bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Local Anesthetic Syringe Ergonomics and Student Preferences
Authors: Wiener R. Constance , Crout Richard J. , Sandell Joan , Howard Brandi , Ouassa Lydia , Wearden Stanley , Wiener Michael A.
Published: June 2020

With a diverse population of dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants, there is a wide range of sizes and shapes of individuals. Ergonomic considerations have resulted in the design of many adjustable delivery systems, chairs, and pieces of equipment. Companies have marketed instrumentation specifically for people with small hands, yet little research has been done regarding the advertising claims. The objective of this study was to compare the perceptions of dental and dental hygiene students after they used a conventional syringe and a petite syringe that has been marketed as advantageous for individuals with smaller hands. The two syringes were compared for aspiration, injection, and sense of control. A total of 181 students were invited to serve as subjects in the study, and ninety participated. The study involved two phases. During phase I, students used conventional and petite syringes to give a simulated inferior alveolar nerve block injection. In phase II, students gave a simulated palatal injection using both sizes of syringes. After performing the simulations, the students responded to a questionnaire. The students reported that the petite syringe gave them control, and 62.2 percent of them preferred it to the conventional syringe. There were differences in preferences between female and male students and also differences in preferences based on students’ glove sizes. The female students preferred the petite syringe when aspiration was required. Overall, the students who wore small and extra small gloves had a preference for the petite syringe and felt it provided a sense of control, a key component when learning to provide injections.
Effectiveness of Gloves and Infection Control in Dentistry: Student and Provider Perspectives
Authors: Kanjirath Preetha P. , Coplen Amy E. , Chapman Jody C. , Peters Mathilde C. , Inglehart Marita Rohr
Published: June 2020

The objectives of this study were to explore dental and dental hygiene students’, graduate students’, and dental professionals’ preferences for certain types of gloves and the reasons for these preferences (Aim 1), as well as determining their knowledge, attitudes, and behavior concerning the use of dental gloves as a means of barrier protection (Aim 2). Data were collected from 198 dental and forty‐six dental hygiene students, thirty‐five graduate students, and seventy‐nine dental professionals (twenty‐eight dentists and fifty‐one dental hygienists in private practice). The subjects responded to a self‐administered anonymous survey. Professionals (dentists: 96.4 percent and dental hygienists: 92.2 percent) were found to be more likely to have a preference for certain types of gloves than students (dental students: 79.2 percent and dental hygiene students: 76 percent) and graduate students (77.1 percent; p=.033). “Comfort” was most frequently reported as a reason for glove preference. Large percentages of respondents wrongly believed that gloves provide full protection (students: 50.8 percent; graduate students: 25.7 percent; professionals: 30.4 percent), thought that gloves provide protection as long as there is no visible tear (students: 39.7 percent; graduate students: 28.6 percent; professionals: 18.2 percent), and reported that they would not change gloves during an uninterrupted three‐hour long procedure (students: 32.2 percent; graduate students: 23.5 percent; professionals: 22.7 percent). These findings should alert dental educators about the importance of educating their students as well as practicing professionals clearly and comprehensively about infection control and the science and rationale supporting recommended guidelines.
Examining the Role of Collaborative Assessment in a Didactic Dental Hygiene Course
Authors: Keselyak Nancy T. , Saylor Catherine D. , Simmer‐Beck Melanie , Bray Kimberly Krust
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a technique known as collaborative assessment considering students’ and faculty members’ perceptions of the value and utility of this approach. Twenty‐eight dental hygiene students took eight individual assessments (quizzes) immediately followed by completion of the same assessment in a five‐member peer group as part of a didactic dental hygiene course. At the end of the semester, student perceptions and course performance were examined. Faculty perceptions were also collected. A paired samples t‐test was conducted to compare student performance on individual and group assessments. Students reported that this collaborative assessment approach enhanced their learning, provided them with experience in defending their answers, and decreased stress. Concerns for fairness and individual accountability were noted by both students and faculty. The mean group score for all quizzes combined (M=91 percent, SD=2 percent) was significantly higher by 16 percentage points (91 percent versus 75 percent) than the mean individual score for all quizzes combined (M=75 percent, SD=8 percent), t(27)=11.61, α =.05, p<.0005. This study suggests that additional measures are needed to ensure individual preparation and accountability when using the collaborative assessment process as a learning strategy with dental hygiene students.
Problem‐Based Learning and the Workplace: Do Dental Hygienists in Hong Kong Continue to Use the Skills Acquired in Their Studies?
Authors: Cheng Brenda Siu Shan
Published: June 2020

