bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
U.S. State‐Supported Dental Schools: Financial Projections and Implications
Authors: Bailit Howard L. , Beazoglou Tryfon J. , Formicola Allan J. , Tedesco Lisa A. , Brown L. Jackson , Weaver Richard G.
Published: June 2020

This article examines the impact of financial trends in state‐supported dental schools on full‐time clinical faculty; the diversity of dental students and their career choices; investments in physical facilities; and the place of dentistry in research universities. The findings of our study are the following: the number of students per full‐time clinical faculty member increased; the three schools with the lowest revenue increases lost a third of their full‐time clinical faculty; more students are from wealthier families; most schools are not able to adequately invest in their physical plant; and more than half of schools have substantial NIH‐funded research programs. If current trends continue, the term “crisis” will describe the situation faced by most dental schools. Now is the time to build the political consensus needed to develop new and more effective strategies to educate the next generation of American dentists and to keep dental education primarily based in research universities. The future of the dental profession and the oral health of the American people depend on it.
Retention of Teeth Versus Extraction and Implant Placement: Treatment Preferences of Dental Faculty and Dental Students
Authors: Di Fiore Peter M. , Tam Lawrence , Thai Ha T. , Hittelman Eugene , Norman Robert G.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine the treatment preferences amongst dental faculty and dental students for either retention of teeth by endodontic and restorative treatment or extraction and implant placement. A survey of 134 general dentistry faculty and 253 senior (fourth‐year) dental students was conducted in a university college of dentistry. Participants completed a survey consisting of questions for which one of two choices could be selected. For questions describing specific clinical situations, dental faculty and dental students more frequently selected endodontic and restorative treatment over extraction and implant placement. However, dental students selected implants more frequently than dental faculty, and more recent graduates on the dental faculty selected implants more frequently than less recent graduates on the dental faculty. In addition, there was an increase in the selection of implants, for all participant groups, as the prosthetic and endodontic complexities of the clinical situations increased. Participants were more likely to select endodontics rather than implants for medically compromised patients, and an implant was overwhelmingly selected over a fixed bridge for the replacement of a single tooth unit. In conclusion, the findings of this study indicate that retention of teeth is preferred, but there may be an increased preference toward implants in the future.
Characteristics of Effective Classroom Teachers as Identified by Students and Professionals: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Jahangiri Leila , Mucciolo Thomas W.
Published: June 2020

This qualitative research study identified criteria for teacher quality preferences as perceived by current and past students. A two‐question, open‐ended survey asking what qualities learners liked most and least in a teacher/presenter was given to two groups: students (Group A) from medicine, dentistry, and related residency programs; and dentists and physicians (Group B) who had graduated at least three years previously and who attended a minimum of two days of continuing education courses in lecture format each year. A total of 300 subjects provided 2,295 written responses. Descriptive words within the responses were coded and grouped according to similar relationships, resulting in the emergence of twenty‐one defined categories that were further refined into three core categories: personality, process, and performance. Results showed that the two groups appear to have different preferences in teacher/presenter characteristics. For Group A (students), the categories of content design, content organization, and content development were at the forefront of their preferences. Group B (professionals) overwhelmingly favored elements of speaker self‐confidence and expertise. Both groups highly valued expertise and speaking style. These findings can be used to develop curriculum, enhance faculty members’ teaching skills, and plan continuing education programs.
The Quality of Dental Faculty Work‐Life: Report on the 2007 Dental School Faculty Work Environment Survey
Authors: Haden N. Karl , Hendricson William , Ranney Richard R. , Vargas Adriana , Cardenas Lina , Rose William , Ross Ridley , Funk Edward
Published: June 2020

This report is the third in a series of articles on the dental school work environment commissioned by the American Dental Education Association's Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education. The report is based on the most extensive research to date on faculty satisfaction in the dental school environment. The purpose of the study was to assess faculty perceptions and recommendations related to work environment, sources of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and professional development needs. More broadly, the study intends to provide insight into the “change readiness” of dental schools to move forward with curricular improvements and innovations. Findings are based on 1,748 responses from forty‐nine U.S. dental schools obtained during the time frame of February to April 2007. The total number of respondents constituted 17 percent of all U.S. dental school faculty. The average response rate per school was thirty‐six (21 percent). To elucidate the data in terms of issues related to the quality of faculty work‐life based on demographics, the authors compared perceptions of various aspects of the work culture in academic dentistry among faculty with different academic ranks and academic degrees and by other variables such as age and gender, tenure versus non‐tenure appointments, and full‐ versus part‐time status. Quantitative and qualitative analyses show that the majority of faculty members described themselves as very satisfied to satisfied with their dental school overall and with their department as a place to work. Tenured associate professors expressed the greatest level of dissatisfaction. Opportunities for and support of professional development emerged as an area requiring substantially more attention from dental schools. The authors of the study suggest that dental school leaders use these findings to assess their individual dental school's work environment and to plan changes as needed.
University of Toronto's Dental School Shows “New Teeth”: Moving Towards Online Instruction
Authors: Salajan Florin D. , Mount Greg J.
Published: June 2020

