bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of a Geriatric Oral Health CD as a Learning Tool
Authors: Teasdale Thomas A. , Shaikh Mehtab
Published: June 2020

To better prepare professionals to meet the needs of older patients, a self‐instructional computer module on geriatric oral health was previously developed. A follow‐up study reported here tested the efficacy of this educational tool for improving student knowledge of geriatric oral care. A convenience sampling procedure was used. Sample size calculation revealed that fifty‐six subjects were required to meet clinical and statistical criteria. Paired t‐test addressed our hypothesis that use of the educational tool is associated with improvement in knowledge. Fifty‐eight first‐year dental students and nine third‐year medical students completed the pre‐intervention test and were given the CD‐based educational tool. After seven days, all participants completed the post‐intervention test. Knowledge of geriatric oral health improved among the sixty‐seven students included in this study (p=0.019). When stratified on the basis of viewing the CD‐ROM, the subgroup of thirty‐eight students who reported not actually reviewing the CD‐ROM had no change in their knowledge scores, while the subgroup of twenty‐nine students who reported reviewing the CD had a significant improvement in test scores (p<0.001). Use of a self‐instructional e‐learning tool in geriatric oral health is effective among those students who choose to employ such tools.
Accuracy and Consistency of Radiographic Interpretation Among Clinical Instructors Using Two Viewing Systems
Authors: Lanning Sharon K. , Best Al M. , Temple Henry J. , Richards Philip S. , Carey Allison , McCauley Laurie K.
Published: June 2020

Accurate and consistent radiographic interpretation among clinical instructors is needed for assessment of teaching, student performance, and patient care. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if the method of radiographic viewing affects accuracy and consistency of instructors’ determinations of bone loss. Forty‐one clinicians who provide instruction in a dental school clinical teaching program (including periodontists, general dentists, periodontal graduate students, and dental hygienists) quantified bone loss for up to twenty‐five teeth into four descriptive categories using a view box for plain film viewing or a projection system for digitized image viewing. Ratings were compared to the correct category as determined by direct measurement using the Schei ruler. Agreement with the correct choice for the view box and projection system was 70.2 percent and 64.5 percent, respectively. The mean difference was better for a projection system due to small rater error by graduate students. Projection system ratings were slightly less consistent than view box ratings. Dental hygiene faculty ratings were the most consistent but least accurate. Although the projection system resulted in slightly reduced accuracy and consistency among instructors, training sessions utilizing a single method for projecting digitized radiographic images have their advantages and may positively influence dental education and patient care by enhancing accuracy and consistency of radiographic interpretation among instructors.
Longitudinal Trends in the Use of Individualized Radiographic Examinations at Dental Schools in the United States and Canada
Authors: Kantor Mel L.
Published: June 2020

In the spring of 2002, a mail survey was conducted to determine the use of individualized radiographic examinations (selective radiography) for comprehensive care patients at all sixty‐four U.S. and Canadian dental schools. Results from previous surveys were used to evaluate the long‐term longitudinal trends. Among sixty‐two schools (97 percent response rate), selective radiography was used by 34 percent of schools for dentulous adult patients, by 100 percent for edentulous adults, and by 28 percent for children. Having a credentialed chief of service increased the likelihood that selective radiography would be used for dentulous adults (odd ratio[OR]=2.36) and for children (OR=2.33). Selective radiography for dentulous adults increased from 2 percent of schools in 1977 to 36 percent in 1997 and leveled off thereafter. Between 1987 and 2002, selective radiography for edentulous adults was used at nearly all schools (96–100 percent) and for children at about a quarter of dental schools (22–28 percent). Among the sixty‐one schools for which there are complete data since 1987, the continuous use of routine radiography was most common (39 percent of schools) for dentulous adult patients, whereas the continuous use of selective radiography was uncommon (7 percent).
Changing an Organization's Culture: Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Dentistry's TigerCare Program
Authors: Pousson Rebecca G. , Hovland Eric J.
Published: June 2020

Studies have shown that the culture of an organization could be the difference between success and failure in achieving its overall corporate goals and mission. Although some aspects of an organization's culture are visible and tangible, such as the physical structure or overall cleanliness of the facility, other aspects are less tangible but just as apparent, like the helpfulness of the staff and the overall “attitude” of the organization. Private industry discovered many years ago that the key to creating a friendly and productive culture lies in the hands of the employees. TigerCare is a program that engages the civil service employees and provides them with the knowledge and motivation necessary to excel in their jobs and deliver the highest standard of customer service and job performance. It has helped the LSUHSC School of Dentistry develop employees who deliver excellent customer care. This article reports on the specific steps taken to improve the customer service culture and describes the results of the program after two years of implementation.
Introducing a Senior Course on Catastrophe Preparedness into the Dental School Curriculum
Authors: Glotzer David L. , More Frederick G. , Phelan Joan , Boylan Robert , Psoter Walter , Robbins Miriam , Rekow E. Dianne , Godder Benjamin , Alfano Michael C.
Published: June 2020

