bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knowledge and Attitudes About HIV/AIDS of Dental Students from Kuwait and Sri Lanka
Authors: Ellepola Arjuna N.B. , Sundaram Devipriya B. , Jayathilake Sumedha , Joseph Bobby K. , Sharma Prem N.
Published: June 2020

Several studies regarding knowledge and attitudes of dental students towards HIV/AIDS have been reported from various countries. However, to the best of our knowledge, an international comparison between countries with diverse cultural and educational backgrounds has not been reported in the literature. The aim of this study was to compare the knowledge and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS of dental students of Kuwait University (KU), Kuwait and the University of Peradeniya (UP), Sri Lanka, the only dental schools in the respective countries. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted among a total of 258 dental students, representing the clinical years of both universities, using a similar structured questionnaire with sixty questions to examine their knowledge of various aspects of HIV/AIDS and thirteen questions to examine their attitudes towards the disease. The mean knowledge and attitude scores were calculated and compared between students from the two universities using t‐test with SPSS 17.0. A total of 215 questionnaires were completed and returned, giving a total response rate of 83.3 percent. The KU students were significantly more knowledgeable (p=0.018) regarding HIV/AIDS than the UP students. However, the UP students demonstrated a more highly significant positive attitude (p<0.001) towards the disease than those in KU. This information might help to define strategies to improve the quality of education in these countries.
Socialization of New Dental Therapists on Entering the Profession
Authors: Lopez Naty , Blue Christine M.
Published: June 2020

Dental therapy is relatively new in the United States. This qualitative study examines the experiences and impressions of the inaugural class of the first dental school‐based dental therapy program in the United States. A grounded theory design using open‐ended interviews and focus groups was carried out with the nine students in the class at the beginning of their program and after the fall and spring semesters of their first year. Student responses were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and presented to the students for feedback and clarification. Results show that students started with an idealistic perception of dental therapy that was consistent with the specific provision of the law creating dental therapy. The team learning approach in which dental therapy students learn alongside dental and dental hygiene students provided the social interaction that allowed them to better articulate and distinguish dental therapy from those other dental professions. In the absence of dental therapists who could serve as role models, the program director, who is perceived to be the dental therapy expert, has assumed the role of the primary socializer. Faculty members are challenged to fulfill their role as role models regardless of their perception of the dental therapy model.
Situational Judgment Tests as a New Tool for Dental Student Selection
Authors: Buyse Tine , Lievens Filip
Published: June 2020

Cognitive tests are used to select students into dental school, yet cognitive predictors explain only part of the variance in academic performance. Therefore, interviews and personality tests are often used to measure noncognitive (e.g., interpersonal) characteristics. Recently, situational judgment tests (SJTs) have drawn attention since there is evidence that SJTs can be valid predictors in medical admission contexts. This study examines the validity of an SJT measuring interpersonal skills for predicting academic performance of dental students. Incremental validity over cognitive tests is also examined. In this study, 796 dental students who passed the admission exam for medical and dental students in Flanders, Belgium, and enrolled in one of the two Flemish dental schools were evaluated. Grade point average (GPA) in the five years of dental studies served as the criterion. Corrected correlation between the cognitive tests of the admission exam and GPA equaled .38. Their validity dropped from .45 (year 1) to .18 (year 5). However, the validity of the SJT increased from .05 (year 1) to .20 (year 5). The SJT had incremental validity in year 5. Dental admissions committees that envision assessing a broad set of capabilities might consider using an SJT as a valuable supplement to cognitive tests. Future research needs to confirm these findings with job performance as another criterion.
Teaching Clinically Relevant Dental Anatomy in the Dental Curriculum: Description and Assessment of an Innovative Module
Authors: Obrez Ales , Briggs Charlotte , Buckman James , Goldstein Loren , Lamb Courtney , Knight William G.
Published: June 2020

