Utilization of services and referrals through dental outreach programs in rural areas of India. A two year study.

BACKGROUND: Oral health care services are often sparse and inconsistent in India therefore it is often difficult for poor people to get access to the oral health care services. The approach by dental institutions with the help of community outreach programs is a step ahead in overcoming this situation. OBJECTIVES: The study was conducted to evaluate the number of patients, disease pattern and the services provided in the outreach programmes and also effectiveness of patient referral. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted and the data were obtained from records of outreach programs conducted, in last 2 years by Pacific Dental College and Hospital. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics for the computation of percentages Chi-square test was applied to know the association of effectiveness of referral with age and gender. Confidence level and level of significance was fixed at 95% and 5% respectively. RESULTS: A total of 22982 individuals in the age group of 4-80 years attended the outreach program. Dental caries (42.3%), periodontal diseases (63.2-69.0%) and dental fluorosis (33.7-35.0%) were commonly observed diseases. Effectiveness of referral was significantly high among the middle age adults and females (P<0.05). The effectiveness of referral was highly improved in 2013 after establishment of certain guidelines and strategies. CONCLUSION: The approaches by dental institutions with the help of community outreach programs can spread awareness and disseminate treatment and thereby enhancing access to care and eliminating access to care within the rural communities.

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Advanced Local Anesthetic Techniques among Students Attending a Private Dental College in Navi Mumbai, India: A Cross-sectional Study.

Aim and objective: Local anesthesia (LA) administration is an anxiety-provoking phenomenon in patients. Several alternative and advanced techniques make LA administration patient-friendly. This study assesses the knowledge, attitude, and practices of these advances, creating awareness and encouraging further studies and innovations to make these techniques more accessible, available, and economical to be utilized in the Indian population for controlling pain by targeting the budding dentists who actively imbibe and are abreast with the current state of affairs. Methods and materials: A descriptive cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among the undergraduate and postgraduate students of a private college in Navi Mumbai. The self-administered questionnaire contained 13 questions. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17 software and a Chi-square test were applied. Results: A majority of the respondents were unaware of the alternative techniques (59.4%) with a significant difference between undergraduates and postgraduates. 95.7% thought conventional methods caused dental anxiety and 55.1% thought alternatives would be better. The pain management techniques currently used were mostly reassurance and distraction (84.2%) and Topical anesthesia (74.9%). Only 9.6% had actually practiced these techniques, the reason for inexperience being inadequate knowledge. Out of those who had used these techniques, 47.82% saw positive results with patients experiencing less pain. Conclusion: Knowledge of advanced local anesthetic techniques in the dental fraternity is necessary to enhance practice and provide the best care to the patients. Its inclusion in the curriculum with adequate practical training shall ensure its use efficiently. Clinical significance: Today dentistry is propelling toward minimally invasive, painless, and patient-friendly procedures. The incorporation of advanced LA techniques to help achieve this goal begin with assessing its awareness among future dentists which would help make them accessible and affordable and contribute toward providing patients a holistic treatment. How to cite this article: Bhanushali NV, Atre SY, Kumar V, et al. Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices regarding Advanced Local Anesthetic Techniques among Students Attending a Private Dental College in Navi Mumbai, India: A Cross-sectional Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2022;15(1):94-98.

Effect of Immediate Dentin Sealing on Polymerization of Elastomeric Materials: An Ex Vivo Randomized Controlled Trial.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: Interactions are suspected between resin coating and elastomeric impression material. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify possible interactions between two impression materials and resin-coated tooth surfaces. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Extracted molars (n = 10) underwent 1 of the 4 procedures: control group (unsealed tooth surface/impression); IDS group (immediate dentin sealing/impression); IDS/AB group (immediate dentin sealing/air blocking/impression); IDS/AB-P group (immediate dentin sealing/air blocking/pumicing/impression). Dentin bonding agents used were Adper single bond 2 and Clearfil SE bond. Impression materials used were Impregum Soft (polyether) and Aquasil (A silicone). A stereomicroscope was used to detect any residual impression material on the bonded tooth surface. RESULTS: The IDS group showed 100% faulty impressions. Air blocking the resin coating did not completely eliminate the oxygen-inhibited layer of Adper single bond 2. Clearfil SE Bond along with Aquasil generated ideal impressions in group IDS/AB, while all other combinations resulted in faulty impressions. The IDS/AB-P group yielded ideal impressions with Aquasil but generated faulty impressions with Impregum soft in most specimens. CONCLUSION: Immediate dentin sealing should be followed by air blocking and pumicing to generate ideal impressions with Aquasil (A silicone). Impregum Soft (polyether) is not recommended in combination with immediate dentin sealing. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Khakiani MI, Kumar V, et al. Effect of Immediate Dentin Sealing on Polymerization of Elastomeric Materials: An Ex Vivo Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2019;12(4):288-292.