This article describes an integrated fourth‐year course in catastrophe preparedness for students at the New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD). The curriculum is built around the competencies proposed in “Predoctoral Dental School Curriculum for Catastrophe Preparedness,” published in the August 2004 Journal of Dental Education. We highlight our experience developing the program and offer suggestions to other dental schools considering adding bioterrorism studies to their curriculum.
Dental Admission Test Scores and Performance on NBDE Part I, Revisited
Authors: Bergman Adam V. , Susarla Srinivas M. , Howell T. Howard , Karimbux Nadeem Y.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between performance on the Dental Admission Test (DAT) and Part I of the National Board Dental Examination (NBDE Part I) for students at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM). This study was a retrospective cohort study, examining HSDM students over an eight‐year period. Data regarding DAT and NBDE Part I scores were obtained from the Office of the Registrar. Descriptive statistics were computed for all study variables. Multiple linear regression analyses were subsequently computed to examine the relationship between DAT subtest scores and performance on NBDE Part I subtests. Goodness of fit for the models was evaluated using the R‐squared value. Statistically significant associations were those with p‐value =0.05. Data were available for 244 students who matriculated at HSDM during the period of 1995–2002. DAT reading comprehension scores were statistically significantly associated with performance on all four subsections of the NBDE Part I. DAT general and organic chemistry scores were associated with performance on the microbiology and pathology subtest of NBDE Part I. Performance on the perceptual ability test was associated with performance on the dental anatomy and occlusion subtest. Performance on the DAT reading comprehension subtest was the most reliable predictor of performance on the NBDE Part I. However, the variability in NBDE Part I scores is not accounted for significantly by variability in DAT scores.
Correcting for Guessing Increases Validity in Multiple‐Choice Examinations in an Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Course
Authors: Prihoda Thomas J. , Pinckard R. Neal , McMahan C. Alex , Jones Anne Cale
Published: June 2020

A standard correction for random guessing on multiple‐choice examinations was examined retrospectively in an oral and maxillofacial pathology course for second‐year dental students. The correction was a weighting formula for points awarded for correct answers, incorrect answers, and unanswered questions such that the expected value of the increase in test score due to guessing was zero. We compared uncorrected and corrected scores on examinations using a multiple‐choice format with scores on examinations composed of short‐answer questions. The short‐answer format eliminated or at least greatly reduced the potential for guessing the correct answer. Agreement of corrected multiple‐choice scores with short‐answer scores (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.78) was significantly (p=0.015) higher than agreement of uncorrected multiple‐choice scores with short‐answer scores (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.71). The higher agreement indicated increased validity for the corrected multiple‐choice examination.
Rater Reliability: Short‐ and Long‐Term Effects of Calibration Training
Authors: Haj‐Ali Reem , Feil Philip
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the immediate effects of calibration on inter‐rater agreement to a gold standard (GS) and to determine whether the effects can be sustained over a ten‐week period. Valid criteria for a Class II amalgam preparation, a three‐point rating scale, and a grade form were developed. Three tests were administered: prior to calibration training, immediately following training, and ten weeks later. Each test consisted of faculty independently evaluating ten prepared teeth. Agreement with GS scores for most of the grading criteria improved as a result of training and did not deteriorate over time. The overall percent agreement was 54.5, 66.9, and 64.6 percent across test periods. The most impressive gains in agreement occurred when the criteria evaluated had a GS score of either “standard not met” or “ideal.” There was very little gain when the gold standard score was “acceptable.” It is concluded that, with training, inter‐rater agreement with a gold standard can improve and such improvement is reasonably resistant to deterioration after ten weeks. Nevertheless, future training ought to consider the use of a mastery approach in calibration training to ensure that a satisfactory degree of agreement with the GS is obtained.
Hypertension in Children: An Overview
Authors: Pinto Andres , Roldan Rosie , Sollecito Thomas P.
Published: June 2020

