Dental amalgam teaching phase-out - a step too soon? Foundation trainees' experience of amalgam use in dental school compared to practice: a mixed-methods survey.

Aim This study aimed to explore disparities in experience of UK dental foundation trainees in amalgam use at dental school compared to their first year in dental practice.Methods A modified version of the 'survey of Yorkshire dentists' targeted the dental foundation trainees. A mixed-method of quantitative and thematic content analysis was undertaken for the close-ended and free-text responses, respectively.Results Only 35% of participants described their confidence level as 'satisfactory' in placing dental amalgam before starting their dental foundation training and 51% scored the level of teaching between 'very poor' and 'satisfactory'. In total, 63% of respondents were in favour of receiving additional support in placing amalgam restorations during their undergraduate training. Participants indicated that the consequences of amalgam phase-out are increased appointment times and decreased quality of care due to patient and health service unaffordability of amalgam alternatives.Conclusion These findings raise concerns regarding newly qualified undergraduates' confidence, experience and skill in placing amalgams. This suggests the need to increase undergraduate education and training to improve undergraduates' skills and confidence in amalgam procedures to reduce the gap between the dental schools and real-world practice.

Frequency tongue coating in patients referred to Kerman Dental School and its relationship with relative factors.

OBJECTIVE: There has been shown a relationship between "tongue coating" and "Simplified Oral Health Index, periodontal status, modified mallampati classification (MMC) of the oropharynx and oral malodor". The purpose of this study is to assess the frequency of tongue coating and relative factors (sex, age, smoking, systemic disease and oral health indices) among patients referred to Dental School of Kerman University. METHODS: In this cross sectional study 250 patients referred to dental school of Kerman university of medical sciences were examined. The data collection form was included demographic data (gender, age, history of systemic disease and smoking) and Oral health indices such as TCI (Tongue coating index), OHI-S (Simplified Oral Hygiene Index), MGI (Modified Gingival Index), MMC and lost teeth. The analysis have been done using SPSS21, T-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression analysis (significance level was set at less than 0.05). RESULTS: Tongue coating has been shown in 96% of patients with the mean percent of 45.83 ± 19.16%. Men had higher percent of TCI though it was not statistically significant. Smoking was the strongest determinant factor in people with higher TCI scores (P = 0.013). There was a positive significant correlation between OHI-S and TCI [(Pearson's coefficient(r) = 0.134, P = 0.034)]. CONCLUSION: TCI appears to be related to smoking and Simplified Oral Health Index. The evaluation of tongue coating is necessary to assess its impact on oral health status and also to motivate patients to clean their tongue as a part of their oral health care routine.

An assessment of oral cancer knowledge, attitudes, and practices among undergraduate students in Malaysian dental schools.

BACKGROUND: Oral cancer is a significant public health concern worldwide. Early detection and prevention are crucial in reducing the morbidity and mortality rates associated with this disease. As future dental professionals, dental undergraduates play a vital role in promoting oral health and identifying potential oral cancer cases. METHODS: This study aimed to evaluate the level of oral cancer awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and practices among dental undergraduates in Malaysia. A total of 595 students from years 3, 4, and 5 in both public and private universities participated. RESULTS: The results showed that a higher percentage of dental undergraduates from private universities were aware of oral cancer and had satisfactory knowledge compared to those from public universities (p < 0.05). Moreover, 59.4% of respondents felt less confident in diagnosing oral cancer during routine dental practice, and 96.1% agreed on the need to increase public awareness of oral health. Interestingly, students from private universities exhibited higher levels of awareness and knowledge regarding oral cancer than those from public universities. CONCLUSIONS: To enhance oral cancer detection and prevention, it is essential to reinforce the current curriculum and provide training to improve diagnostic skills for every dental undergraduate. This will ensure that they are well-equipped with the necessary knowledge and competence to detect and prevent oral cancer effectively.

Prevalence of Teaching Apical Patency and Various Instrumentation and Obturation Techniques in United States Dental Schools: Two Decades Later.