The primary objective of the preclinical dental anatomy course in the predoctoral dental curriculum is to introduce students to cognitive and psychomotor skills related to the morphology and spatial and functional relationships of human dentition. Traditionally, didactic content for the subject is found in textbooks and course manuals and summarized by the faculty in lectures to the entire class. Psychomotor skills associated with recognition and reproduction of tooth morphology are traditionally learned by examining preserved tooth specimens and their cross‐sections, combined with producing two‐dimensional line drawings and carving teeth from wax blocks. These activities have little direct clinical application. In most cases, students are passive in the learning process, and assessment of student performance is unilateral and subjective. A recently revised dental anatomy module at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry integrates independent class preparation with active small‐group discussion and patient scenario‐based wax‐up exercises to replace missing tooth structure on manikin teeth. The goal of the revision is to shift emphasis away from decontextualized technical learning toward more active and clinically applicable learning that improves conceptual understanding while contributing to early acquisition of psychomotor skills. This article describes the rationale, components, and advantages of the revised module and presents a pre‐post comparison of student learning outcomes for three class cohorts (N=203).
Does Teaching Method Affect Students’ Perceptions Regarding Communication Patterns in Pediatric Dentistry? A Comparison of Lecture and Video Methods
Authors: Kalwitzki Matthias , Meller Christina , Beyer Christine
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine whether dental students’ perceptions regarding six communication patterns for use in pediatric dentistry differed depending on whether they were taught by lecturing or by video‐based teaching. Prior to the introduction of interpersonal skills in a clinical course in pediatric dentistry, four consecutive cohorts of students (n=107) in a German dental school were divided equally into two groups. Group one (n=57) was taught by video sequences and group two (n=50) by conventional lecture. Six communication patterns were presented: involvement of the child's toy(s), speaking in positive phrases, mentioning a personal aspect, recalling positive behavior of the patient, addressing fear verbally, and complimenting the patient. Immediately after the presentation, students were asked by means of a questionnaire about their assessment of and intentions regarding the clinical application of the communication patterns presented. After completion of the course, they were asked about the communication patterns that had been used. There were significant differences for three communication patterns in favor of video‐based teaching (p<0.05); there were no significant differences regarding the intention for clinical application and the actual clinical application. In this study, students perceived differences between video‐based teaching and lecturing regarding ease of use, but they did not seem to benefit from one method over the other regarding clinical application.
Student‐Led Courses to Teach Cone Beam CT in the Predoctoral Dental Curriculum
Authors: Han James , Le Michael H. , Garcia Edward , Huang John C. , Miller Arthur J. , Angin Linda
Published: June 2020

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) provides a new method to evaluate the craniofacial region. The goal of our project was to introduce into the predoctoral dental curriculum a student‐initiated, student‐led introduction to CBCT and how to use it, with minimal expenditure of financial resources. A third‐year student worked with two faculty members to design a course in which a small number of third‐year students would lead a small group of second‐year students. The first approach involved each small group of second‐year dental students discussing one clinical case in which the patient's CBCT record was included. Representatives of each of the ten small groups presented the patient and that patient's clinical problem (e.g., an impacted tooth) to the entire class as well as demonstrating the superiority and limitations of using CBCT in clinical dentistry. The second approach also used small‐group meetings led by third‐year dental students, but paired two second‐year dental students as a team to present the patient's CBCT data in the small‐group setting. There were five teams each presenting a different type of patient as assessed only from the CBCT data. The first model focused on the problem (e.g., an impacted tooth), while the second model focused on how to evaluate and use CBCT scans to determine the patient's primary problem. Based on surveys conducted at the end of each course, the majority of students felt they had gained a better understanding of CBCT.
Measuring Clinical Productivity in Community‐Based Dental Education Programs
Authors: Arevalo Oscar , Saman Daniel M. , Rohall Victoria
Published: June 2020

Community‐based dental education programs (CBDEPs) are an important part of the curriculum in many dental schools. This article describes the redesign of the CBDEP at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry. As part of the formative evaluation of this CBDEP, information on clinical productivity was collected in order to educate intramural faculty members about the scope and extent of services provided in extramural sites; develop an understanding of the productivity expected; complement the intramural education by placing dental students in particular settings where they could enhance certain clinical disciplines; and serve as a decision making tool in the selection of sites that provide the richest clinical experiences. A total of 158 students participated in the CBDEP during the three years of our study (2006–08). Productivity per site was calculated based on total, mean, and median number of services provided, billing (utilizing Kentucky's Medicaid fees for 2006), and Relative Value Units (RVUs). A total of 26,202 services, $972,109 in billing, and 43,053 RVUs was generated by the students, with an average of 175 services, $6,481, and 287 RVUs per student. Four categories (restorative, oral surgery, preventive, and diagnostic) accounted for 88 percent of total RVUs for all sites and all years. Productivity measured with RVU was the highest at private practices. Students spent most of their time providing restorative and oral surgery services. Measuring clinical productivity can be an effective tool to establish benchmarks, improve the site selection process, and educate those skeptical about the benefits of extramural education. Such an evaluation will enable faculty and program administrators involved in CBDEP to make continuous improvements.
Computer‐Assisted Dental Simulation as a Predictor of Preclinical Operative Dentistry Performance
Authors: Urbankova Alice , Engebretson Steven P.
Published: June 2020