Hypertension in children is an increasing concern for health care professionals. Updated guidelines for the treatment of hypertension in children and adolescents were published in 2004. This report reviews the epidemiology and management of pediatric hypertension and suggests an oral health protocol to apply to hypertensive children in the dental setting. A web search was performed using Medline, PubMed, ISI Citation Index, and Cochrane evidence‐based databases for articles regarding hypertension in children published in English between 1998 and 2004. Relevant articles describing the epidemiology, classification, pathophysiology, and management of pediatric hypertension are discussed, and recommendations for dental treatment of pediatric patients are suggested. The incidence of pediatric hypertension can reach 5 percent. Data on the prevalence of pediatric hypertension in the dental setting is scarce. However, using the prevalence in the general population, at least fifty young patients will be hypertensive in a busy general or pediatric practice. Dental students and residents should have the opportunity to screen for hypertension during their training and familiarize themselves with the appropriate techniques in children. Oral health professionals should become aware of the implications of hypertension in children.
Principal Dental Admissions Officers: Who Are Dentistry's Gatekeepers?
Authors: Rowland Michael L. , Casamassimo Paul S.
Published: June 2020

Little is known about principal dental admissions officers (PDAO) in U.S. dental schools who may be viewed as the gatekeepers to our schools. To address this gap, this study examined the characteristics of PDAOs in U.S. dental schools. A web‐based, fifty‐five‐question survey on the personal and professional characteristics, roles, areas of responsibilities, and areas considered of importance to PDAOs was sent to fifty‐six principal dental admissions officers at U.S. dental schools, followed by telephone calls to encourage participation. Thirty‐eight PDAOs responded. The typical PDAO was Caucasian, fifty‐two years of age, and had been in the position about eight years, earning $80,000 annually. Most supervised one or more employees and spent time working for the school outside the admissions process. Student contact activity considered most important was counseling prospective students, while maintaining health and financial records was considered unimportant. Minority recruitment efforts were considered highly important by a majority of PDAOs. The PDAOs have varied educational backgrounds and positions, but perform functions primarily dedicated to admissions.
Do Admissions Data and NBDE Part I Scores Predict Clinical Performance Among Dental Students?
Authors: Park Sang E. , Susarla Srinivas M. , Massey Ward
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate possible associations between a variety of measures used to evaluate didactic knowledge and clinical performance within a predoctoral dental program. In this study, clinical performance was assessed by clinical productivity and clinical proficiency across four different competency areas: operative dentistry, major restorative dentistry, fixed prosthodontics, and removable prosthodontics. Predental and preclinical predictors were undergraduate GPAs (overall and science), DAT subtest scores (including the Perceptual Ability Test, PAT), and performance on subtests of Part I of the National Board Dental Examination. The sample consisted of eighty‐four students at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine who graduated during the period 2002–04. Associations between predictors and outcomes were first evaluated individually. Any associations that were near statistically significant (p=0.15) were then included in a multiple linear regression model. The criterion for statistical significance in the multiple linear regression model was p=0.05. While a number of measures were associated in bivariate analyses, few predictors were statistically significantly associated with clinical outcomes in the multiple regression analyses. Those predictors that were associated with clinical outcomes were also not consistently associated with the different outcomes studied. These data indicate that, within this study population, there is little to no uniform association between preclinical didactic performance and measurements of clinical productivity and clinical proficiency. It is possible that the overlap in skill sets required for success in the predental/preclinical and clinical areas is minimal.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Outreach Placement's Effect on Dental Students’ Clinical Confidence
Authors: Smith Michael , Lennon Michael A. , Brook Alan H. , Robinson Peter G.
Published: June 2020

This randomized controlled trial compared the effects of outreach placement with traditional, exclusively dental school‐based clinical experience on students’ confidence in providing treatment for patients presenting with common dental problems. Senior dental students (n=49) were allocated at random to existing dental school‐based clinics or placement in primary care clinics to work supervised by local dentists. At baseline, students self‐rated their global confidence on a five‐point scale. These measures were repeated at follow‐up, augmented by a transition judgment and a then‐test of confidence (asking students to look back and re‐rate their pre‐placement confidence). Groups were comparable at baseline. Follow‐up scores for global confidence were similar between groups. The outreach group scored higher in the transition judgment (mean 3.7, SD 0.9) than the control group (mean 3.1, SD 1.1, P=0.05). In the then‐test, on reflection, the outreach group considered their baseline ratings of confidence were overoptimistic (mean then‐test scores 3.2, SD 0.9 and baseline 3.7, SD 0.5) while the control group thought theirs were accurate (mean then‐test scores 3.8, SD 0.7 and baseline 3.6, SD 0.8, P=0.01). The findings suggest dental outreach training in primary care settings is more effective than dental school training alone in improving students’ confidence in tackling clinical situations. The measurement of change in confidence is complicated by shifts in students’ internal scales arising from insights gained on outreach.
Oral Brush Biopsy Technique Instruction Outcomes for Senior Dental Students
Authors: Hall David L.
Published: June 2020