INTRODUCTION: Maintaining apical patency has been advocated to minimize canal transportation, ledge formation, and loss of working length, despite increasing debris extrusion. A previous study in 1997 by Cailleteau and Mullaney reported 50% of United States dental schools taught patency. This present study aimed to evaluate recent trends in endodontic education in United States dental schools, in relation to the prevalence of maintaining apical patency and examining the primary methods of working length determination, instrumentation, obturation, and temporization. METHODS: A survey of 20 questions was distributed to 65 schools via e-mail and was available from July 2021 to September 2021. RESULTS: Seventy-three percent of the 46 responding schools reported that they teach patency, with 8% of this number reporting that they do so exclusively to endodontic residents. Notably, a significantly lower number of schools reported teaching patency exclusively to endodontic students compared with the Cailleteau and Mullaney study despite a significantly higher percentage of schools teaching patency overall. The most common method used to determine working length was an electronic apex locator at the 0.5 reading. Vortex Blue was the most commonly used file system used by both predoctoral and postdoctoral programs. Lateral condensation was the primary obturation technique taught in predoctoral programs, whereas warm vertical condensation was the primary obturation technique in postdoctoral programs. The study also found that 57% of schools reported using intraorifice barriers, and the most common temporary filling was glass ionomer. CONCLUSIONS: A greater portion of schools teaches patency compared with the previous study in 1997. The data collected in this survey may serve as a baseline for similar studies in the future regarding changes in endodontic education over time.

Reshaping dental faculty development using collective healthcare experiences.

Dental academics provide a fulfilling career path to educate the next generation of oral health professionals. The number of dentists choosing a career in dental academics is declining and existing faculty are opting for other career options. As the number of dental schools increase across the US, a critical shortage of educators may be evidenced. In dentistry, innovative approaches to develop academic faculty are not keeping pace with the growing needs of dental faculty, who are challenged to establish a fulfilling work-life balance. This work reviews existing methods that other health professions implement to develop faculty for successful career growth. This review highlights factors and related cofactors that influence career development among dental faculty. Recommendations are presented as potential solutions based on the assessment of similar experiences published by related academic healthcare professions. Dental academia must increase attention to faculty needs and awareness by conducting institutional-specific studies to address these issues with customizable solutions.

Perceived esthetics and value of clear aligner therapy systems: A survey among dental school instructors and undergraduate students.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the attractiveness, acceptability, visibility and willingness-to-pay for clear aligner therapy (CAT) systems in first-year and final-year dental students and instructors. METHODS: A questionnaire designed to collect information regarding esthetic preferences and intentions related to seven CAT systems was handed out to 120 undergraduate students and instructors at the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA). Proportional odds models and population average generalized estimating equation models were used to examine potential association between participant characteristics, esthetic perceptions and CAT systems. RESULTS: Overall, the examined CAT systems received favorable esthetic ratings. Expertise status was significantly associated with willingness-to-pay additionally for CAT, compared to fixed orthodontic appliances. There was no association between sex, previous orthodontic treatment history, satisfaction with own dental appearance and potential interest in treatment and aligner visibility and willingness-to-pay. CAT system was significantly associated with the perceived aligner visibility, acceptability and attractiveness by students and instructors. CONCLUSIONS: CAT systems were considered to a great extent attractive and acceptable for future treatment by dental school instructors and students. Willingness-to-pay for CAT systems was significantly associated with expertise status, with instructors appearing more reluctant to pay for CAT.

How an Indian dental school climbed the ranks.

Prodigious self-citation helps Saveetha Dental College top global lists, investigation finds.

Dental school quality assessment: Effect of student calibration on the outcomes of fixed prosthodontic cases.

BACKGROUND: Quality assurance (QA) of predoctoral dental student laboratory work is an essential part of the learning process that involves evaluating the student's ability, providing constructive feedback, helping develop the students' ability to self-assess, and promoting collegiality and communication among students, faculty, and laboratories. Faculty calibration, while often difficult to coordinate, is also necessary to providing consistent student feedback. AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether periodic calibration exercises with the fourth-year dental students and faculty impacted the number of student cases rejected during Quality Assurance evaluation of fixed prosthodontic cases submitted to The Dental College of Georgia laboratory tracking. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study provided evidence that ongoing calibration did result in a reduced number of incoming QA rejections in all periods reviewed except for one in which there was significant turnover among department faculty affecting QA calibration for that time period.

Patient Safety Education in the Undergraduate Dental Curriculum: Evidence Base and Current Practice in UK Dental Schools.