This article presents the approach the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto employed to modernize its methods of instruction by using online technologies. A small team of faculty, students, and content developers was assembled to work with individual faculty members to brainstorm and research ideas for innovative teaching practices in dental studies. The team was not content to simply post digital versions of the ubiquitous PowerPoint lectures in Blackboard, selected in 2006 by the University of Toronto as its sole platform for online course delivery, but rather set out to introduce interactivity with the course material. Consequently, a series of interactive applications was created, such as the virtual microscope in Oral Pathology, the 3D cavity preparations in Restorative Dentistry, and the Master Media Repository. During the summer of 2006, the Faculty of Dentistry made progress toward becoming one of the university's front‐runners in online course innovation. The result of this collaboration between faculty members and the team was ten courses with interactive online presence, representing approximately 20 percent of the undergraduate curriculum. Since the summer of 2006, the Faculty of Dentistry has continued to pursue its goal of providing meaningful online instruction in all of its courses.
A Predental School Experience to Expose Potential Applicants to Dental School and the Dental Profession
Authors: Fenesy Kim E. , DeCastro Jeanette E.
Published: June 2020

In June 2000, during a period of declining applications to dental school both locally and nationally, the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)‐New Jersey Dental School (NJDS) initiated the Gateway to Dentistry (GTD) program. Its overall goal was to increase applications from qualified applicants interested in the health professions but uncertain of dentistry as their ultimate choice. Participants learned about dental school and the profession during a two‐week internship that provided hands‐on experiences; exposure to various disciplines and career options within dentistry; a glimpse of student life through interactions with a dental student mentor; an understanding of the application process; and individualized assistance in educational and career planning. As the overall applicant pool increased nationally and at NJDS, the program proved valuable in attracting a diverse and highly qualified student body. The program is currently offered twice per year to thirty students per session from a pool of approximately 300 applicants from throughout the country. Close to 40 percent of the program participants have been accepted to NJDS, and one‐fourth of current incoming classes are GTD participants. Program participants’ evaluations have been consistently positive, citing the value of hands‐on activities and interactions with enthusiastic faculty volunteers.
Feeding the Pipeline: Academic Skills Training for Predental Students
Authors: Markel Geraldine , Woolfolk Marilyn , Inglehart Marita Rohr
Published: June 2020

This article reports the outcomes of an evaluation conducted to determine if an academic skills training program for undergraduate predental students from underrepresented minority backgrounds increased the students’ standardized academic skills test scores for vocabulary, reading comprehension, reading rates, spelling, and math as well as subject‐specific test results in biology, chemistry, and physics. Data from standardized academic skill tests and subject‐specific tests were collected at the beginning and end of the 1998 to 2006 Pipeline Programs, six‐week summer enrichment programs for undergraduate predental students from disadvantaged backgrounds. In total, 179 students (75.4 percent African American, 7.3 percent Hispanic, 5.6 percent Asian American, 5 percent white) attended the programs during these nine summers. Scores on the Nelson‐Denny Reading Test showed that the students improved their vocabulary scores (percentile ranks before/after: 46.80 percent/59.56 percent; p<.001), reading comprehension scores (47.21 percent/62.67 percent; p<.001), and reading rates (34.01 percent/78.31 percent; p<.001) from the beginning to the end of the summer programs. Results on the Wide Range Achievement Test III showed increases in spelling (73.58 percent/86.22 percent; p<.001) and math scores (56.98 percent/81.28 percent; p<.001). The students also improved their subject‐specific scores in biology (39.07 percent/63.42 percent; p<.001), chemistry (20.54 percent/51.01 percent; p<.001), and physics (35.12 percent/61.14 percent; p<.001). To increase the number of underrepresented minority students in the dental school admissions pool, efforts are needed to prepare students from disadvantaged backgrounds for this process. These data demonstrate that a six‐week enrichment program significantly improved the academic skills and basic science knowledge scores of undergraduate predental students. These improvements have the potential to enhance the performance of these students in college courses and thus increase their level of competitiveness in the dental school admissions process.
Whole‐Tooth Regeneration: It Takes a Village of Scientists, Clinicians, and Patients
Authors: Snead Malcolm L.
Published: June 2020