Computerized oral brush biopsy became commercially available in 1999. The objectives of this study were to provide senior dental students with the clinical competency to perform oral brush biopsy and to evaluate the extent to which students used this technique and the outcomes of their biopsy techniques. During the 2004–05 academic year, 114 senior dental students at The Ohio State University College of Dentistry participated in a brush biopsy instructional program. Brush biopsy training was part of their outreach and engagement experience. Technique instruction included 1) completion of thirteen interactive online educational modules, 2) discussion of a written protocol including clinical photographs and an oral pathology position paper, and 3) performance of a trial demonstration brush biopsy on each other. Eighty‐one students submitted brush biopsies on clinical patients. Lesions were found in approximately one out of every twenty patients. Seventy‐four biopsy results (91 percent) were diagnostic although seventeen (21 percent) were limited by suboptimal cellular representation and seven (9 percent) were inadequate. The high percentage (71 percent) of students who actually applied their training in a true clinical setting indicates that the program was successful in providing dental students the information necessary to perform this procedure on their own. However, the number of incomplete specimens suggests the need for technique refinement and additional clinical experience.
A Model of Dental Public Health Teaching at the Undergraduate Level in Peru
Authors: Bernabé Eduardo , Bernal Juan B. , Beltrán‐Neira Roberto J.
Published: June 2020

There has been a growing interest among dental educators regarding the opportunities offered by community‐based dental education as a means to allow dental students to assume their role as health professionals in the real world. Although several dental schools have integrated community‐based education into their curricula, most have not engaged their students in the development of competencies to address dental health needs at the community level. The purpose of this article is to discuss the teaching‐learning experiences in dental public health at the undergraduate level in the Faculty of Stomatology at the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (FS‐UPCH) in Lima, Peru. The teaching‐learning activities in dental public health at the FS‐UPCH consist of two well‐defined stages: experiences in low‐income urban communities and experiences in low‐income rural communities. Both stages have been designed to make it possible for students to acquire competency in addressing oral health needs at the community level as well as to enlarge and deepen their knowledge about the social and health situation in Peru. In community‐based dental education, students are not only placed in community settings to treat individual patients, but also challenged to consider dental public health issues, including the administrative aspects of dental services.
Attitudes and Awareness of Final‐Year Predoctoral Dental and Medical Students to Medical Problems in Dentistry
Authors: Gill Yehuda , Scully Crispian
Published: June 2020

An increasing proportion of the population is medically compromised. Dental and medical staff need to communicate and cooperate to afford these patients the best possible health care. In this study, the attitude towards and awareness of medical problems were examined in final‐year predoctoral (undergraduate) dental and in final‐year medical students. The results revealed that most dental students felt their knowledge of and training in medical problems in dentistry to be moderate to good. In contrast, most medical students thought both their knowledge and training in medical problems in dentistry to be only poor to moderate. Dental students rated the importance of medical problems in dentistry higher than did medical students.
Revisiting the National Board Dental Examination
Authors: Neumann Laura M. , MacNeil R. Lamont
Published: June 2020

The National Board Dental Examination (NBDE) assists state boards of dentistry in determining the qualifications of dentists for initial licensure. This article explains the purpose and rationale for the policies and procedures that guide the NBDE. These examinations have been used for a number of purposes well beyond the assessment of the knowledge and abilities for entry‐level dental practice. The article explores the uses and misuses of the National Boards and the relationship between dental licensure examinations and dental curricula. For National Board examinations to remain current and relevant, they must be consistent with standards and best practices for high‐stakes testing, and they must focus on competencies and critical thinking skills essential for future practice. The National Board examinations have the potential to stimulate and support curricular reform through collaborative efforts of educators and practitioners who support the test development and standard‐setting processes of the examinations.
Dental Students’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Intended Behaviors Regarding Caries Risk Assessment: Impact of Years of Education and Patient Age
Authors: Calderón Sophia H. , Gilbert Paul , Zeff Rasika N. , Gansky Stuart A. , Featherstone John D.B. , Weintraub Jane A. , Gerbert Barbara
Published: June 2020