Problem‐based learning (PBL) has been implemented in the dental hygiene program at the University of Hong Kong since 2001, but research is lacking to address the level of retention in the workplace. The purpose of this study was to explore whether dental hygienists continue to use their PBL skills and how well those skills are being applied in the workplace. A total of eighteen dental hygienists from the 2006 program were invited to participate in this study. A survey was conducted and follow‐up group interviews carried out in 2008. The results revealed that dental hygienists continue to use the PBL skills of communication with the patient, patient education, and independent learning, but seldom use dental knowledge, teamwork, and communication with colleagues. Critical thinking, self‐evaluation, and lifelong learning skills showed contradictory results. Besides, stressors under individual work environments, including certain Chinese cultural values, affect the way in which dental hygienists utilize PBL skills. This study concludes that the PBL approach is a worthwhile learning process for dental hygiene. However, many different variables affect the effectiveness of applying PBL skills after academic training, especially under the influence of Chinese culture in Hong Kong.
The Servant Leader: A Higher Calling for Dental Professionals
Authors: Certosimo Fred
Published: June 2020

The dental profession is guided by normative principles that provide guidance to our leaders and practicing dentists in addressing the needs of patients and the profession, yet there is room for incorporating new ideas that help dental professionals meet their professional obligations. The purpose of this essay is to discuss the concept of “servant leadership,” especially in contrast with “self‐serving leaders,” and to suggest that servant leadership is consistent with the high ethical and professional ideals of the dental profession. The servant leader is the antithesis of the self‐serving leader, who incessantly seeks more power and acquisition of material possessions. The servant leader's highest priority is the people (patients/students/customers) he or she serves. The concept of the servant‐leader can take us away from self‐serving, top‐down leadership and encourage us to think harder about how to respect, value, and motivate people and ultimately provide better service to our patients.
Appointments Failure Among Female Patients at a Dental School Clinic in Saudi Arabia
Authors: AlBarakati Sahar F.
Published: June 2020

The aim of the study was to assess the factors and reasons responsible for failed appointments among female patients attending a dental school clinic. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted at the College of Dentistry in Riyadh city on 200 patients who failed to keep their appointments at least one time. The data were collected using a structured, pretested questionnaire through a telephone interview method from January through May 2007. The selected sample was in the age group of fourteen years and older. The response rate was 86 percent. The results illustrated that most of the patients who broke their appointments were married, housewives, above forty years in age, and of low to middle socioeconomic status. It was found that the most common reasons for failed appointments were fasting in the Holy month of Ramadan (79.1 percent) followed by transportation difficulty (76.2 percent), inconvenient appointment time (65.1 percent), and dissatisfaction of communication with booking area (54.1 percent).
Educational Systems and the Continuum of Care for the Older Adult
Authors: Best Helen
Published: June 2020

This article outlines educational developments for adaptive and adapted work roles, current educational systems and practice, and aspects of educational research to illuminate issues for the future of geriatric oral health and well‐being. The concept of work roles is used as a proxy to point up continuity of care issues, albeit limited, for patients/clients/consumers. Interdisciplinary learning for the initial education of dental providers/team members requires review with specific reference to geriatric care. Experienced dental and other health and social care professionals should review their roles in meeting the oral health needs of the aging cohorts. The relationship of dental schools/faculties in higher education institutions to those organizations that deliver education to various health and social care sectors—the personnel being at key points in the delivery of care—is also worthy of review.
The Educational Challenge of Dental Geriatrics
Authors: MacEntee Michael I.
Published: June 2020

Education in dentistry as in medicine is guided principally by the ontology and theory of science, which provides definitions of health and disease, legitimizes research methods, and influences the role of the clinician. The challenge of managing chronic oral disease and disability prompts interest in social theory as much as science. Therefore, dental geriatrics requires a solid foundation in the humanities from the belief that the determinants of health and the cause of chronic diseases lie within an intermingling of biology, economics, sociocultural structure, and human behavior. The dental curriculum in many places is reorganizing from the horizontal foundation of basic sciences to an integration of foundational and clinical knowledge focused on clinical competencies and integrated care. The impact of this integration on dental geriatrics necessitates a more humanistic and naturalistic perspective in dental education to balance and challenge the current evidence for best clinical practice, which at present is based almost exclusively on science. Consequently, dental students should be exposed to a consilience of the science and the humanities if dentists are to address effectively the needs of an aging population.
Teaching End‐of‐Life Issues: Survey of U.S. Dental Schools and Dentists
Authors: Sirmons Karen L. , Dickinson George E. , Burkett Tracy L.
Published: June 2020