A team of senior scientists was formed in 2006 to create a blueprint for the regeneration of whole human teeth along with all of the supporting structure of the dentition. The team included experts from diverse fields, each with a reputation for stellar accomplishment. Participants attacked the scientific issues of tooth regeneration but, more importantly, each agreed to work collaboratively with experts from other disciplines to form a learning organization. A commitment to learn from one another produced a unique interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary team. Inspired by the Kennedy space program to send a man to the moon, with its myriad of problems and solutions that no one discipline could solve, this tooth regeneration team devised an ambitious plan that sought to use stem cell biology, engineering, and computational biology to replicate the developmental program for odontogenesis. In this manner, team members envisioned a solution that consisted of known or knowable fundamentals. They proposed a laboratory‐grown tooth rudiment that would be capable of executing the complete program for odontogenesis when transplanted to a suitable host, recreating all of the dental tissues, periodontal ligament, cementum, and alveolar bone associated with the canonical tooth. This plan was designed to bring regenerative medicine fully into the dental surgery suite, although a lack of funding has so far prevented the plan from being carried out.
Bisphosphonates and Osteonecrosis of the Jaws
Authors: Mariotti Angelo
Published: June 2020

Bisphosphonates are important drugs that are increasingly prescribed to reduce the morbidity associated with osteoclast‐mediated bone diseases. Shortly after the turn of the century, a variety of case reports described a necrosis of the jaw bone in patients using bisphosphonates. Currently, an exposed area of necrotic jaw bone present for at least eight weeks in patients using bisphosphonates has been defined as a bisphosphonate‐associated osteonecrosis (BON) by the American Dental Association. BON may occur spontaneously but is more frequently associated with local trauma to the jaw. At this time, a causal relationship between BON and bisphosphonates has not been demonstrated. This review will evaluate current data related to the occurrence, risk, prevention, treatment, and management of BON.
Developing a Standardized Cephalometric Vocabulary: Choices and Possible Strategies
Authors: Stewart Randall F. , Edgar Heather , Tatlock Charles , Kroth Philip J.
Published: June 2020

The science of cephalometry has been invaluable for guiding orthodontic diagnosis, treatment planning, and outcomes tracking. Though software packages easily calculate most cephalometric measurements, the ability to exchange cephalometric data bet ween software packages is poorly developed. Hindering this effort is the lack of an agreed‐upon standard for electronic exchange of cephalometric measurements. Unlike more technological issues, the problem of creating such a standard is one of formalizing decisions already established through historical precedent. Solving this problem will require education, cooperation, and consensus in order to reap the potential improvements to patient care, dental education, and research. The first step in overcoming these remaining issues is awareness. This article reviews those factors that place cephalometric measurements in an excellent position for standardization, outlines those decisions that must be made in order to realize the goal of electronic exchange of cephalometric information, and describes some of the options for these decisions as well as some advantages and disadvantages of each.
Periodontal‐Systemic Disease Education in U.S. and Canadian Dental Schools
Authors: Wilder Rebecca S. , Iacopino Anthony M. , Feldman Cecile A. , Guthmiller Janet , Linfante Jeffrey , Lavigne Salme , Paquette David
Published: June 2020

Research has proliferated in recent years regarding the relationship of oral disease to systemic conditions. Specifically, periodontal disease has been studied as a potential risk factor for multiple conditions such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) and adverse pregnancy outcomes, while other research focuses on exposures or behaviors associated with oral disease. However, few articles have been published reporting how this information is integrated into schools of dentistry, both in the classroom and clinical curriculum. For our study, a thirty‐three‐item survey and cover letter were electronically mailed to academic deans at sixty‐five accredited dental schools in the United States and Canada in the fall of 2007. The response rate was 77 percent. According to the responses to this survey, the primary topics covered in the didactic curriculum regarding periodontal oral‐systemic disease are aging, CVD, diabetes, and tobacco use. Eighty‐eight percent of the respondents reported that their students are knowledgeable about the role of inflammation and its impact on oral‐systemic conditions. Forty‐eight percent of the respondents said they provide formal training for their students in how to discuss or communicate aspects of periodontal oral‐systemic disease with patients. Only seven schools reported teaching didactic content to dental students intermixed with other health professions students, and only two schools reported conducting joint projects. Only 9 percent of the respondents said they think nurses and physicians are knowledgeable about oral‐systemic disease. The findings indicate that dental schools are confident about the knowledge of their students regarding oral‐systemic content. However, much work is needed to educate dental students to work in a collaborative fashion with other health care providers to co‐manage patients at risk for oral‐systemic conditions.
Finding a Method to Analyze Qualitative Data: Using a Study of Conceptual Learning
Authors: McMillan Wendy J.
Published: June 2020