We tested whether a computerized dental simulator (CDS) pre‐test could predict preclinical operative dentistry examination scores. Thirty‐eight first‐year students completed cavity preparations during a single four‐hour CDS pre‐test prior to the operative dentistry course and during subsequent practical examinations. Masked, calibrated faculty members scored the preparations in both settings. Pass rates for the CDS pre‐test, Exam 1, and Exam 2 were 50 percent, 66 percent, and 86 percent, respectively. Students who passed the CDS pre‐test were more likely to pass Exam 1 (95 percent vs. 37 percent, p=0.0004) but not Exam 2 (89 percent vs. 83 percent, p=0.66) and had better mean scores on Exam 1 (73.4 vs. 68.3, p<0.0001), but not Exam 2 (76.2 vs. 74.7, p=0.35). As a diagnostic, success on the CDS pre‐test predicted success on Exam 1 with 72 percent sensitivity and 92 percent specificity (positive predictive value 95 percent, negative predictive value 63 percent). As a diagnostic for Exam 2 performance, the CDS pre‐test was a weaker predictor and not statistically significant. These findings suggest that a pre‐course CDS test may help to identify students in need of early instructional intervention. Future studies are warranted to further define and implement the use of simulation technology in the assessment of students’ psychomotor learning potential.
Continuity and Change Mark Seventy‐Five Years of Progress for the Journal of Dental Education
Authors: Valachovic Richard W.
Published: June 2020

This historical overview of the Journal of Dental Education highlights its founding by and close seventy‐five connec­tion with its parent organization, the American Dental Education Association (ADEA). In 1936, the leadership of the American Association of Dental Schools, the predecessor of ADEA, recognized the need for a journal that would keep the new profession of academic dentistry dynamic by providing a means for communicating ideas and new teaching methods. While holding to that mission, the journal has evolved over the years in parallel with ADEA—especially in the twenty‐first century with the expansion of both to include allied, dental, and advanced dental education and to address core issues of curriculum change through ADEA's Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education (ADEA CCI). Across its history, the journal has actively supported the mission of ADEA by advancing scholarship in dental education. Its past achievements have now set the stage for the journal's next incarnation as a leading global voice in the broader realm of health professions education.
The Paradigm Shift to Prevention and Its Relationship to Dental Education
Authors: Garcia Raul I. , Sohn Woosung
Published: June 2020

The past seventy‐five years have witnessed an extraordinary growth of scientific knowledge related to oral health and the development of evidence‐based dentistry. The centrality of prevention to the control of oral diseases and the maintenance of good oral health has become increasingly recognized by the scientific community, dental educators, dental practitioners, and the public at large. Yet, despite significant improvements in the overall oral health of Americans, important disparities exist, and large segments of the population are disproportionately burdened by oral diseases. Despite the proven effectiveness of various preventive modalities, such as fluoridation and dental sealants, these have not been universally disseminated and implemented. This review will highlight the challenges remaining in completing the decades‐long paradigm shift to prevention and the important role to be played by the dental education community in this process.
Connecting Dental Education to Other Health Professions
Authors: Alfano Michael C.
Published: June 2020

The health care delivery system is poised for substantial change in the coming years. The foremost vector driving this change is economics. However, use of evidence‐based principles of practice and a high desire, if not a national mandate, for increased quality in health care delivery are also very important factors. Nestled within this large national health care debate are a set of issues that directly impact dental education and practice. Among them is the potential impact of expanded intraprofessional and interprofessional collaborations among dentists, dental therapists, dental hygienists, and nurse practitioners, among others, in search of better oral and general health care for all Americans. This article explores many of the issues involved in this possible transition with special reference to the impact of the changes on dental education.
Community‐Based Dental Education: History, Current Status, and Future
Authors: Formicola Allan J. , Bailit Howard L.
Published: June 2020

This article examines the history, current status, and future direction of community‐based dental education (CBDE). The key issues addressed include the reasons that dentistry developed a different clinical education model than the other health professions; how government programs, private medical foundations, and early adopter schools influenced the development of CBDE; the societal and financial factors that are leading more schools to increase the time that senior dental students spend in community programs; the impact of CBDE on school finances and faculty and student perceptions; and the reasons that CBDE is likely to become a core part of the clinical education of all dental graduates.
Autonomous Virtual Patients in Dentistry: System Accuracy and Expert Versus Novice Comparison
Authors: Clark Glenn T. , Suri Apar , Enciso Reyes
Published: June 2020