Dental caries remains the single most common chronic childhood disease; without intervention, the prevalence and severity of caries increase into adulthood. Dental schools have begun to integrate caries risk assessment (CRA) and prevention counseling into the curriculum. We sought to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and intended behaviors of dental students regarding CRA and prevention counseling with children and adults. We also examined the extent to which these findings were influenced by the years of instruction that students received on these topics. We conducted a cross‐sectional survey of dental students at the University of California, San Francisco. All first‐year (D1) through fourth‐year (D4) students were eligible to participate. Of the 322 eligible students, 290 (90 percent) participated. D4 students correctly answered a mean of 70.4 percent of the knowledge‐based questions on CRA; the mean score among D1 students was 50.4 percent. Whereas 95 percent of D4 students identified themselves as confident in their ability to assess adult patients for caries risk, only 68 percent had such confidence with patients less than five years. To effectively prevent early childhood caries, dental schools should provide students with the skills necessary to be confident and willing to perform CRA and prevention counseling for all age groups.
Is There an Association Between Weight and Dental Caries Among Pediatric Patients in an Urban Dental School? A Correlation Study
Authors: Pinto Andres , Kim Suhn , Wadenya Rose , Rosenberg Howard
Published: June 2020

Obesity in the young is a public health priority. The prevalence of overweight children in the United States has risen almost threefold in the last two decades. An association between weight and oral health has been suggested in adults, whereas evidence supporting this association in children is controversial at best. The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between weight and dental caries in a random prospective cohort of children at their initial visit at an urban dental school. One hundred and thirty‐five children were recruited in a four‐month period. The DS/ds index was used to assess caries, and BMI percentile was calculated based on age and gender‐adjusted published scales. Correlation analyses, linear, and multivariate regression including age, gender, and BMI were calculated with a significance threshold of p>0.05. No correlation between dental decay in obese and non‐obese children was detected (p=0.99). These findings support recent U.S. population‐based literature that reports an inverse association between caries and weight in certain pediatric groups. Nevertheless, the impact of interventions to address the epidemic in the dental setting has not been investigated. As part of a health care team, dental students should be exposed to the changing demographics and sequelae of overweight in children.
Faculty Development to Support Curriculum Change and Ensure the Future Vitality of Dental Education
Authors: Licari Frank W.
Published: June 2020

For meaningful curriculum change to occur in dental schools, faculty must go through a process of new skills development that will prepare them to teach differently and to assess students differently than they have before. Curriculum change and the faculty development process must have the support of the dental school's leadership and become a core value of the school's culture.
Changes in Orthodontic Care Patterns in a Predoctoral Children's Dentistry Clinic
Authors: Alexander Stanley A.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in orthodontic care patterns over a sixteen‐year period in a university clinical setting. The average numbers of students, clinical procedures, and orthodontic appliances were examined from the time period 1988–2003. Appliance number and type were evaluated as a function of increased predoctoral and postdoctoral class sizes, student to faculty ratios, and decreased operating budgets for faculty recruitment. For the period 1988–98, the insertion of orthodontic appliances by dental students remained constant. A permanent increase in the predoctoral class size occurred in 1996 without an increase in faculty support, contributing to a decline in appliance insertions by students from 1999 to 2003. This time period also saw major increases in the postdoctoral class size and a reorganization of the clinical facility that then began to require the pairing of dental students to provide comprehensive care, thus decreasing their clinical exposure to the care of children. The overall clinical experience at the predoctoral level in orthodontic procedures declined, which resulted in a change in clinical requirements and new methods to ensure clinical competency.
Assessment of Faculty Perception of Content Validity of PerioSim©, a Haptic‐3D Virtual Reality Dental Training Simulator
Authors: Steinberg Arnold D. , Bashook Philip G. , Drummond James , Ashrafi Seema , Zefran Milos
Published: June 2020

Haptic technology (sense of touch) along with 3D‐virtual reality (VR) graphics, creating lifelike training simulations, was used to develop a dental training simulator system (PerioSim©). This preliminary study was designed to evaluate whether faculty considered PerioSim realistic and useful for training and evaluating basic procedural skills of students. The haptic device employed was a PHANToM™ and the simulator a Dell Xeon 530 workstation with 3D, VR oral models and instruments viewed on a stereoscopic monitor. An onscreen VR periodontal probe or explorer was manipulated by operating the PHANToM for sensing lifelike contact and interactions with the teeth and gingiva. Thirty experienced clinical dental and dental hygiene faculty judged the realism of the system. A PowerPoint presentation on one screen provided instructions for the simulator use with the 3D, VR simulator on a second stereoscopic monitor viewed with 3D goggles. Faculty/practitioners found the images very realistic for teeth and instruments, but less so for gingiva. Tactile sensation was realistic for teeth but not so for gingiva. The onscreen instructions were very useful with high potential for teaching. Faculty members anticipated incorporating this device into teaching and were enthusiastic about its potential for evaluating students’ basic procedural skills. This study suggests that the preliminary “evidence‐of‐concept” was successful and PerioSim may aid students in developing necessary dental tactile skills.
PBL Core Skills Faculty Development Workshop 1: An Experiential Exercise with the PBL Process
Authors: Dalrymple Kirsten R. , Wuenschell Carol , Rosenblum Alvin , Paine Michael , Crowe David , von Bergmann Hsing Chi , Wong Shirley , Bradford Marian Said , Shuler Charles F.
Published: June 2020