There is increasing awareness in the health sciences of the potential of qualitative research to address questions that quantitative research cannot satisfactorily answer. While a growing number of studies in health sciences and health sciences education discuss the value of such research or describe the methodology and data collection processes, few detail how analysis was carried out. Reliability and validity of findings from qualitative research depend on the quality of data management, retrieval, and interpretation or identification of meaning. The robustness of data analysis is therefore an important factor in the rigor of qualitative research. This article uses a study of dental students’ conceptual learning to illustrate strategies that ensure rigor in qualitative analysis. Factors that informed the decisions regarding analysis are discussed in detail. The use of both grounded theory and literature is discussed. The role that deductive and inductive reasoning played in the analysis is outlined. A brief section illustrates the kinds of conclusions that can be made about conceptual learning when qualitative data are rigorously analyzed. Finally, potential shortcomings in the study and alternatives or additional mechanisms for ensuring validity and reliability of analysis are discussed.
Full‐Time Dental Faculty Perceptions of Satisfaction with the Academic Work Environment
Authors: Froeschle Mary Lynn , Sinkford Jeanne C.
Published: June 2020

A significant factor in a faculty member's accepting or maintaining an academic appointment is the work environment. Assessing the work environment to identify characteristics that could increase faculty retention and recruitment could be valuable to an educational institution. This study assessed the academic dental work environment to identify positive and negative areas affecting career satisfaction. An online survey about departmental structure and individual work patterns was sent to the deans of fifty‐two U.S. dental schools who then forwarded the survey to their faculty. Thirty‐eight institutions (73 percent) and 451 full‐time faculty members from those thirty‐eight schools responded. Most dental faculty members in this survey intend to remain in academia for the next five to eight years. Slightly fewer male faculty members intend to remain in dental education for five to eight years than do female faculty members. Positive satisfaction aspects of the work environment listed by respondents included supportive chair/administration, working relationships with colleagues, and interactions with students. Negative satisfaction aspects of the work environment included low salary, long hours, and heavy workloads. Both positive aspects of job satisfaction and negative factors that impede productivity need to be analyzed within the framework of each institution to enact change for career enrichment, leading to increased faculty recruitment and retention.
Transition of a Dental Histology Course from Light to Virtual Microscopy
Authors: Weaker Frank J. , Herbert Damon C.
Published: June 2020

The transition of the dental histology course at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Dental School was completed gradually over a five‐year period. A pilot project was initially conducted to study the feasibility of integrating virtual microscopy into a traditional light microscopic lecture and laboratory course. Because of the difficulty of procuring quality calcified and decalcified sections of teeth, slides from the student loan collection in the oral histology block of the course were outsourced for conversion to digital images and placed on DVDs along with a slide viewer. The slide viewer mimicked the light microscope, allowing horizontal and vertical movement and changing of magnification, and, in addition, a feature to capture static images. In a survey, students rated the ease of use of the software, quality of the images, maneuverability of the images, and questions regarding use of the software, effective use of laboratory, and faculty time. Because of the positive support from the students, our entire student loan collection of 153 glass slides was subsequently converted to virtual images and distributed on an Apricorn pocket external hard drive. Students were asked to assess the virtual microscope over a four‐year period. As a result of the surveys, light microscopes have been totally eliminated, and microscope exams have been replaced with project slide examinations. In the future, we plan to expand our virtual slides and incorporate computer testing.
Practicing Dental Hygienists’ Perceptions About the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene and the Oral Health Practitioner
Authors: Anderson Kelly L. , Smith Barbara S.
Published: June 2020

No research data are available about practicing dental hygienists’ opinions regarding the Bachelor of Science in Dental Hygiene (B.S.D.H.) and the oral health practitioner (OHP), a new professional category in dental hygiene; however, such views would be useful to those implementing these programs in the academic setting as well as those involved in proposing and passing legislation regarding them. The purpose of our study was to gather information from a group of practicing dental hygienists regarding their opinions in three areas: 1) the entry‐level B.S.D.H., 2) the OHP, and 3) reasons for being for or against these programs. A survey, sent to 564 dental hygiene graduates, used a five‐point Likert scale to evaluate perceptions in various categories. The respondents also ranked perceived benefits and negative impacts. The usable return rate was 33.6 percent. Descriptive statistics were developed, and chi‐square tests were used to analyze the data. More than 70 percent of the respondents agreed that an associate's degree sufficiently prepared dental hygienists for their positions and that the OHP would have a positive impact on access to dental care. The majority also said they felt the master's‐educated hygienist would be adequately prepared to perform proposed OHP functions. Selected demographic variables were found to be significantly associated with perceptions, including that the B.S.D.H. was viewed more positively by younger respondents.
Teaching Casual Random Blood Glucose Screening to Second‐Year Dental Students
Authors: Radmer Thomas W. , Kassab Moawia M. , Lynch Denis P. , Walsh Martin
Published: June 2020