This article examines an autonomous virtual patient (AVP) system for identifying differences between novices and experts in dentistry. The two groups in the study were ten boarded or board‐eligible experts (seven males, three females; mean±sd age 40±11) and twenty‐six fourth‐year dental students (fifteen males, eleven females; mean±sd age 27±3), who were defined as novices. All participants interviewed and mock‐examined four randomly selected AVPs who had either orofacial pain or an oral medicine problem; they then selected needed diagnostic tests, diagnoses, treatments, and medications. The mean misrecognition rate of the software was between 13 and 19 percent. Data collected were examined for a difference between the two groups (novices versus experts) on multiple variables. Significant group differences existed in the final total score, the number of diagnostic tests ordered, and the number of medications selected. Novices reported that they found virtual patients to be a valuable educational experience. These data demonstrated that experts and novices asked essentially the same questions and spent similar amounts of time with the patients, yet the experts consistently scored higher and ordered fewer diagnostic tests and medications than the novices.
Case‐Based Learning in Clinical Courses in a Chinese College of Stomatology
Authors: Zhang Shan Yong , Zheng Jia Wei , Yang Chi , Zhang Zhi Yuan , Shen Guo Fang , Zhang Jian Zhong , Xu Yuan Jin , Cao Xia
Published: June 2020

As a medical approach to posing contextualized questions that are based on real‐life clinical problems, case‐based learning (CBL) is used to stimulate and underpin the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes through clinical cases. Good effects were acquired in the practice of CBL teaching in English applied by the College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Responses from both students and teachers reflected that this course approach won their high acceptance and was worthy of use in selected stomatological courses.
Cone Beam Computed Tomography in Dentistry: What Dental Educators and Learners Should Know
Authors: Adibi Shawn , Zhang Wenjian , Servos Tom , O’Neill Paula N.
Published: June 2020

Recent advances in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) in dentistry have identified the importance of providing outcomes related to the appropriate use of this innovative technology to practitioners, educators, and investigators. To assist in determining whether and what types of evidence exist, the authors conducted PubMed, Google, and Cochrane Library searches in the spring of 2011 using the key words “cone beam computed tomography and dentistry.” This search resulted in over 26,900 entries in more than 700 articles including forty‐one reviews recently published in national and international journals. This article is based on existing publications and studies and will provide readers with an overview of the advantages, disadvantages, and indications/contraindications of this emerging technology as well as some thoughts on the current educational status of CBCT in U.S. dental schools. It is the responsibility of dental educators to incorporate the most updated information on this technology into their curricula in a timely manner, so that the next generation of oral health providers and educators will be competent in utilizing this technology for the best interest of patients. To do so, there is a need to conduct studies meeting methodological standards to demonstrate the diagnostic efficacy of CBCT in the dental field.
Using the Patient's Medication History as a Learning Tool in Clinical Pharmacology Instruction for Dental Students
Authors: Gregson Karen S. , Romito Laura M.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine if a pharmacology medical history assignment would enable dental students to demonstrate improved knowledge and understanding of pharmacology by researching the drugs their patients were taking and recording pharmacological information in their patients’ health records. The study followed a pretest‐posttest design and evaluated students’ knowledge of ten commonly prescribed drugs. Students were given the pretest prior to entry into the clinic. Subsequently, for an eight‐month period, students completed the medication history assignment. Pretest and posttest scores were compared and analyzed with one‐way ANOVA and Pearson product moment correlation statistics. The Pearson product moment correlation showed a positive correlation between the drugs per patient and the change in score between the pre‐ and posttests (correlation coefficient=0.254, p=0.016) and between the assignment grade and the change in pre‐ and posttest scores (correlation coefficient=0.198, p<0.001), as well as a significant correlation between the number of times a drug was charted and the change in score on the pretest‐posttest item concerning that drug (correlation coefficient=0.798, p=0.006). By documenting patient drug information, dental students can improve their pharmacology knowledge base and enhance their potential to positively impact patient care and safety.
Croatian Dental Students’ Educational Experiences and Knowledge in Regard to Child Abuse and Neglect
Authors: Jordan Ante , Welbury Richard R. , Tiljak Mirjana Kujundzic , Cukovic‐Bagic Ivana
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate the educational experiences of a group of Croatian dental students and to assess their knowledge about child abuse and neglect. In the study, 544 respondents (153 male and 391 female) from all six years at the University of Zagreb School of Dental Medicine completed questionnaires, with a response rate of 74.9 percent. A chi‐square test was applied to test the differences among students’ answers. Values of p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. Out of the total number of respondents, 33.6 percent had encountered the topic of child abuse and neglect during their lectures. The results show a lack of knowledge of the signs pointing to physical and sexual abuse of children. Students from more senior teaching years showed a greater amount of knowledge related to child abuse and neglect in contrast to students from more junior teaching years. In conclusion, dental students should be better educated and prepared for the important role of helping protect children from abuse and neglect.
Assessing Early Performance in the Patient‐Doctor Relationship in Dental Education
Authors: Kalenderian Elsbeth , Maramaldi Peter , Kinnunen Taru H. , Spinell Diane , Nelson Linda Pollak
Published: June 2020