The aim of this research endeavor was to survey the teaching of end‐of‐life issues in the curriculum of U.S. dental schools (N=58) and to ascertain changes in education compared to a 1989 study of dental schools. In addition, the aim was to survey practicing dentists in South Carolina (N=400) regarding end‐of‐life issues. Response rates were 90 percent and 81 percent, respectively. Findings indicated that dental schools today are placing more emphasis on end‐of‐life issues than twenty years ago. Yet the majority of dentists agreed that more emphasis should be placed on communication skills with patients on end‐of‐life issues. Moreover, the overwhelming majority of dentists felt that dental school did not prepare them to relate to patients on end‐of‐life issues. Dentists in general give support to families of deceased patients by sending a card or flowers, attending the funeral, or in some way making personal contact with the family. Perhaps as little as one or two lectures in dental school on dying, death, and bereavement could enhance a dentist's effectiveness in coping with end‐of‐life issues.
Consortium for Oral Health‐Related Informatics: Improving Dental Research, Education, and Treatment
Authors: Stark Paul C. , Kalenderian Elsbeth , White Joel M. , Walji Muhammad F. , Stewart Denice C.L. , Kimmes Nicole , Meng Thomas R. , Willis George P. , De Vries Ted , Chapman Robert J. ,   Consortium for Oral Health‐Related Informatics (COHRI)
Published: June 2020

Advances in informatics, particularly the implementation of electronic health records (EHR), in dentistry have facilitated the exchange of information. The majority of dental schools in North America use the same EHR system, providing an unprecedented opportunity to integrate these data into a repository that can be used for oral health education and research. In 2007, fourteen dental schools formed the Consortium for Oral Health‐Related Informatics (COHRI). Since its inception, COHRI has established structural and operational processes, governance and bylaws, and a number of work groups organized in two divisions: one focused on research (data standardization, integration, and analysis), and one focused on education (performance evaluations, virtual standardized patients, and objective structured clinical examinations). To date, COHRI (which now includes twenty dental schools) has been successful in developing a data repository, pilot‐testing data integration, and sharing EHR enhancements among the group. This consortium has collaborated on standardizing medical and dental histories, developing diagnostic terminology, and promoting the utilization of informatics in dental education. The consortium is in the process of assembling the largest oral health database ever created. This will be an invaluable resource for research and provide a foundation for evidence‐based dentistry for years to come.
Management of Experiences in Community‐Based Dental Education
Authors: Evans Caswell A. , Bolden Aljernon J. , Hryhorczuk Christine , Noorullah Khatija
Published: June 2020

The successful management of community‐based service‐learning relies on developing and maintaining community partnerships that meet both the educational mission of the dental school and the service mission of the community clinic. The partnership enhances the dental curriculum by introducing students to a wide variety of practice models, patient populations, and perspectives on health care delivery systems. The partnership enhances the service mission of the community sites by providing them with a university affiliation, a window into the state‐of‐the‐art techniques that students bring with them from the dental school, and a pool of future graduates who may choose to practice in that clinic setting. This “win‐win” scenario is not automatic, but rather relies on carefully matching, maintaining, and evaluating the service‐learning partnerships. This article describes the development and implementation of the community‐based service‐learning curriculum in the College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago.
The Impact of Community‐Based Dental Education on Students
Authors: Strauss Ronald P. , Stein Margot B. , Edwards Jeffrey , Nies Kevin C.
Published: June 2020

Community‐based dental education (CBDE) shifts a substantial portion of dental clinical education from dental school clinics to mainly public health settings. For dental students to learn effectively in community settings they need preparatory education in cultural awareness, communication skills, and the social and behavioral sciences. The effective integration of CBDE into a dental curriculum requires reflective components, evaluation, and highly organized community‐based experiences. This chapter reviews organizational principles and specific strategies to ensure that CBDE is conducted in a fashion that enables student learning and community oral health service. CBDE has substantial potential for affecting the values and behaviors of dental students relative to health care access for underserved populations and for attracting diverse students to dental education. CBDE also provides dentistry with an opportunity to guide dental faculty and student values and orientation towards public service, engagement, ethics, and the health of the public.
Components of Effective Outreach and Recruitment Programs for Underrepresented Minority and Low‐Income Dental Students
Authors: Brunson W. David , Jackson Douglass L. , Sinkford Jeanne C. , Valachovic Richard W.
Published: June 2020