OBJECTIVES: International consensus advises patient safety education (PSE) for dental undergraduates. A previous systematic review found no articles describing PSE in dentistry. This article aimed to review the evidence base for, and the current practice of, PSE in UK dental schools. METHODS: Literature search and surveys were sent via email to all 16 UK dental schools. RESULTS: Six articles describing PSE interventions were found: 2 small-scale studies for dental students and 4 interprofessional studies. Patient safety education is effective for undergraduate dental students with significant improvement in knowledge and interest. Interprofessional studies reported improved teamwork skills and more positive attitudes toward interprofessional working.The 2018 and 2021 surveys had response rates of 56% and 100%, respectively. An increase in integrated formal PSE and assessment in UK dental schools is demonstrated. No barriers to implementation were reported. Forty-six percent of schools deliver interprofessional PSE, 38% deliver human factors, 81% teach communication, 94% teach professionalism, and 31% of schools have a patient safety (PS) champion. CONCLUSIONS: Limited published literature on PSE in dentistry is available. However, the lack of published articles does not mean that PS is not being taught, as many UK dental schools were found to have formal PSE integrated and assessed within their curriculum. Further development is needed in terms of appointing PS champions for leadership and human factors training. Patient safety must form a part of an undergraduate student's core values.

Bridging the health gap: Measuring the unmet social needs of patients within a dental school clinic.

OBJECTIVES: As safety-net clinics, dental school clinics are uniquely positioned to evaluate the unmet social need. There is evidence that patients treated in a safety-net type clinic, such as dental schools, report experiencing one or more of the determinants of health. However, there is limited evidence describing screening for Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) in dental clinics. The purpose of this study is to gain knowledge of the types of social determinants of health that exist in a dental school clinic and how it is reflected in the geographic region of the school. METHODS: This cross-sectional prospective study used a 20-item questionnaire assessed unmet social needs in a predoctoral clinic. The questionnaire contained multiple choice and binary yes/no questions, organized under SDOH domains: housing, food, transportation, utilities, childcare, employment, education, finances, and personal safety. Socioeconomic and demographic information was captured. The questionnaire was administered via iPad using Qualtrics XM. The data were descriptively and quantitatively analyzed at a significance level of p ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: There were 175 respondents with a 93.6% response rate, males (49.7%), females (49.1%), and 1.1% nonbinary. Overall, 135 (77.1%) respondents reported having at least one unmet social need. The greatest number of unmet needs was in the domains of employment and finances, with 44% and 41.7% respectively. Respondents who were unable to work stated they often or sometimes worried about running out of food before getting money to buy more, (p = 0.0002), and or the food didn't last before there was money to get more (p = 0.00007). A comparison of annual incomes of respondents earning less than $40K with those earning $40K or more, demonstrated statistically significant differences in unmet social needs for housing (p < 0.0001), food (p = 0.0003, p < 0.0001), utilities (p = 0.0484), employment (p = 0.0016), education (p < 0.0001), and finances (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Screening patients in the dental clinic was an efficient way to uncover the level of unmet social needs. Annual household income was a predominant driver of unmet social needs: with the greatest number of unmet needs existing in the domains of employment and finances. The results suggest that screening for social determinants of health dental school clinics could be incorporated into routine patient data collection.

A 3-year qualitative evaluation of interprofessional team-based clinical education at an Australian dental school.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: This article describes a qualitative evaluation of interprofessional (IP) team-based treatment planning (TBTP) involving dentistry, oral health therapy, dental prosthetics, and dental technology students at the Griffith University School of Dentistry and Oral Health (DOH). Using the same data from a recently published article that looked solely at the quantitative evaluation of TBTP, this article focuses on the qualitative evaluation of TBTP. This evaluation explores the contextual meaning related to the previously published aspects of TBTP that contributed positively toward oral health students' IP clinical learning and identifies themes reflecting students' IP clinical experience. METHODS: Thematic analysis of transcripts from nine focus groups, comprised of 46 final year students and open-ended questions collected from 544 students through an online instrument from 2012 to 2014, explored the question: "What is the contribution of IP student team-based processes on students' perceptions of IP learning and practice at DOH?" RESULTS: Responses from online participants and student focus groups revealed three major themes: useful role learning, communication confidence, and pro-active collaborative teamwork. Throughout each of these themes, students stated they possessed a confidence in collaborating with other oral health students as exhibited through an understanding of profession-specific and IP roles, self-assurance in communicating, and teamwork skills. CONCLUSION: Aspects of TBTP that contributed positively toward students' IP clinical learning and practice were meaningfully identified.