This report describes the first in a series of foundation‐building faculty development workshops focused on the instructional methodology of problem‐based learning (PBL). The PBL Process workshop reported here introduced the learning theory topics supporting PBL and utilized an extended roleplay method to provide participants with personal experience with the PBL learning cycle. Overall, participants were satisfied with the methods and content of the workshop. A majority of survey respondents indicated that simulating a complete iteration of the PBL process was an effective way to learn about PBL. Participants expressed relatively greater difficulty understanding and performing activities related to qualitative assessment of learning processes. The workshop was developed to align with adult learning principles, and continued refinement of the workshop has enhanced the learning theory components underpinning PBL as well as the experiential aspects. These dual goals have resulted in blending the existing experiential workshop with an online distance‐learning component addressing the learning theory topics relevant to PBL pedagogy.
University of Florida College of Dentistry's “Case of the Month”: Evaluating a Web‐Based Continuing Dental Education Course for Clinical Oral Pathology
Authors: Chumbler Neale R. , Cohen Donald M. , Bhattacharyya Indraneel , Sweitzer Jean , Dolan Teresa A.
Published: June 2020

Over the last decade, online continuing dental education (CDE) has seen a major transformation in the way it is delivered, marketed, and accessed. The University of Florida College of Dentistry (UFCD) developed and evaluated a web‐based CDE format (“Case of the Month”) that specifically focused on clinical oral pathology. Over a four‐month period, three oral pathology cases were presented monthly (a total of twelve cases overall) using a clinical pathologic conference format including a brief patient history, along with pictures and radiographs needed to make a treatment diagnosis. A differential diagnosis in the form of a question was developed, followed by a detailed description and rationale describing why the option was correct or incorrect. At the conclusion of the case of the month, respondents completed an online survey that ascertained their needs, expectations, attitudes, level of clinical knowledge gained, and experience with the online environment. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the expectations and attitudes of these CDE participants. Results suggested that the participants’ needs and expectations were generally met: they were able to navigate the website with ease and found the design to be appealing. The biggest disadvantage reported was the inability to communicate with others, including the instructor, while viewing the case, and more respondents would like to have seen some more general/common oral pathology information.
Evaluating a Blended‐Learning Course Taught to Different Groups of Learners in a Dental School
Authors: Pahinis Kimon , Stokes Christopher W. , Walsh Trevor F. , Cannavina Giuseppe
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to present and evaluate a blended‐learning course developed for undergraduate (B.D.S.), postgraduate, and diploma (hygiene and therapy) students at the University of Sheffield School of Clinical Dentistry. Blended learning is the integration of classroom face‐to‐face learning with online learning. The overall methodology used for this study was action research. The data were collected using three processes: questionnaires to collect contextual data from the students taking the course; a student‐led, nominal group technique to collect group data from the participants; and a non‐participant observer technique to record the context in which certain group and individual behaviors occurred. The online component of the course was accepted as a valuable resource by 65 percent of those responding. While online information‐sharing occurred (31 percent of the students posted in forums), there was no evidence of online collaboration, with only 8 percent replying to forum postings. Accessibility of the online environment was one of the main concerns of the students at the nominal group sessions. Differences regarding overall engagement with the course between the student groups (years) were observed during the sessions. The majority of the students were satisfied with the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) course. No statistically significant differences between males and females were found, but there were differences between different student cohorts (year groups).
Financing Clinical Dental Education
Authors: Bailit Howard L. , Beazoglou Tryfon J. , Formicola Allan J. , Tedesco Lisa
Published: June 2020

Many reports have documented the growing financial challenges faced by dental schools. This article examines the financial implications of two new models of dental education: 1) seniors spend 70 percent of their time in community clinics and practices, providing general dental care to underserved patients, and 2) schools develop patient‐centered clinics where teams of faculty, residents, and senior students provide care to patients. We estimate that the average dental school will generate new net revenues of about $2.7 million per year from the community‐based educational programs for senior students and about $14 million per year from patient‐centered care clinics. These are upper boundary estimates and vary greatly by school. The organizational and financial challenges of moving to these new educational models are discussed.
Influence of Contextual Environment and Community‐Based Dental Education on Practice Plans of Graduating Seniors
Authors: Davidson Pamela L. , Carreon Daisy C. , Baumeister Sebastian E. , Nakazono Terry T. , Gutierrez John J. , Afifi Abdelmonem A. , Andersen Ronald M.
Published: June 2020