Dental schools in the Pipeline, Profession, and Practice: Community‐Based Dental Education program that increased the number of underrepresented minority (URM) and low‐income (LI) students in their predoctoral programs used focused approaches in their outreach, recruitment, and retention initiatives. Various combinations of approaches were used by the fifteen schools that received funding during Phase I of the program, which spanned 2003 to 2007. URM enrollment in the Pipeline schools increased from 184 students in 2003 to 246 in 2007. These enrollment numbers represent 16 and 20 percent of the first‐year class in the Pipeline schools in 2003 and 2007, respectively. If the historically minority‐serving institutions—Howard University College of Dentistry and Meharry Medical College School of Dentistry—are removed from these totals, the numbers changed from 100 in 2003 to 144 in 2007, representing 10 and 13 percent of the first‐year classes. This chapter describes the approaches used by the fifteen Pipeline schools to increase the number of URM and LI students recruited to and enrolled in their predoctoral programs. It describes the internal infrastructural and organizational approaches these dental schools used to increase awareness about oral health careers among URM and LI students and to recruit applicants from these populations to their educational programs. The effective partnerships and collaborations these dental schools established with each other and external stakeholders to bolster their career outreach and recruitment efforts and some of the informal efforts that supported increased diversity are also examined.
Assessment of Preclinical Learning on Oral Surgery Using Three Instructional Strategies
Authors: Dantas Alessandra K. , Shinagawa Adriana , Deboni Maria Cristina Z.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate three learning methods for teaching basic oral surgical skills. Thirty predoctoral dental students without any surgical knowledge or previous surgical experience were divided into three groups (n=10 each) according to instructional strategy: Group 1, active learning; Group 2, text reading only; and Group 3, text reading and video demonstration. After instruction, the apprentices were allowed to practice incision, dissection, and suture maneuvers in a bench learning model. During the students’ performance, a structured practice evaluation test to account for correct or incorrect maneuvers was applied by trained observers. Evaluation tests were repeated after thirty and sixty days. Data from resulting scores between groups and periods were considered for statistical analysis (ANOVA and Tukey‐Kramer) with a significant level of a=0.05. Results showed that the active learning group presented the significantly best learning outcomes related to immediate assimilation of surgical procedures compared to other groups. All groups’ results were similar after sixty days of the first practice. Assessment tests were fundamental to evaluate teaching strategies and allowed theoretical and proficiency learning feedbacks. Repetition and interactive practice promoted retention of knowledge on basic oral surgical skills.
Dental Students Research Inventory: A Questionnaire to Assess Research Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Shirahatti Ravi V. , Sura Shruti , Sumanthprasad G.R. , Khurana Lokesh
Published: June 2020

The aim of this study was to develop and test a questionnaire to measure the research challenges and opportunities faced by dental students. The initial part of the study dealt with designing, developing, and pilot testing of the questionnaire (Dental Students Research Inventory, DSRI), and the later part consisted of field testing. The validity, internal consistency, and test‐retest reliability of the DSRI were performed to provide a standardized measure and an interpretation scale. The results showed good reliability and repeatability of the questionnaire, with a greater reliability observed in postgraduate students as compared to undergraduates. In the survey of regional dental colleges in India, 25 percent of the postgraduate and 35 percent of the undergraduate students reported that there was an overall lack of opportunities in conducting research. The DSRI questionnaire can be a good measure for understanding the challenges and opportunities faced by dental students while conducting and reporting research.
Faculty and Student Perceptions of the Success of a Hybrid‐PBL Dental Curriculum in Achieving Curriculum Reform Benchmarks
Authors: Whitney Eli M. , Walton Joanne N.
Published: June 2020

The dental education literature identifies eleven benchmark reform agenda curriculum qualities. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which the University of British Columbia D.M.D. curriculum was perceived by students and faculty as achieving these benchmarks and to note any differences in perceptions within and between the student and faculty groups. A WebEval survey consisting of twenty‐one questions was delivered online in November 2007 to faculty members and D.M.D. students. The response rate was similar (~60 percent) for both students and faculty members. Comparisons were made between faculty members and students as well as within each group. For the faculty, we looked at the influence of appointment, focus, and teaching experience. For students, we looked at the influence of the year in the program, gender, and program track. Some differences (p<0.05) were identified within the faculty and student groups; however, there were many more differences between the faculty and the students, especially in areas related to curriculum redesign, collaborations with other health professions, preparation for independent practice, and creating a trust‐based clinic environment. Faculty members were more optimistic about curriculum progress than were students. Improved communication of curriculum goals and explicit efforts at creating a safe and supportive learning environment could diminish these differences over time.
Improving Assessment in Dental Education Through a Paradigm of Comprehensive Care: A Case Report
Authors: Nulty Duncan D. , Short Leonie M. , Johnson Newell W.
Published: June 2020