In our project, archived casual random blood glucose levels of second‐year dental students who were taught the mechanics of self‐testing were retrieved. Material data were analyzed by calculating means, medians, standard deviations, and ranges for 161 dental students screened by this casual and random self‐monitoring of blood glucose levels as described by the American Diabetes Association's 2008 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. Three types of data were assessed in this study. The first was the casual blood glucose levels of second‐year dental students. The second was the data retrieved from student questionnaires regarding the value of teaching casual random blood glucose screening. The third was the U.S. dental schools’ responses regarding inclusion of casual blood glucose screening in their current curricula. Second‐year dental students self‐reported hypoglycemia in three instances and hyperglycemia in eight, based on current American Diabetes Association standards. Students agreed or strongly agreed that the value of teaching was informative (92.3 percent), beneficial (95 percent), and something that might be included in their practices (78.2 percent), with 19.2 percent being neutral on the inclusion. Only six U.S. dental schools reported teaching casual random glucose screening.
Students’ Opinion of a Predoctoral Implant Training Program
Authors: Kido Hirofumi , Yamamoto Katsuki , Kakura Kae , Morinaga Kenzo , Matsuura Takashi , Matsunaga Tatsuaki , Shimizu Hiroshi , Takahashi Yutaka , Sato Hironobu , Matsuura Masaro
Published: June 2020

Implant treatment today is highly predictable and provides valid restorative options for the completely or partially edentulous patient. In Japan, many dental care facilities have incorporated implant treatment, and such treatment is no longer rare. For predoctoral students, the educational environment related to implants is not always applicable in present clinical settings. In this article, we describe the implant training program developed at our university for predoctoral education, and we report the changes in student opinions regarding implant treatment by comparing pre‐ and post‐training opinions. The newly developed models for implant training were effective in increasing student understanding that implant treatment is one prosthetic option for restoring missing teeth. In a survey of predoctoral students, responses indicating negative opinions toward implant treatment decreased after training, and responses indicating positive opinions increased. These findings indicated that this training was effective in deepening student understanding of implant treatment.
The Impact of New Dental Schools on the Dental Workforce Through 2022
Authors: Guthrie David , Valachovic Richard W. , Brown L. Jackson
Published: June 2020

Following a wave of dental school closures from 1986 to 2001 and a perceived shortage of dentists, three new dental schools were established between 1997 and 2003, and eight more are in various stages of planning and development to open over the next decade. Conditions are moving rapidly, and several institutions have stated intentions to open new dental schools since this analysis. This article presents a supply‐side analysis of the impact of the new schools on the effective dentist to population ratio, taking into account changes in graduation rates, retirement rate, population growth, productivity, and gender ratio of the profession. Demand‐side factors including utilization, per patient expenditures, and case mix are addressed, as well as the implications of these changes on access to care and the future of the profession. Given approximately ten new schools, by 2022, an additional 8,233 graduates will have joined the workforce, or approximately three dentists per 100,000 people. Effective dentist to population ratios vary greatly depending on all of the factors addressed. Changes in productivity influence the effective ratio most significantly. Most probable scenarios for the dental workforce suggest a stable dentist to population ratio at minimum, with an increase likely given recent productivity changes. The increase in dentists will not noticeably improve access to care for low‐income and rural populations absent additional public funding to support demand for these populations and concurrent measures to effect even distribution of dentists throughout the country.
Do Dental Hygiene Students Fit the Learning Profile of the Millennial Student?
Authors: Blue Christine M.
Published: June 2020

Differences in learning and the cultural context of our students’ life experiences are important variables that faculty members need to understand in order to be effective in the classroom. Faculty members are finding that millennial students’ approaches to learning are often vastly different from their own and as a result feel frustrated in their ability to help these students with their learning needs. Cultivating awareness of how today's dental hygiene student learns as well as the millennial learner profile can help faculty members address this educational challenge. The purpose of this study was to identify the learning styles of three groups of dental hygiene students and determine if they fit the learning profile of the millennial student as measured by the Learning Type Measure. Given this new generation of learners, it was hypothesized that dental hygiene students’ learning style preferences would fit the learning profile of the millennial student. The Learning Type Measure was administered to 101 dental hygiene students at the University of Minnesota, University of Arizona, and Virginia Commonwealth University. The results from the study revealed that dental hygiene students do exhibit learning style preferences consistent with the millennial learner profile.
Educational Experiences and Preparedness in Dental Anesthesia: Five‐Year Outcome Assessment and Conclusions
Authors: Moore Paul A. , Boynes Sean G. , Cuddy Michael A. , Giovannitti Joseph A. , Zovko Jayme
Published: June 2020