Impact of educational intervention regarding COVID-19 on knowledge, attitude, and practice of students before dental school re-opening.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Lack of knowledge on COVID-19 among people and healthcare staff significantly impacts late management and its rapid transmission. Dental students must be aware of the exact preventive instructions due to their close contact with patients and clinical work in the dental setting during the pandemic. This interventional study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of designed educational content regarding COVID-19 on Iranian dental students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices at Alborz University of medical sciences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 88 dental students were investigated in this study. Educational content was designed based on the clinical guidelines regarding COVID-19 in dentistry. The content was presented to dental students as a three-hour webinar. In addition, the online, validated questionnaire was obtained from the students as pre, post, and follow-up surveys. RESULTS: A statistically significant difference between students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices were obtained before and after the intervention and the follow-up survey. 48.58% improvement in knowledge score, 6.37% in attitudes, and 17% in practice scores were observed. CONCLUSION: Although this educational intervention significantly improved the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dental students, additional education and clinical training are mandatory for effective and safe dental practice management in future crises.

A Case-Finding Protocol for High Cardiovascular Risk in a Primary Care Dental School-Model with Integrated Care.

BACKGROUND: National Health Service (NHS) strategies in the United Kingdom (UK) have highlighted the need to maximise case-finding opportunities by improving coverage in non-traditional settings with the aim of reducing delayed diagnosis of non-communicable diseases. Primary care dental settings may also help to identify patients. METHODS: Case-finding appointments took place in a primary care dental school. Measurements of blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), cholesterol, glucose and QRisk were taken along with a social/medical history. Participants with high cardiometabolic risk were referred to their primary care medical general practitioner (GP) and/or to local community health self-referral services, and followed up afterwards to record diagnosis outcome. RESULTS: A total of 182 patients agreed to participate in the study over a 14-month period. Of these, 123 (67.5%) attended their appointment and two participants were excluded for age. High blood pressure (hypertension) was detected in 33 participants, 22 of whom had not been previous diagnosed, and 11 of whom had uncontrolled hypertension. Of the hypertensive individuals with no previous history, four were confirmed by their GP. Regarding cholesterol, 16 participants were referred to their GP for hypercholesterolaemia: 15 for untreated hypercholesterolaemia and one for uncontrolled hypercholesterolaemia. CONCLUSIONS: Case-finding for hypertension and identifying cardiovascular risk factors has high acceptability in a primary dental care setting and supported by confirmational diagnoses by the GP.

Impact of resilience and environmental stress on burnout of students in public and private dental schools in Western Saudi Arabia.

Background: Dental students' burnout has been repeatedly reported in the literature; however, there is little information about the contributing factors in different contexts and settings. Aims: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between burnout among undergraduate dental students and sociodemographic (specifically gender), psychological (resilience), and structural factors (dental environment stress). Subjects and Methods: An online cross-sectional survey questionnaire was distributed among a convenience sample of 500 undergraduate Saudi dental students. The survey included questions about sociodemographic factors (gender, level of education, academic achievement, type of school [public or private], and living arrangements). The study also included items that allowed assessment of students' burnout using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and assessment of student environmental stress and resilience using the Dental Environment Stress Scale (DESS) and the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS). Descriptive statistics, univariate, and linear regression analyses were performed. Results: The response rate was 67% (male = 119, female = 216). Univariable analysis showed that gender, level of education, and DESS and BRS scores correlated significantly (P <.05) with MBI scores. Adjusted multiple linear regression lends further support to that the MBI scores negatively correlated with the BRS score but positively correlated with the DESS score (ß = -0.29, P <.001; ß = 0.44, P <.001, respectively). Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, the findings demonstrated that increases in resilience correlated significantly with decreases in burnout and increases in environmental stress correlated significantly with increases in burnout among dental students. However, gender had no influence on burnout.

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.

Dental trauma education among Canadian dental schools: A Nationwide survey of dental trauma educators.

BACKGROUND/AIM: The extent of education regarding dental trauma within dental schools around the world is believed to be very diverse, but also largely unknown. The aim of this study was to analyze and depict the current curriculum regarding dental trauma education among all Canadian dental schools, in an effort to refine and consolidate the education system. METHODS: A survey was conducted over a scheduled meeting with dental trauma Instructors from all 10 dental schools in Canada. Questions were categorized into three sections investigating the dental trauma curriculum, the examinations/assessments of students, and the clinical exposure provided to students during the course of their dental studies. Data were first analyzed individually, and then common findings were grouped together. RESULTS: A total of 17 instructors were interviewed. In 9 out of the 10 universities, dental trauma education remains fragmented with an overall mean of only 4 ± 5.2 h allocated to teaching dental trauma throughout the dental courses. Only one single university reported testing students following the completion of their dental trauma course, and only one university conducted a final examination dedicated separately to dental trauma only. All instructors reported a lack of ample exposure to trauma cases during clinical rotations. CONCLUSIONS: Many deficiencies exist in teaching dental trauma among Canadian universities. Due to low clinical exposure, students might be under-prepared to clinically manage trauma cases. Also, the lack of unification in the curriculum creates confusion among students. Additional clinical exposure along with unification within, and between, dental schools could result in a more coherent and a better presented dental trauma curriculum.