The assessment of clinical competence in health disciplines is a critical issue. Universities have a responsibility to graduate students who can demonstrate fitness to practice because clinical competence relates directly to the quality of patients’ care—the quality of their treatment, their health outcomes, and their experience. In respect of the last of these, this article argues that the nature of what we term “clinical competence” ought to recognize the patient before the medical/dental condition or clinical intervention and, in order to achieve this, dental education should adopt learning, teaching, and assessment strategies that develop integrated learning outcomes consistent with a paradigm of comprehensive care. The article describes the ways in which this paradigm has been operationalized in the learning, teaching, and assessment strategies at Griffith University in Australia. It places a particular focus upon the assessment methods used in the Bachelor of Oral Health program. In this way, the article aims to illustrate ways that the quality of the assessment of clinical competence can, and should, be improved. While this is a work in progress, this description may be useful for educators at other academic dental institutions who wish to adopt, adapt, and develop similar approaches.
Senior Dental Students’ Experience with Cariogram in a Pediatric Dentistry Clinic
Authors: Gonzalez Cesar D. , Okunseri Christopher
Published: June 2020

The study objective was to assess predoctoral dental students’ experience with a caries risk assessment computer program in the pediatric dentistry clinic at Marquette University School of Dentistry. In 2005, spring semester sophomore dental students (class of 2008) were introduced to the caries risk assessment computer program “Cariogram.” The students received a fifty‐minute lecture on caries risk assessment and a demonstration on how to use Cariogram in the clinic. After two years of clinical exposure to Cariogram, sixty‐six out of eighty senior dental students completed an anonymous eleven‐item questionnaire on their experience with the tool. Each item on the questionnaire was scored on a five‐point Likert scale with the exception of two questions. Full‐ and part‐time faculty members in the pediatric dentistry clinic were involved in teaching and supervising students in the use of Cariogram for caries risk assessment after their training and calibration. Forty‐five percent of the students who participated in the study agreed that Cariogram was easy to understand, and 18 percent disagreed. Thirty‐six percent felt that it was easy to apply, and 25 percent reported that it was useful in determining caries preventive procedures. The students reported that 60 percent of full‐time and 33 percent of part‐time faculty were knowledgeable about Cariogram use. A majority of the students felt that Cariogram was not easy to understand, and eighty‐two percent of them reported that they would not be using Cariogram in their private offices. Future studies should explore reasons why students do not feel inclined to use Cariogram as a caries risk assessment tool in their private practices even after being exposed to the tool in dental school.
A Scholastic Appeals Process for Dental Hygiene Student Remediation and Retention
Authors: Freudenthal Jacqueline , Bowen Denise M.
Published: June 2020

A scholastic appeals process tailoring individualized remediation for dental hygiene students not meeting academic standards was assessed retrospectively (1999–2008) to evaluate retention and academic failure rates, nature of academic problems, type of remediation, and success of recommendations. Academic records of students (n=55) not meeting academic standards and/or withdrawing were reviewed. Overall retention (92.7 percent) ranged from 86.7 percent to 96.6 percent. Of the fifty‐five students whose records were reviewed, six students (10.91 percent) withdrew for medical/personal reasons, and forty‐nine (89.1 percent) petitioned for individualized remediation. The number and percentage of students in each category of reasons are as follows: four (7.5 percent) preclinical; thirty‐seven (69.8 percent) clinical; eight (15.1 percent) academic/clinical/personal reasons; and four (7.5 percent) academic dishonesty. The options approved were the following: continue in the program with grade below C‐ (n=3), summer clinical course with individualized contract (n=11), or independent study course during the academic year plus the summer course (n=13), all without delaying graduation; repeating a course with a one‐semester delay in graduation (n=7); and auditing/repeating multiple courses with a one‐year delay in graduation (n=3). Twelve students were dismissed after denial of a petition requesting remediation or second failure. The scholastic appeals process was successful for 75.5 percent (n=37) of the students who petitioned after failing to meet academic standards, thereby contributing to the 92.7 percent overall retention rate. Student‐specific remediation plans based on individual academic appeals are viable options for ensuring success.
Evolution of a Humanitarian Dental Mission to Madagascar from 1999 to 2008
Authors: Wynn Laurence A. , Krause David W. , Kucine Allan , Trehan Piya , Goren Arthur D. , Colosi Dan C.
Published: June 2020

In this article, we report on the evolution of a series of dental outreach missions sponsored by Stony Brook University to remote areas of Madagascar over a nine‐year period. The project evolved from one dental resident performing only dental extractions in 1999 to a team comprised of two dentists, six third‐year dental students, and two dental assistants performing dental restorations, extractions, and endodontic procedures using digital radiographic equipment in 2008. The ability during the latest mission to utilize digital radiography in remote areas lacking running water, electricity, and dental facilities significantly enhanced the range and efficacy of dental procedures. This long‐term project offered senior dental students and residents from Stony Brook University's School of Dental Medicine an educationally valuable opportunity to engage in international dental outreach and to make a significant contribution to the improvement of oral health in the underserved rural communities of Madagascar.
Examining Clinical Assessment Practices in U.S. Dental Hygiene Programs
Authors: Navickis Marie A. , Bray Kimberly Krust , Overman Pamela R. , Emmons Mary , Hessel Robert F. , Cowman Shaun E.
Published: June 2020

