticamente significativa entre la ocurrencia de accidentes con material biológico y el sexo (p = 0,024). Los varones, en un porcentaje de 83%, sufren menos accidentes de riesgo biológico en comparación con las mujeres. Conclusiones. La presencia de accidentes con instrumental entre estudiantes de odontología tiene un resultado de considerable aparición. Se deben manejar protocolos que refuercen actitudes de bioseguridad más estrictos (AU)

Objective. To evaluate the prevalence of accidents with biological material among undergraduate students in the faculties of Dentistry of Northen Minas de las Naciones. Methods. A descriptive, quantitative study with a sample of 73 4th to 9th semester students who agreed to participate in the project. Data were tabulated and compared by means of quantitative analysis with Excel and showing frequency values and percentages calculated based on the number of individuals. The p value was 5%. Results. The average student age was 23.6 years. Twenty three point three percent of the students said they experienced some kind of accident mainly when they were using a dental explorer. Most accidents occurred while cleaning instruments. The hand was the part of the body most frequently injured. Most students who had an accident had participated in the vaccination program against hepatitis B However at the time of the accident they did not participate in this program after exposure, wash the wound with soap and water or follow the procedure for gloves. The Chi-square test revealed a statistically significant relationship between the occurrence of accidents with biological material and gender (p=0,024). Males, at a rate of 83%, have fewer biohazard accidents compared with females. Conclusions. There is a significant occurrence of accidents with dental material amongst dental students. Protocols should be introduced to reinforce attitudes of more stringent biosecurity (AU)

Patología oral en exámenes de salud: relación entre incidencia y detección / Oral pathology in health tests: relationship between incidence and detection

La presencia de caries dental y de la enfermedad periodontal es común en la población laboral. Lo mismo que afecciones sistémicas como las neoplasias e infecciones toxicológicas ocupacionales. Los signos de todas esas patologías pueden detectarse con facilidad en un examen de la cavidad bucal. Sin embargo, pareciera que la mayoría de los médicos laborales no incluyen ese examen en sus rutinas de exploración física particular. Además, las actuales condiciones socioeconómicas de nuestro país y la deficiente coberturade la odontología por parte de las obras sociales hacen que el trabajador, en general, descuide su salud bucal. Está demostrado que la exploración de la cavidad bucal permite detectar muchas enfermedades en fases previas. Por eso es importante que los Servicios de Medicina Laboral se preocupen por difundir metodologías de cuidado de la salud bucal y medidas de prevención. En las empresas debe de convertirse al plan preventivo de control bucal en una rutina y el diagnóstico del odontólogo debe incluirse en los exámenes médicos periódicos. (AU)

Comparison of modes of oral hygiene instruction in improving gingival health.

195 Hong Kong Chinese employees from a single company participated in a 10-month longitudinal study on the effects of various modes of delivery of oral hygiene messages on their gingival health. Subjects were allocated to one of the following modes of oral hygiene education: (1) personal instruction; (2) self-education manual; (3) video; (4) a combination of 2 or more of these modes of instruction. Scaling or any other form of periodontal treatment was not given throughout the study period. Full mouth clinical examinations were carried out using a Williams Periodontal probe to examine for the presence or absence of plaque and bleeding on probing from the gingival sulcus. At 2 weeks, 4 months and 10 months, results showed significant reductions in the mean % of plaque and bleeding when compared with baseline. No significant differences were found between the groups given the various modes of oral hygiene education. The study does confirm the effectiveness of oral hygiene alone in improving gingival health, but the lack of difference in the outcome of various oral hygiene education approaches indicates that the mode of instruction is not crucially important to the end result. However, it has to be acknowledged that improvement in oral hygiene may be related to factors other than the oral hygiene programme itself. The findings have significant implications in oral health promotion programmes to improve the periodontal status of the local community.

Oral mucosal screening as an integral part of routine dental care.

The principal aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of conducting a systematic examination of the oral mucosa, as an integral part of the routine dental check-up and in conditions comparable with those in NHS dental practice. A total of 1949 individuals, who were already registered as patients with an industrial dental clinic, were invited to attend for an oral screen as part of their dental examination. Of these, 1947 patients agreed to participate and were also asked to complete a 'habits' questionnaire relating to their tobacco and alcohol use. A systematic examination of the oral mucosa was undertaken as part of the routine dental inspection and mucosal lesions were recorded as either a positive or negative screening result. Lesions included as a positive result were those which may be associated with early cancer or precancer. Four patients (0.2%) were considered to have a positive screening result and these were referred for specialist evaluation. Of these, two had tobacco-related leukoplakia, one had oral lichen planus and the other had an early squamous cell carcinoma. This study has confirmed that a systematic and thorough examination of the oral mucosa can realistically be carried out as part of the routine dental inspection in NHS dental practice.