In addition to current admissions criteria, the assessment of qualities related to humanistic medicine may help predict clinical and academic performance in dental education. The objective of this feasibility study was to develop and assess the reliability of a coding scheme to quantify and rate qualitative formative narratives describing individual student performance in a medical interview course that utilizes principles of humanistic medicine. A mixed method, using focus groups and individual interviews, was used to develop a coding strategy. Three coders retrospectively rated 209 formative narratives evaluating first‐year students at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine to determine high and low performance in this course. Interrater reliability was tested. The focus groups yielded the use of superlatives to identify high performance, with their absence indicating low performance. This study found a high level of calibration among independent coders (Cronbach's alpha 0.75). Twenty‐four (11.5 percent) of the narrative evaluations were coded as “high performers” and seven (3.3 percent) as “low performers.” The results demonstrate the feasibility of quantifying narrative evaluations to determine high and low performance in a patient‐centered course for dental students. It may be that humanistic qualities taught in a patient‐centered medical interview course are more significant competencies than previously thought.
Mental Health of Postgraduate Orthodontic Students in India: A Multi‐Institution Survey
Authors: Madhan Balasubramanian , Rajpurohit Ajay Singh , Gayathri Haritheertham
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study was to evaluate the mental health of postgraduate orthodontic students in India by assessing the extent of three common negative affective states: depression, anxiety, and stress. Three hundred and thirty postgraduate students from thirty‐two dental colleges across India anonymously completed the short version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS21). The statistical analysis included summary statistics, nonparametric tests for intergroup comparisons, and logistic regressions to evaluate the influence of age, gender, year of study, and marital status on these mental states. In comparison to the general population, the students experienced mildly elevated levels of depression and anxiety (11±5.1 and 8.2±4.1, respectively) and a moderately elevated level of psychological stress (22±5.2). A moderate or higher level of coexisting symptoms of all three affective states was seen in 15.8 percent of the students. Female students reported a higher level of depression than males and were two and half times more likely to experience depression to a moderate or higher level. First‐year students exhibited lower levels in all three states than those in the second and third years and had lower odds than third‐year students of developing a moderate or higher level of any of the three affective states. Marriage had a significant buffering potential against all these states. The results clearly indicate a suboptimal level of mental health in these postgraduate students of the specialty and the need to improve their mental resilience and the academic climate.
Continuous Assessment of Undergraduate Students at a Dental College in India
Authors: Priya M. , Muthu M.S. , Amarlal Deepti , Thomas Eapen
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the quantitative assessment of a structured essay and standardized oral examination and its correlation to the final‐year graduating exam in the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, India. The records of 531 students from 2005 to 2009 were collected. Students were categorized based on their “completion” and “grading” in a structured essay and standardized oral examination, which is a continuous assessment of dental students in the college. The grades obtained by continuous assessment were compared to students’ final‐year examination scores. The assessment showed that students who completed all tasks and had desirable performance in their written assessment and standardized oral examination also scored better on their final examination. Therefore, the continuous assessment by written assessment and standardized oral examination had a direct relationship to students’ performance on the final examination and is useful for evaluation.
Root Canal Shaping Using Rotary Nickel‐Titanium Files in Preclinical Dental Education in Turkey
Authors: Ünal Gül Çelik , Maden Murat , Orhan Ekim Onur , Sarıtekin Erdal , Teke Anıl
Published: June 2020

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the ability of a group of third‐year dental students without any endodontic clinical experience to use the ProTaper Instruments (Dentsply Maillefer) to decrease the amount of straightening of curved canals on human molar teeth and to determine the incidence of instrument fractures and instrumentation time. Thirty‐one undergraduate dental students in Turkey received a training session. The students prepared a total of 144 root canals in human mandibular or maxillary molar teeth with ProTaper. Fifty‐six teeth were excluded due to unreadable image, misinformation, or straight or severe curve. Using pre‐ and post‐preparation digital radiographs, the straightening of curved root canals was investigated. Loss of working length and incidence of fracture were also noted. A total of eighty‐eight curved root canals were selected. Mesiobuccal or mesiolingual roots with curvatures of between 20° and 43° as assessed by Schneider's method and working length of between 15 mm and 22.5 mm were included in the study. The means of the curved root canals before and after the instrumentation were 29.5° ±6° and 27° ±6.3°, respectively. The means of the working length before and after the instrumentation were 19 mm ±2.1 mm and 18.3 mm ±1.9 mm, respectively. A statistically significant difference between straightening of curved root canals and loss of working length was found between before and after instrumentation (p<0.000). The mean straightening of curved root canals and loss of working length after preparation with the size F1 ProTaper file were 2.5 mm ±3.6 mm and 0.7 mm ±0.6 mm, respectively. Only two F1 ProTaper instruments fractured at the apical level. The study concluded that rotary instruments performed adequately with inexperienced operators who received a brief structured training session.
Teaching Social Responsibility Through Community Service‐Learning in Predoctoral Dental Education
Authors: Brondani Mario A.
Published: June 2020