Competency‐based education (CBE) in dental hygiene education is intended to measure learned skills that prepare students to independently provide services for the public. A variety of standardized clinical assessment techniques (SCATs) are available to substantiate the competence of health care professionals, including, but not limited to, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), triple jump exams, standardized patients, and simulations. Standardized clinical examinations test students’ abilities to treat diverse patients in a consistent, controlled setting. SCATs help prepare clinicians to safely treat patients of various complexities. The objectives of this study were to examine the variety of techniques used to assess clinical competence in U.S. accredited dental hygiene programs and to obtain program directors’ attitudes regarding clinic assessment, with a focus on how SCATs are used. An online survey collected data from 125 directors (48 percent response rate). Approximately 97 percent of the responding programs used observation‐type assessments followed by case studies (90 percent), self‐assessment (85 percent), and mock boards (75 percent), with SCATs being the least used. The majority of responding directors (74 percent) indicated an interest in learning more about these SCATs. A chi‐square test identified no significant difference between the use of SCATs by associate and baccalaureate degree programs, with program location also being irrelevant.
Clinical Experiences of Undergraduate Dental Students in Pediatric Dentistry at Cork University Dental School and Hospital, Ireland
Authors: Stewart Christopher J. , Moloney Elizabeth J. , Kinirons Martin J.
Published: June 2020

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the number and range of clinical procedures completed by undergraduate dental students in pediatric dentistry in Cork University Dental School and Hospital, Ireland, and to compare the number of procedures undertaken with the subsequent examination scores. The work comprised a retrospective audit of clinical logbooks for all of the undergraduate dental students in one cohort through their fourth and fifth clinical years between 2004 and 2006. Thirty‐four quantitative logbooks were audited. Students had seen a total of 1,031 patients, and each student had completed a full course of dental treatment for an average of twenty‐two children. Students completed means of 30.2 restorative procedures for children, fourteen in deciduous dentition (range six to twenty‐eight), and seventeen in permanent dentition (range seven to twenty‐eight). Continuity of education and care (measured through children having their treatment fully completed by the same student) was 72 percent. A moderate positive correlation between levels of clinical experience and exam score was identified. All students gained experience in management of child patients with students providing care for an average of thirty children and a minimum of nineteen.
Leadership Development in Dental Education: Report on the ADEA Leadership Institute, 2000–08
Authors: Haden N. Karl , Ranney Richard R. , Weinstein George , Breeding Larry C. , Bresch Jack E. , Valachovic Richard W.
Published: June 2020

This report describes participants’ assessment of their experiences in the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Leadership Institute program. The ADEA Leadership Institute is designed for mid‐career faculty members who desire to attain administrative roles within their own or other institutions or enhance their effectiveness in these roles. This year‐long program, conducted in four phases, is ADEA's flagship career enhancement program and provides dental educators with perspectives about oral health policy and legislation, organization and financing of higher education, the dental school's role within the parent institution, financial management, legal issues, recruiting faculty, and opportunities to acquire and practice skills associated with effective leadership. ADEA Leadership Institute Fellows also explore team‐building, personality preferences, leadership styles, emotional intelligence, stress management, work‐life balance, strategies for leading change, and giving and receiving feedback, as well as engaging in self‐ and peer assessment throughout the year. Each year up to twenty‐one fellows are selected to participate in the institute in a competitive application process. In 2009, 149 fellows who participated in the institute from 2000 to 2008 were invited to take part in a survey to establish their profiles and academic leadership roles, determine their perceptions of the benefits from the institute curriculum, and elicit their suggestions for improvement. The survey response rate was 73 percent (n=109). Ninety‐nine percent of respondents gave an overall positive assessment of their experiences. The most beneficial experiences, according to respondents, included networking with the program participants, advisors, and instructors (78 percent); self‐discovery through self‐assessments and evaluations (44 percent); and a 360° feedback process to provide additional reflection about areas for improvement (17 percent). Least beneficial experiences identified by survey respondents included sessions devoted to oral health legislation (33 percent), group projects (28 percent), and mentorship received during the institute year (12 percent). In the final part of the survey, participants provided suggestions for improvements and new areas for program planners to consider. Additions to the current curriculum (30 percent)—such as how to recruit and retain faculty—and advanced leadership training (15 percent)—including behavioral change theory—topped the improvement list. The results of this study indicate that the ADEA Leadership Institute is fulfilling its mission. Fellows are advancing in their careers and assuming administrative leadership roles within their home institutions while making scholarly contributions to the literature and undertaking leadership positions in ADEA.
Gender Trends in Dental Leadership and Academics: A Twenty‐Two‐Year Observation
Authors: Yuan Judy Chia‐Chun , Lee Damian J. , Kongkiatkamon Suchada , Ross Sasha , Prasad Soni , Koerber Anne , Sukotjo Cortino
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine gender disparities in dental leadership and academics in the United States. Nine journals that represent the dental specialties and high published impact factors were selected to analyze the percentage of female dentists’ first and senior authorship for the years 1986, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, and 2008. Data on appointment status and female deanship were collected from the American Dental Association (ADA) survey, and the trends were studied. The proportion of female presidents in ADA‐recognized specialty organizations was also calculated. Overall, the increase in first female authorship was not statistically significant, but the increase of last female authorship was statistically significant in a linear trend over the years. The percentage of tenured female faculty members and female deans in U.S. dental schools increased by factors of 1.7 and 9, respectively, during the study period. However, female involvement in professional organizations was limited. Findings from this study indicate that female participation in authorship and leadership has increased over time. Nevertheless, females are still a minority in dental academics and leadership.
Blogging in a Biostatistics and Research Design Graduate Dental Course: For Learning or Interaction?
Authors: El Tantawi Maha M.A.
Published: June 2020