This study investigated senior dental students’ plans to provide care to underserved racial/ethnic minority populations. Three sets of determinants were analyzed: contextual environment, community‐based dental education (CBDE), and student characteristics. We analyzed data from the ADEA Survey of Dental School Seniors and administrative data sources to construct contextual variables. Multivariable results show three contextual variables predicted practice plans: greater numbers of federally qualified health centers, higher percentages of underrepresented minorities, and attending a California Pipeline dental school. Regarding CBDE predictors, it was alarming to find seniors who viewed the cultural competency curriculum as inadequate and perceived themselves as less prepared to provide oral health care to diverse populations were also those most likely to serve minority patients. Significant student characteristics included racial/ethnic minority, female gender, older age, lower parent's income, and socially conscious orientation. The study provides evidence that contextual environment, CBDE, and student characteristics were significantly associated with plans to care for underserved patients. Findings suggest if the Pipeline initiative is successful in stimulating reform in U.S. dental schools, future students will develop greater awareness regarding critical access problems and the competencies required to effectively care for diverse populations. In the long term, addressing the problem of dental care access will require the creation of policy, financial, and structural interventions to motivate providers to care for the underserved.
Attitudes of Ohio Dentists and Dental Hygienists on the Use of Automated External Defibrillators
Authors: Kandray Diane P. , Pieren Jennifer A. , Benner Randall W.
Published: June 2020

The American Heart Association reports that approximately 220,000 people die each year of sudden cardiac arrest. In ventricular fibrillation (VF), the most common abnormal heart rhythm that causes cardiac arrest, the heart's electrical impulses suddenly become chaotic, often without warning. Death will follow within minutes if the victim is not treated appropriately, and the only known treatment is defibrillation. An automated external defibrillator (AED) can restore a victim's normal heart rhythm by providing defibrillation. The purpose of this study was to gather data from dentists and dental hygienists in Ohio on their use of and attitudes toward using AEDs in dental offices. Six percent of Ohio dentists and dental hygienists were randomly selected to receive a twenty‐three question survey related to their use of and attitudes toward their use of AEDs in dental offices. Thirty‐three percent (244) of the surveys were returned; 41 percent of the respondents were dentists, and 59 percent were dental hygienists. Six percent said they have had to administer nitroglycerin to a patient during a dental visit; 5 percent have performed CPR on a patient in the dental office; and 78 percent said their last CPR training course included training on an AED. Eleven percent said there was an AED at their dental office. With the increased likelihood of dealing with a cardiac emergency in the dental office setting and the willingness of dental professionals to use an AED, all dental offices should consider obtaining an AED. Dental educators should become familiar with current protocols for handling cardiac medical emergencies in the dental office and prepare dental and dental hygiene students with the skills necessary to manage patients with cardiac emergencies. Graduating dental students entering private practice may want to consider the AED as part of their medical emergency office protocol.
Educational Necessities to Compensate for Faculty Shortage
Authors: Haj‐Ali Reem , Walker Mary P. , Petrie Cynthia S. , Steven Jasmin
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate whether senior dental students (4DS) could serve as effective instructors in a two‐semester preclinical laboratory course and whether such teaching experience could enhance their interest in academics as a future career. Based on academic performance, five senior students were recruited to serve as instructors in a two‐semester morphology/occlusion laboratory course in which ninety‐five first‐year dental students were enrolled. The first‐year students were randomly assigned so that each student was instructed by a faculty member in one semester and a 4DS in the other semester. Outcomes included course evaluation forms completed by the first‐year dental students at the end of each semester; a comparison of students’ performances in each course determined by faculty instructors and 4DSs; and the 4DSs’ self‐report of their teaching experiences. Results showed no significant difference between the performance of 4DS and faculty instructors in all criteria evaluated (p>.05). Furthermore, there was no significant difference between the performance of students instructed by faculty members and those instructed by 4DS in either semester (p>.05). Despite the fact that such experience seemed to have minimal influence on students’ decision to consider academics as a future career, 4DSs do seem to provide effective instruction and thereby can serve to compensate for faculty shortages.
Variables Predicting Students’ First Semester Achievement in a Graduate‐Entry Dental School in Korea
Authors: Kim Minkang , Lee Jae Il
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to explore factors that influence academic achievement for dental students during their first semester of graduate‐entry programs. Nine variables were considered, including students’ age, gender, undergraduate grade point averages (UGPAs), Dental Education Eligibility Test (DEET) scores, oral exam, and interview selection scores. DEET is a standardized aptitude test developed for graduate‐entry dental programs in Korea. The test consists of four separate sections: reading comprehension, scientific reasoning parts I and II, and perceptual ability. GPA scores were obtained as a measure of academic achievement from ninety students at the graduate‐entry dental program at Seoul National University, Korea. Path analysis was used to test the hypothetical model of causal influence. The most significant predictors with direct influence on achievement were scores from both scientific reasoning parts I and II, undergraduate GPAs, and gender. Age, scores from the other subjects in DEET (reading comprehension and perceptual ability), and oral exam scores were found to bear no relation to the students’ achievement.
Dental Insurance: Will It Help or Hinder Adoption of Caries Management Practices?
Authors: Anderson Maxwell H.
Published: June 2020