A mail survey of 2003–07 dental school graduates was undertaken by the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the predoctoral curriculum in anesthesia and to determine the preparedness of practicing dentists to provide anesthesia services for their dental patients. Subsets of the survey responses were created to specifically evaluate the effectiveness of an advanced selective program in sedation offered to approximately twenty third‐ and fourth‐year predoctoral students. This fourteen‐month Anesthesia Selective Program provides advanced didactic instruction and clinical experiences needed to establish competence in minimal to moderate sedation. Overall, graduates reported being best prepared in assessment of medical histories, physiology, and pharmacology, while being least prepared in oral sedation, intravenous sedation, and general anesthesia. For graduates currently in general practice, those who had participated in the Anesthesia Selective Program reported being better prepared in most subjects relating to anesthesia and patient care. Participants in the selective were also more likely to treat special needs patients in their private practices. Respondents’ written comments indicated a desire for a greater number of clinical experiences involving sedation procedures within the predoctoral curriculum. This outcome assessment indicated that a greater emphasis should be placed on instruction and training experiences for enteral sedation within the predoctoral dental curriculum. Advanced training and increased clinical experiences in anesthesia may also be an effective means to better prepare graduates to assess medical histories, to manage medical emergencies, and to be willing to treat medically complex patients as well as patients with special health care needs.
Medical Problems Among Dental Patients at the School of Dentistry, The University of the West Indies
Authors: Al‐Bayaty H.F. , Murti P.R. , Naidu R.S. , Matthews R. , Simeon D.
Published: June 2020

This study ascertained demographic information and prevalence rates of medical problems among 571 new and consecutive dental patients attending the emergency clinic of the School of Dentistry, The University of the West Indies. Patients were interviewed by specially trained and calibrated dental students and interns. Various medical problems of patients were recorded in individual open‐ended case sheets, maintaining their privacy and confidentiality. This information was then transcribed into a specially designed and pretested form. The data were entered into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet and analyzed using the SPSS statistical package to obtain the prevalence rates of medical conditions, which were then cross‐tabulated with gender, age, ethnicity, and other variables. Significance of differences, if any, was evaluated by chi‐square test. In all, 303 medical conditions were encountered in 239 individuals, giving a prevalence rate of 42 percent. Hypertension (12.6 percent), diabetes (6.1 percent), asthma (5.8 percent), arthritis (4.7 percent), and various allergies (8.3 percent) constituted an important segment of the problems. Gender, ethnic, and age differences were also evident for some diseases. In this study—which was the first of this kind in the West Indies—vital information on medical problems among dental patients was obtained by interviews conducted by dental students and interns, forming an important part of their dental education.
A Model for Critical Thinking Measurement of Dental Student Performance
Authors: Johnsen David C. , Finkelstein Michael W. , Marshall Teresa A. , Chalkley Yvonne M.
Published: June 2020

The educational application of critical thinking has increased in the last twenty years with programs like problem‐based learning. Performance measurement related to the dental student's capacity for critical thinking remains elusive, however. This article offers a model now in use to measure critical thinking applied to patient assessment and treatment planning across the four years of the dental school curriculum and across clinical disciplines. Two elements of the model are described: 1) a critical thinking measurement “cell,” and 2) a list of minimally essential steps in critical thinking for patient assessment and treatment planning. Issues pertaining to this model are discussed: adaptations on the path from novice to expert, the role of subjective measurement, variations supportive of the model, and the correlation of individual and institutional assessment. The critical thinking measurement cell consists of interacting performance tasks and measures. The student identifies the step in the process (for example, chief complaint) with objective measurement; the student then applies the step to a patient or case with subjective measurement; the faculty member then combines the objective and subjective measurements into an evaluation on progress toward competence. The activities in the cell are then repeated until all the steps in the process have been addressed. A next task is to determine consistency across the four years and across clinical disciplines.
Impact of Infrastructure on Graduate Dental Education and Dental Clinic Productivity
Authors: Lam Hwai‐Tai C. , Ward Timothy , O'Toole Terry G. , Arola Patricia E. , Chang Barbara K.
Published: June 2020