The use of the Internet in health professions education has markedly increased in recent years. There is a need to understand the methods used by students to benefit from Internet‐based teaching methods, especially those initially designed to promote social interaction such as blogs. This study describes how students used a blog in a biostatistics and research design graduate dental course. The aims of the blog were to offer exercises to train students for the exam and to enhance interaction among students and between students and instructor. Some features of the blog were modified to suit the course. Posts and comments were counted and classified by type, and their time statistics were analyzed. Students filled out a questionnaire to indicate whether and how exactly they used the blog or reasons for not using it. The relation between final exam scores and different methods of using the blog was assessed. Most of the posts were by the instructor offering exercises and model answers, whereas most of the comments were by students answering the exercises. Students were significantly more satisfied with blog uses related to interaction than with uses related to exercises (9.15±1.19, 8.73±1.34, P=0.001). The most frequently cited reason for not using the blog was lack of time. The most frequently reported method of using the blog was reading exercises and answers without actively contributing to the blog. Methods of using the blog significantly associated with higher scores in the final exam were actively contributing to the blog by posts or comments and interacting with colleagues. The main advantage of using the blog was promoting interaction between students and instructor, which is essential for the success of online learning in particular and adult learning in general.
Health Information Technology Systems Profoundly Impact Users: A Case Study in a Dental School
Authors: Hill Heather K. , Stewart Denice C.L. , Ash Joan S.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to increase our understanding of the impact of Health Information Technology Systems (HITS) on dental school users when the systems are integrated into chair‐side patient care. We used qualitative research methods, including interviews, focus groups, and observations, to capture the experiences of HITS users at a single institution. Users included administrators, clinical faculty members, predoctoral students, support staff, and residents. The data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach, and nine themes emerged: 1) HITS benefits were disproportionate among users; 2) communicating about the HITS was challenging; 3) users experienced a range of strong emotions; 4) the instructor persona diminished; 5) there were shifts in the school's power structure; 6) allocation of end‐users’ time shifted; 7) the training and support needs of end‐users were significant; 8) perceived lack of HITS usability made documentation cumbersome for clinicians; and 9) clinicians’ workflow was disrupted. HITS integration into patient care impacts the work of all system users, especially end‐users. The themes highlight areas of potential concern for implementers and users in integrating a HITS into patient care.
Use of an Action Learning Model to Create a Dental Faculty Development Program
Authors: McAndrew Maureen
Published: June 2020

Dental educators are often talented practitioners who may have little knowledge of educational concepts and current teaching modalities. Dental schools have recognized the need to offer instruction in teaching skills to their clinical faculty members to support their roles as educators. Since 2005, New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) Office of Professional Development has sponsored the Excellence in Clinical Teaching Program, an introductory program in pedagogy and teaching skills. The Action Learning model was used to drive development and implementation of Class ACTS (Advanced Clinical Teaching Scholars), a new advanced teaching skills program. Action Learning is a collaborative educational approach that has its origins in the business world. The learning is problem‐driven and occurs in a supportive and reflective environment. The Action Learning approach culminated in a seminar series, Class ACTS, that offers an in‐depth opportunity for faculty members to sustain and improve their teaching skills in a small‐group setting. Class ACTS is open to NYUCD faculty members who have successfully completed NYUCD's Excellence in Clinical Teaching Program or a comparable program and have a basic background in pedagogy.
Impact of a Novel Dental School Admission Test on Student Performance at Innsbruck Medical University, Austria
Authors: Beier Ulrike Stephanie , Kapferer Ines , Ostermann Herwig , Staudinger Roland , Dumfahrt Herbert
Published: June 2020