Whether public or private dental insurance will provide benefits for caries management practices is a business decision. The foundation for this decision is multifactorial and continually changing as the values of the purchasers and health care consumers evolve. Understanding the dynamics involved in allocating finite health care resources will help those who advocate for caries management inform decision makers about the potential benefits of these strategies.
Comparison of Tactile Discrimination Associated with Varying Weights of Explorers
Authors: Simmer‐Beck Melanie , Branson Bonnie G. , Mitchell Tanya Villalpando , Holt Lorie
Published: June 2020

The prevalence of work‐related musculoskeletal disorders in dental hygienists is significantly higher than that of the general population. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of explorer weight on dental and dental hygiene students’ tactile discrimination when exploring. A randomized controlled clinical trial utilizing a dual dependent statistical design was used to collect data on a convenience sample of forty‐eight (n=48) dental hygiene students beginning their senior year of their curriculum. Tactile discrimination was measured by having twenty‐four experimental subjects (using a lightweight 0.4 ounce explorer) and twenty‐four control subjects (using a heavier 1.0 ounce explorer) delineate the coarseness of varying textures of sandpaper in an apparatus that provided a blinded environment. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Descriptive statistics, chi square tests, and independent sample t‐test were computed. Results did not display statistically significant differences between groups. Descriptive statistics illustrated that students using lightweight explorers were better able to delineate between textures. One exception to this finding was with very similar textures, where heavier explorers provided superior tactile discrimination. Overall, the weight of the explorer does not affect students’ tactile discrimination abilities.
Incorporating Leadership Knowledge and Skills into the Dental Education Community
Authors: Slavkin Harold C. , Lawrence Lisa
Published: June 2020

Leadership has been studied for the past four decades with an emphasis upon leadership and the transformation of various cultures, especially within the private sector. It is also becoming evident that leaders and leadership skills are often derived from core personal values and perceptions of what is and what could be. This summary describes an eleven‐week selective course termed “Dean's Leadership Course” at the School of Dentistry at the University of Southern California. This selective course (a non‐credit elective learning opportunity outside the formal curriculum) recruits a modest team of learners consisting of faculty, staff, and students and approaches leadership within the context of a “learning organization” coupled with case‐based and problem‐based learning. At the conclusion of this eleven‐week course, participants are granted continuing education credit. This summary encourages others in dental education to consider the compelling opportunity to nurture and cultivate leadership within the university dental school environs.
Serving the Public Good: Challenges of Dental Education in the Twenty‐First Century
Authors: Davis Elaine L. , Stewart Denice C.L. , Guelmann Marcio , Wee Alvin G. , Beach Josette L. , Crews Karen M. , Callan Richard S.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to explore perceptions of the roles and responsibilities of dental education in serving the public good, and the extent to which they are being met, from the vantage point of leaders at the university and state level. Five questions were developed to gather views on dental education's success in meeting the expectations and needs of the public. Fifty‐one interviews were conducted with leaders at seven institutions and with public officials in six states. Overall, dental education was perceived as fulfilling its public purpose in promoting oral health, providing access to care, and conducting relevant research. However, significant areas for improvement were noted including better communication of accomplishments to key stakeholders, graduating a more socially aware, culturally sensitive, and community‐oriented dental practitioner, and being a committed partner with other community leaders in improving access to care for all citizens. Current programs aimed at addressing these gaps (e.g., Pipeline, Profession, and Practice program) are discussed. Dental education can address these perceptions only by producing graduates who desire to fulfill their obligations to society and serve the public good.