Using all‐inclusive data from 126 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities that provide dental services, this study identified the staffing infrastructure under which the Veterans Health Administration can provide graduate dental education without compromising dental clinic productivity. From regression analyses, we found that teaching residents has a negative impact on staff dentists’ productivity; however, when the dental assistant to provider ratio is greater than or equal to 1.0, dental residents’ workload contribution can offset the negative impact on overall clinic productivity. In the presence of dental residents, the dental assistant, front‐desk personnel, and dental treatment room to provider ratios have a positive impact on productivity. The optimal ratios were calculated as 1.5 for dental assistants, 2.1 for dental treatment rooms, and 0.57 for front‐desk personnel.
Dentistry in Brazil: Its History and Current Trends
Authors: Saliba Nemre Adas , Moimaz Suzely Adas Saliba , Garbin Cléa Adas Saliba , Diniz Diego Garcia
Published: June 2020

The objectives of this article are to provide a short history of dentistry and dental education in Brazil and to analyze the nature of its development to date. The databases consulted are those provided by the Brazilian Federal Council of Dentistry, Brazilian Ministry of Health, Brazilian Ministry of Education, National Institute of Studies and Educational Research Anísio Teixeira, and Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. Formal dental education in Brazil started in the late nineteenth century with the creation of courses annexed to existing schools of medicine in Rio de Janeiro and Bahia. Today, there are 191 institutions of higher education nationwide granting degrees in dentistry (137 private [71.7 percent] and fifty‐four public [28.3 percent]), with a total of 17,157 student positions offered annually. These schools graduate around 10,000 professionals per year—one of the highest rates in the world. Both the distribution of schools of dentistry and of dentists varies among the regions of the country, with the greatest concentrations in major metropolitan centers with high population density, resulting in limited coverage in the more deprived regions. A review of epidemiological data for oral health and distribution of dentists in Brazil indicates that there is a lack of systematic planning for the allocation of the dental workforce and a lack of consideration of regional needs in the development of dental training programs in Brazil today.
Tomorrow's Leaders, Starting Today: A Pilot Leadership Development Program for Dental Students
Authors: Victoroff Kristin Z. , Schneider Keith , Perry Crystal
Published: June 2020

Effective leadership is vitally important as the dental profession strives to meet current and future challenges. Leadership development programs have been created for mid‐career dental professionals, but the relative lack of such programs for dental students may represent a missed opportunity to cultivate the dental leaders of tomorrow. A pilot leadership development program for dental students is described in this article. A voluntary leadership development program for dental students was offered in 2008 at the Case School of Dental Medicine with support from the Ohio Dental Association Foundation. The program aimed to increase students’ leadership knowledge, improve their leadership skills, and provide inspiration through exposure to leaders who could serve as role models. At the conclusion of the program, students attended the Ohio Dental Association's Leadership Institute event. Forty‐six students attended at least one program session. Thirty students attended all or all but one of the on‐site sessions. Thirty‐three participants responded to a post‐program anonymous online survey. The majority of participants (81 percent) rated the program as very useful or useful and said they would participate in the program again (85 percent). Student attendance at the state dental association's leadership event increased appreciably from previous years. Student participation in the pilot program exceeded expectations. Leadership development programs for dental students are feasible and can benefit students and the dental community.
Dental Students’ Attitudes Toward the Care of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: Relationship Between Instruction and Experience
Authors: DeLucia Lisa M. , Davis Elaine L.
Published: June 2020

This study examined the relationship between didactic instruction related to special needs patients and dental students’ expectations of and reported comfort levels in treating those with intellectual disabilities. The relationship between students’ experience with individuals with intellectual disabilities and their expectations and comfort levels was also assessed. Third‐year students were surveyed immediately before and one week, six months, and one year after a lecture on management of patients with developmental disabilities. Students indicated their previous experience with individuals with intellectual disabilities, assessment of their general capabilities (i.e., life function skills) and dental capabilities, and current and anticipated comfort levels related to their treatment. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated significantly higher expectations of general and dental capabilities after instruction (p<0.05), but no change in comfort levels. At one‐year follow‐up, students’ expectations were still significantly higher than at baseline. Regression analyses indicated significant positive relationships between experience and baseline comfort levels (p<0.05), but no significant relationship between experience and expectations of general or dental capabilities. Based on these findings and review of the literature, it is recommended that curricula include experiential learning with reflective components in order to develop students’ comfort level in treating special needs populations.
Ability of Dental Students to Deliver Oxygen in a Medical Emergency
Authors: Le Thao T. , Scheller Erica L. , Pinsky Harold M. , Stefanac Stephen J. , Taichman Russell S.
Published: June 2020