Social responsibility refers to one's sense of duty to the society in which he or she lives. The Professionalism and Community Service (PACS) dental module at the University of British Columbia is based upon community service‐learning and helps dental students to understand the challenges faced by vulnerable segments of the population as they actively reflect on experiences gathered from didactic and experiential activities. This article aims to illustrate the extent to which PACS has fostered awareness of social responsibility through the British Columbia Ministry of Education's Performance Standards Framework for Social Responsibility. Reflections were gathered from students in all four years of the D.M.D. program and were analyzed thematically in three categories of the framework: Contribution to the Classroom and Community, Value of Diversity in the Community, and Exercise of Responsibilities. The constant comparison analysis of the reflective qualitative data revealed that the students directly or indirectly addressed these three categories in their reflections as they synthesized their understanding of community issues and their collaborative roles as socially responsible members of the dental profession. Follow‐up studies are needed to explore the impact of community‐based dental education upon students’ perceptions and understanding of social responsibility and professionalism regarding underserved communities.
Electronic Textbooks as a Professional Resource After Dental School
Authors: Bates Michael L. , Strother Elizabeth A. , Brunet Darlene P. , Gallo John R.
Published: June 2020

In two previous studies of dental students’ attitudes about the VitalSource Bookshelf, a digital library of dental textbooks, students expressed negative opinions about owning and reading electronic textbooks. With the assumption that dentists would find the digital textbooks useful for patient care, the authors surveyed recent graduates to determine if their attitude toward the VitalSource Bookshelf had changed. A brief survey was sent to 119 alumni from the classes of 2009 and 2010 of one U.S. dental school. Forty‐seven (39.5 percent) completed the questionnaire. Eighteen respondents (48.3 percent) reported using the e‐textbooks often or sometimes. The twenty‐nine dentists who said they have not used the collection since graduation reported preferring print books or other online sources or having technical problems when downloading the books to a new computer. Only five respondents selected the VitalSource Bookshelf as a preferred source of professional information. Most of the respondents reported preferring to consult colleagues (37.8 percent), the Internet (20 percent), or hardcopy books (17.8 percent) for information. When asked in an open‐ended question to state their opinion of the Bookshelf, nineteen (42.2 percent) responded positively, but almost one‐third of these only liked the search feature. Six respondents reported that they never use the program. Twenty‐two said they have had technical problems with the Bookshelf, including fifteen who have not been able to install it on a new computer. Many of them said they have not followed up with either the dental school or VitalSource support services to overcome this problem. Our study suggests that dentists, similar to dental students, dislike reading electronic textbooks, even with the advantage of searching a topic across more than sixty dental titles.
Evaluation of Postgraduate Dental Specialty Residents: A Survey of Program Directors
Authors: Jolly Priscilla A. , Armbruster Paul C. , Hagan Joseph L. , Ballard Richard W.
Published: June 2020

The professional dental literature is lacking in information concerning the use of technology in evaluation procedures utilized in postgraduate dental education. The purpose of this study was to identify the methods of evaluation of U.S. postgraduate specialty residents currently in place. The study also sought to determine if there were any patterns among programs more likely to utilize electronic submission in the evaluation process. An electronic survey consisting of eighteen questions was sent to the program directors of all accredited U.S. dental specialty programs (n=416). The survey yielded 150 responses, for a 36 percent response rate. The results showed that the majority of responding program directors (68 percent) evaluate their residents using a hardcopy evaluation instrument, while a minority of directors (32 percent) reported using an electronic evaluation instrument. The majority of respondents (58 percent) said they require faculty members to formally evaluate residents semiannually. Fifty percent of responding program directors reported a need for improvement in their current evaluation system. Those reporting a need for improvement were less likely to be using an electronic format. There was no statistical significance between faculty responsiveness and the mode of evaluation used. With many program directors reporting room for improvement in their current evaluation system, innovation in the evaluation systems of postgraduate dental education is needed.
Where Is Leadership Training Being Taught in U.S. Dental Schools?
Authors: Taichman Russell S. , Parkinson Joseph W.
Published: June 2020