Since the year 2000, prospective dental students at Innsbruck Medical University, Innsbruck, Austria, have undergone both theoretical and practical preadmission exams, called the Dental Admission Test (DAT). The aim of this investigation was to assess the suitability and outcome of this selection practice. Five classes from 2001 to 2005 (N=97; forty‐three female, fifty‐four male) were retrospectively reviewed. DAT results were compared with student performance, gender, ability to graduate on time, and dropout rates. Furthermore, the influence of a previous medical degree was evaluated. The t‐test was used to analyze correlations between the results of the DAT and the following: gender, students who graduated on time, and students who had previously completed a medical degree. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was applied to analyze correlations among test scores, age, and students’ performance during the first clinical year. Students graduating on time were noted to have significantly better DAT results; students with a previous medical degree showed significantly better grades during their first clinical year. The difference between the performance of male and female applicants on the DAT was not significant. Correlation was found between DAT results and dental school performance (r=−0.462). We conclude that the DAT may reduce dropout rates by excluding applicants unlikely to be successful in practical courses and that DAT scores are a reliable tool to predict student performance during the first clinical year of dental school in Innsbruck.
A Systematic Review of Computer‐Assisted Learning in Endodontics Education
Authors: Al‐Jewair Thikriat S. , Qutub Akram F. , Malkhassian Gevik , Dempster Laura J.
Published: June 2020

Results of the efficacy and time efficiency of computer‐assisted learning (CAL) in endodontics education are mixed in the literature. The objectives of this study were to compare the efficacy and time efficiency of CAL with traditional learning methods or no instruction. The search strategy included electronic and manual searches of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) completed in English up to June 2009. The intervention comprised any method of CAL, while the control group consisted of all traditional methods of instruction including no further instructions. Various outcome measures of CAL efficacy were considered and were categorized using Kirkpatrick's four‐level model of evaluation: reaction, learning, behavior, results, with the addition of return on investment as a fifth level. The time efficiency of CAL was measured by the time spent on the learning material and the number of cases covered in a unit period. Seven RCTs met the inclusion criteria. Overall, students’ attitudes were varied towards CAL. Results from the knowledge gain outcome were mixed. No conclusions can be made about students’ performance on clinical procedures or cost‐effectiveness of CAL. Better time efficiency was achieved using CAL compared to traditional methods. CAL is as efficacious as traditional methods in improving knowledge. There is some evidence to suggest that CAL is time efficient compared to traditional methods. Overall, the number of studies included in this review was small, thus warranting the need for more studies in this area and the exploration of various CAL techniques.
Brazilian Dentists’ Attitudes About Medical Emergencies During Dental Treatment
Authors: Arsati Franco , Montalli Victor Ângelo , Flório Flavia Martão , Ramacciato Juliana Cama , da Cunha Fernanda Lopes , Cecanho Rodrigo , de Andrade Eduardo Dias , Motta Rogério Heládio Lopes
Published: June 2020

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of emergencies in dental practices and the prepared‐ness and the training experience in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) of Brazilian dentists in dealing with emergencies. The volunteer participants in the study were 498 Brazilian dentists who were present at the 27th International Congress of Dentistry in São Paulo. The most prevalent emergency was presyncope (reported by 54.20 percent of respondents), followed by orthostatic hypotension (44.37 percent), moderate allergic reactions (16.86 percent), hypertensive crisis (15.06 percent), asthma (15.06 percent), syncope (12.65 percent), angina (6.82 percent), convulsion (6.22 percent), hypoglycemia (5.62 percent), hyperventilation crisis (5.22 percent), choking (2.20 percent), and cerebrovascular accident (0.8 percent). Anaphylaxis, myocardial infarction, and cardiac arrest were the rarest emergencies, reported by only 0.4, 0.2, and 0.2 percent of dentists, respectively. Only 41 percent of the dentists judged themselves capable to diagnose the cause of an emergency during a dental visit. The majority responded that they would be capable of performing initial treatment of presyncope, syncope, orthostatic hypotension, convulsion, and choking. However, most of them felt unable to treat anaphylaxis, myocardial infarction, or cardiac arrest. Further, the majority felt unable to perform CPR or undertake an intravenous injection. It was concluded that the most prevalent medical emergencies in dental practice of Brazilian dentists are presyncope and orthostatic hypotension. The occurrence of life‐threatening medical emergencies like anaphylaxis, myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, and cerebrovascular accident is rare. Brazilian dentists are not fully prepared to manage medical emergencies and have insufficient experience training in CPR.