This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of dental students to administer emergency oxygen to a patient during a simulated emergency. Forty third‐year (D3) and fourth‐year (D4) dental students were recruited and asked to demonstrate their ability in managing a simulated angina attack. Students were tested on their knowledge related to emergency medical protocols, the time taken to obtain oxygen, and operation of the oxygen equipment. Of the subjects tested, 68 percent independently identified the need for oxygen and the correct location of the equipment in the dental school. Only 15 percent of the students completed the experiment within a predetermined optimal time frame, and 50 percent of all students did not successfully operate the tank regulator to administer oxygen correctly. Although most participants in the study were able to verbalize the proper protocol for managing medical emergencies, the chairside execution in this situation demonstrates room for improvement. Incorporation of periodic simulation exercises, in addition to classroom education, is likely to improve the ability of dental students to manage medical emergencies.
North Carolina Dental Hygiene Students’ Opinions About Tobacco Cessation Education and Practices in Their Programs
Authors: Harris Joanna L. , Patton Lauren L. , Wilder Rebecca S. , Peterson Charlotte A. , Curran Alice E.
Published: June 2020

Inadequate training in tobacco cessation counseling (TCC) is a recognized, but mutable, barrier to implementation of tobacco cessation education (TCE) and intervention strategies in dental practice. The objective of this study was to identify the opinions and practices of senior dental hygiene (DH) students in North Carolina regarding their didactic training in TCE and integration of TCE into their clinical curricula. A pilot‐tested questionnaire designed by the authors was administered to a cross‐sectional, non‐random convenience sample of 241 graduating senior DH students enrolled in all twelve North Carolina DH educational programs. Response rate was 65 percent (n=156). Of the respondents, 99 percent agreed that hygienists should be trained to provide TCE. Nearly all respondents (99 percent) had one or more patients who smoked, and 81 percent had one or more patients who used spit tobacco. Eighty‐nine percent had one or more patients who had expressed a desire to quit. Most students were comfortable providing TCC to both smokers (92 percent) and spit tobacco users (93 percent); however, 26 percent reported that they were not comfortable providing quit messages to patients unwilling to quit. Enhancements to TCE in DH curricula may increase hygienists’ incorporation of TCE into their future practice.
Evaluating the Need for Alternative Didactic Learning Options in Pediatric Dental Residency Training
Authors: Keck Douglas B. , Rutkauskas John S. , Clothey Rebecca A.
Published: June 2020

The need for an alternative means of delivery of a didactic curriculum to pediatric dental residents is described. It is our hope with this project to encourage a much‐needed didactic curriculum for programs lacking faculty and to endorse other programs in which academicians exist but cannot cover all the material with which a resident needs to become familiar in the two years of postgraduate residency training. A decrease in faculty number due to retirement, debt burden, or marginal recruitment techniques along with an increase in positions in pediatric dentistry residency programs poses a unique educational dilemma. Using a mixed‐method research methodology, we sent a twelve‐question survey to 105 pediatric dentistry residency program directors and department chairs, followed by eight telephone interviews. Results from a 55 percent return rate show that the debt burden of most pediatric dental residents is well over $100,000 and that this affects a resident's decision to enter academia, as does the relative lack of positive recruitment techniques and poor faculty remuneration. The survey results affirm the need for improvement in the didactic curriculum of pediatric dentistry residents and show that program directors and department chairs also feel that an alternative delivery method using DVD or online/web‐based programs would be welcomed. Despite their extremely heavy workloads, educators are willing to contribute by providing lectures or reading lists in their area of expertise.
Under Oath: Content Analysis of Oaths Administered in ADA‐Accredited Dental Schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico
Authors: Schwartz Aaron B. , Peterson Erin M. , Edelstein Burton L.
Published: June 2020

This study reviews and analyzes the content of dental school oaths taken by students in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico in 2006. Each oath was qualitatively reviewed to determine its consistency with each of the five principles set forth in the American Dental Association (ADA)'s Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct. Fifty‐eight oaths were received from sixty‐one of sixty‐six schools in response to information requests regarding use of oaths and manner of administration. Of these, thirty‐nine employ one oath, administered at either graduation or ceremonies marking transition to clinical training; twelve employ an oath at both occasions, with five repeating the same oath; and ten have no formal oaths. Eighteen oaths follow the wording of “The Dentist's Pledge,” nine follow the “Oath to the Profession/Professional Pledge,” three follow the Modern Hippocratic Oath, and twenty‐eight are idiosyncratic. All five of the ADA principles (autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, and veracity) are addressed in thirteen oaths, four principles in nine oaths, and three or fewer principles in thirty‐six oaths. Eleven make reference to care for the underserved. As oath‐taking is an opportunity to instill and reinforce to students dentistry's most important ethical obligations, recommendations are offered to make the content more meaningful and comprehensive.