Since leadership is vital in all professions and organizations, the purpose of this study was to determine where in dental schools leadership for predoctoral students is taught and to what degree it is emphasized in order to establish a baseline from which to generate recommendations for best practices. Academic deans of U.S. dental schools were surveyed to determine where in the curriculum leadership is taught and emphasized. The response rate was 39 percent returned completed surveys. These responses were representative of all geographic regions of the country, with equitable distribution between private and public institutions. The results showed that leadership training is delivered in many different parts of the curriculum and at various levels. Generally, the respondents indicated that leadership education is delivered in the setting of practice management, community out‐reach, or public health. In some cases, specific training programs are dedicated to leadership development. Thus, several models for leadership development were identified, showing design flexibility in addressing regional and national needs. In the future, it would be of value to assess the effectiveness of the various models and whether single or multiple pathways for leadership training are most beneficial.
Effectiveness of Training Dental Students in Two Occlusal Indices
Authors: Cubas Yltze P. , Hardy Daniel , Dhillon Deep K. , Orellana Maria F.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of students in a U.S. dental school to learn and apply two indices of orthodontic need: the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (IOTN) and the Index of Complexity, Outcome, and Need (ICON). Dental students were randomly selected and separated into three groups: control, IOTN, and ICON. Each evaluated thirty casts that had previously been evaluated by a panel of thirteen orthodontists to develop a gold standard of orthodontic treatment need for these casts. Students re‐evaluated the same thirty casts after IOTN and ICON training for their own group, while the control group did not receive any training. Logistic regression of pre‐ and post‐training agreement with the gold standard was calculated for each group to create a clear quadratic relationship. Significant differences were not found between pre‐ and post‐training evaluation for either the IOTN or the ICON groups as compared to the control. However, the IOTN group did show more improvement when compared with the ICON group. This study demonstrates that the use of the IOTN index improved assessment in predoctoral dental students to determine orthodontic treatment need.
Effect of an Educational Course at an Iranian Dental School on Students’ Knowledge of and Attitudes About HIV/AIDS
Authors: Jafari Ahmad , Yazdani Reza , Khami Mohammad Reza , Mohammadi Mansoureh , Hajiabdolbaghi Mahboubeh
Published: June 2020

This study investigated the effects of an educational program designed to improve the knowledge and attitudes of senior dental students in an Iranian dental school about caring for patients with HIV/AIDS. As part of an extramural program in community dentistry, a new educational program about HIV/AIDS was developed at Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2009. The program consisted of two days’ observation at the Consultation Center for Behavioral Diseases and a one‐day workshop on infection control. A control group was selected from dental students at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Before and after the intervention, students in both the intervention and control groups completed a questionnaire concerning their knowledge of and attitudes about HIV/AIDS. Students in the intervention group also expressed their opinions in a post‐test questionnaire. An independent sample t‐test was used for statistical analysis. In the control group, the means of students’ knowledge and attitude scores did not differ significantly from pre‐test to post‐test. In the intervention group, however, the means of both knowledge and attitude scores on the post‐test were significantly higher than on the pre‐test (p=0.001 and p=0.009, respectively). In the intervention group, more than 96 percent of the students reported that they would completely follow infection control principles in future practice. This study concludes that the educational program improved the students’ knowledge of and attitudes about HIV/AIDS and will have a positive effect on their future practice.
Expanded Function Allied Dental Personnel and Dental Practice Productivity and Efficiency
Authors: Beazoglou Tryfon J. , Chen Lei , Lazar Vickie F. , Brown L. Jackson , Ray Subhash C. , Heffley Dennis R. , Berg Rob , Bailit Howard L.
Published: June 2020

This study examined the impact of expanded function allied dental personnel on the productivity and efficiency of general dental practices. Detailed practice financial and clinical data were obtained from a convenience sample of 154 general dental practices in Colorado. In this state, expanded function dental assistants can provide a wide range of reversible dental services/procedures, and dental hygienists can give local anesthesia. The survey identified practices that currently use expanded function allied dental personnel and the specific services/procedures delegated. Practice productivity was measured using patient visits, gross billings, and net income. Practice efficiency was assessed using a multivariate linear program, Data Envelopment Analysis. Sixty‐four percent of the practices were found to use expanded function allied dental personnel, and on average they delegated 31.4 percent of delegatable services/procedures. Practices that used expanded function allied dental personnel treated more patients and had higher gross billings and net incomes than those practices that did not; the more services they delegated, the higher was the practice's productivity and efficiency. The effective use of expanded function allied dental personnel has the potential to substantially expand the capacity of general dental practices to treat more patients and to generate higher incomes for dental practices.
Impact of Dental Therapists on Productivity and Finances: I. Literature Review
Authors: Bailit Howard L. , Beazoglou Tryfon J. , DeVitto Judy , McGowan Taegen , Myne‐Joslin Veronica
Published: June 2020