Exploring students' perspectives from two Canadian dental schools toward online learning experiences.

OBJECTIVES: The utilization of online teaching and learning in dental education has grown during the past two academic years. In addition to its numerous advantages, the modality also has its limitations. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of oral health sciences students at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the University of Toronto (UofT) regarding their experiences with online learning over the course of 2 pandemic-impacted years. METHODS: Interpretive Description was used as a methodology to guide semi-structured data collection. Individual interviews and focus groups were conducted with graduate and undergraduate dental and dental hygiene students at UBC and UofT. Qualitative data were coded and analyzed using a thematic approach. RESULTS: A total of 31 interviews and 4 focus groups were conducted. Online teaching and learning demonstrated many advantages, including flexibility, sustainability of curricular content, and promoting inclusivity in the classroom. Students indicated that due to online learning, there were opportunities to gain resources in practicing self-care and additional time to connect with family. Reported limitations of online classrooms included the loss of attentiveness, challenging content, and logistical challenges. Isolation and physical symptoms experienced in online classrooms with prolonged screen times were described as potential threats. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study call for developing a structured and sustainable blended approach that balances the limitations of online classrooms with the interaction and engagement of in-person classrooms and patient care experiences. Based on the students' perspectives toward online learning, a road map was provided to dental educators to consider when designing future dentistry curricula.

[Notes on historical connection between the first Moscow dental school of Dr. I.M. Kovarsky and Moscow State Medical and Dental University named after A.I. Evdokimov]. / Ob istoricheskoi svyazi mezhdu Pervoi moskovskoi zubovrachebnoi shkoloi doktora I.M. Kovarskogo i Moskovskim gosudarstvennym mediko-stomatologicheskim universitetom im. A.I. Evdokimova.

Numerous attempts have been made in the periodical publications on the history of «Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry named after A.I. Evdokimov¼ to trace its roots back to the First Moscow Dentistry School. founded by I.M. Kovarsky in 1892, as the State Institute of Dentistry (which, as a result of various reorganizations had been renamed as MSMSU) was established in the school building. This reasoning does not seem entirely convincing, however, after analyzing some facts from the history of the First Moscow School of Dentistry and biography of its founder I.M. Kovarsky, the authors conclude that there is a historical connection between these educational institutions.

The impact of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on dental school assessments - Current status and future perspectives.

PURPOSE: To evaluate course directors' feedback on the assessment methods used during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and identify effective approaches for future assessments in dental education. METHODS: Course directors at the US dental schools were surveyed for changes in assessments implemented during the early stages of the pandemic (March-July 2020) using the Qualtrics platform. The survey questions addressed assessment methods utilized in didactic, preclinical, and clinical arenas pre-COVID-19 (before March 2020) and during the early phase of the pandemic (between March and July 2020) and identified any sustained changes in assessments post-COVID-19. Of the 295 responses for the type of courses directed, 48%, 22%, and 30% responses were for didactic, pre-clinical, and clinical assessments, respectively. Chi-square tests and 95% confidence intervals were used to assess quantitative differences. RESULTS: Computer-based un-proctored and remote- proctored assessments increased whereas paper-based in-person proctored assessments decreased during an early pandemic. For pre-clinical and clinical courses, objective-structured clinical exams and case-based assessments increased whereas, for didactic courses, the number of presentations, short-answer, and multiple-choice questions-based assessments increased. Specimen-based assessments and patient-based encounters decreased significantly in didactic and clinical courses, respectively. Manikin-based exams increased in clinical but not in pre-clinical courses. Survey respondents disagreed that alternative assessments helped students learn better, resulted in better course evaluations, or were an equivalent replacement for pre-COVID-19 assessments. Interestingly, 49% of respondents indicated a likelihood of continuing alternative assessments whereas 36% were unlikely and 15% were neutral. CONCLUSIONS: A combination of effective pre-pandemic and innovative alternative assessments developed during the pandemic may be the new normal in the dental education curriculum.