This study examined the financial impact of dental therapists on Federally Qualified Health Center dental clinics (treating children) and on private general dental practices (treating children and adults). This article, the first of four on this subject, reviews the dental therapy literature and the dental access problem for low‐income children. Dental therapists now practice in many developed countries, tribal areas of Alaska, and Minnesota. These allied dental professionals vary in their training and required dentist supervision, but all provide routine restorative and other related services to children and adults. The limited literature on the impact of dental therapists suggests that they work mainly in school and community clinics and some private practices, are well accepted by patients, provide restorations that are comparable in quality to those of dentists, expand the supply of services, do not increase private practices’ net revenues, and in school programs decrease the number of untreated decayed teeth. Of the approximately 33.8 million children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), some 40 percent now receive at least one annual dental visit. To increase utilization for all children to 60 percent—the rate seen in children from upper‐income families—another 6.7 million children need to receive care; dental therapists may help to accomplish that objective.
Impact of Dental Therapists on Productivity and Finances: II. Federally Qualified Health Centers
Authors: Beazoglou Tryfon J. , Bailit Howard L. , DeVitto Judy , McGowan Taegen , Myne‐Joslin Veronica
Published: June 2020

This article estimates the impact of dental therapists treating children on Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) dental clinic finances and productivity. The analysis is based on twelve months of patient visit and financial data from large FQHC dental clinics (multiple delivery sites) in Connecticut and Wisconsin. Assuming dental therapists provide restorative, extraction, and pulpal services and dental hygienists continue to deliver all hygiene services, the maximum reduction in costs is about 6 percent. The limited impact of dental therapists on FQHC dental clinic finances is because 1) dental therapists only account for 17 percent of children services and 2) dentists are responsible for only 25 percent of clinic expenses and cost reductions are related to the difference between dental therapist and dentist wage rates.
Influence of Private Practice Employment of Dental Therapists in Saskatchewan on the Future Supply of Dental Therapists in Canada
Authors: Uswak Gerry , Keller‐Kurysh Emory
Published: June 2020

The profession of dental therapy has long been held up as a model for reducing access to care barriers in high‐risk, underserved populations worldwide. Dental therapists practice in many countries delivering preventive and basic restorative care to children and adults. In North America, dental therapy education and practice date back to 1972 with the establishment of training programs at the National School of Dental Therapy in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, and the Wascana Institute of Applied Arts and Science in Regina, Saskatchewan, as a means of reducing access to care barriers in Canada's northern territories and to implement the Saskatchewan Health Dental Plan, respectively. At present, dental therapy in North America has reached a crossroads: in the United States, the profession is cautiously being explored as a solution for improving access to care in at‐risk populations. In 2011, Canada's sole training program, the National School of Dental Therapy in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, closed when the federal government eliminated its funding. This article examines the impact of private practice employment of dental therapists in Saskatchewan on the supply of dental therapist human resources for health in Canada's three northern territories (Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon), its role in the closure of the National School of Dental Therapy in 2011, and ramifications for the future of dental therapy in Canada.
Academic‐Service Partnerships, Research, and the South African Dental Academic
Authors: Grossman Elly S. , Naidoo Sudeshni
Published: June 2020

In South Africa, academic dentistry is managed through joint agreements between the South African Department of Health (DoH) and each university, in a type of academic‐service partnership. For this study, dental faculty members were surveyed to ascertain staff attitudes towards academic research in dental schools and to find out whether the joint arrangement impinges upon research activities. A survey was distributed to 200 members of the South African division of the International Association for Dental Research (SA IADR) and the academic staff of the four South African dental schools. One hundred and five responses were obtained for a response rate of 53 percent; most of the respondents were lecturers (26 percent), specialists (17 percent), heads of department (17 percent), or senior lecturers (13 percent). The majority were employed by the DoH (77 percent) and were members of the SA IADR (51 percent). Most reported feeling that research is an important issue in their school (83 percent) and perceived general research output had declined (59 percent). While 79 percent said they were concerned about the decline, many (71 percent) felt there was little they could do about it. The respondents mentioned the following as reasons for the decline: lackluster approach of DoH structures, weak university support, poor research equipment and facilities, inadequate funding, emphasis on service delivery, undergraduate teaching loads, onerous working conditions, and lack of vision, leadership, and governance by senior management. Faculty members’ twin obligations of service delivery (required by the DoH) and teaching (required by their institutions) have severely impacted South African academic dental research.