bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increasing General Dentists’ Provision of Care to Child Patients Through Changes in the Undergraduate Pediatric Dentistry Program
Authors: Lekic Predrag‐Charles , Sanche Natalie , Odlum Olva , de Vries Johann , Wiltshire William A.
Published: June 2020

Reduced caries rates and an increased percentage of children with dental insurance have made it more difficult for dental schools to provide undergraduates with sufficient numbers of pediatric dental patients requiring restorative procedures. This may result in graduates who are not competent and are reluctant to treat children after graduation. To ensure the quality of the undergraduate clinical training program, the Division of Pediatric Dentistry at the University of Manitoba changed from a comprehensive‐based clinic to a block system in 1998–99. Specific communities with limited access to dental care (neighboring core area schools and Hutterite colonies) were specifically targeted as potential sources for child patients. This format increased the exposure of students to patient management as well as to complex pediatric dentistry procedures. To assess the learning experiences before and after the changes to the clinical pediatric dentistry program, sixty general dentists who had graduated from the University of Manitoba were randomly selected using the Manitoba Dental Association Directory. Surveys were sent to twenty general dentists who graduated in each of the following years: 1993, 2000, and 2002. Forty‐five dentists responded, fifteen from each of the three surveyed classes. Dentists who graduated after the changes to the program (2000, 2002) reported that they performed a greater number of complex pediatric dentistry procedures and treated more toddler and preschool children than the group that graduated before the changes (1993). Referrals to pediatric dentistry specialists were higher in the 1993 group than in the 2000 and 2002 groups. In conclusion, an adequate pool of pediatric patients is critical to provide dental students with sufficient learning experiences. The dentists who graduated from the program after the changes were implemented are providing more comprehensive treatment to younger children.
Creating Learner‐Centered Classrooms: Use of an Audience Response System in Pediatric Dentistry Education
Authors: Johnson Jeffrey T.
Published: June 2020

Research suggests that the exclusive use of lecture in the classroom hinders student learning. The advent of compact electronic wireless audience response systems has allowed for increased student participation in the classroom. Such technology is utilized in medical education. This article describes the use of an audience response system in a “quiz bowl” format to facilitate and improve the comprehension of student dentists in core concepts in pulp therapy for the pediatric patient.
Single‐Unit Implants Versus Conventional Treatments for Compromised Teeth: A Brief Review of the Evidence
Authors: Tang Clarence S. , Naylor Adam E.
Published: June 2020

The goal of preserving the natural dentition has long provided the foundation for clinical decision making in dentistry. Current trends in implant dentistry have weakened this paradigm as many practitioners have moved quickly to adopt implant dentistry as a new standard of care; however, the rapidity of this shift is a cause for concern among others. Many short‐term studies have reported favorable data supporting the growth of single‐unit implant dentistry, but the lack of standardized outcome evaluations and broadly conceived dimensions of performance makes it difficult to compare these reports. Thus, even with the exciting new treatment options implant dentistry offers patients and practitioners, all due consideration should first be given to treatments aimed at preserving and restoring compromised teeth before pursuing extraction and replacement. This article examines this premise from five perspectives: form, function, survival, management of complications, and quality of life.
Internal Dental School Environmental Factors Promoting Faculty Survival and Success
Authors: Masella Richard S.
Published: June 2020

A career in dental academics offers ample rewards and challenges. To promote successful careers in dental education, prospective and new dental faculty should possess a realistic view of the dental school work environment, akin to the informed consent so valuable to patients and doctors. Self‐assessment of personal strengths and weaknesses provides helpful information in matching faculty applicants with appropriate dental schools. Essential prehiring information also includes a written job description detailing duties and responsibilities, professional development opportunities, and job performance evaluation protocol. Prehiring awareness of what constitutes excellence in job performance will aid new faculty in allotting time to productive venues. New faculty should not rely solely on professional expertise to advance careers. Research and regular peer‐reviewed publications are necessary elements in academic career success, along with the ability to secure governmental, private foundation, and corporate grant support. Tactful self‐promotion and self‐definition to the dental school community are faculty responsibilities, along with substantial peer collaboration. The recruitment period is a singular opportunity to secure job benefits and privileges. It is also the time to gain knowledge of institutional culture and assess administrative and faculty willingness to collaborate on teaching, research, professional development, and attainment of change. Powerful people within dental schools and parent institutions may influence faculty careers and should be identified and carefully treated. The time may come to leave one's position for employment at a different dental school or to step down from full‐time academics. Nonetheless, the world of dental and health professional education in 2005 is rapidly expanding and offers unlimited opportunities to dedicated, talented, and informed educators.
Diagnostic and Prognostic Tests for Oral Diseases: Practical Applications
Authors: Kornman Kenneth S.
Published: June 2020

Dental caries and periodontitis are initiated by specific bacteria and modified by host and environmental factors. Individuals have great differences in their rates of disease progression, but a small set of risk factors, such as smoking and diabetes, can distinguish patients at high risk for more severe disease. The application of information about factors that influence disease can be used to improve disease prevention and management. Knowledge of when specific information may be valuable should lead to the optimal management of individual patients. The use of diagnostic and prognostic tests and their application to the assessment and management of dental caries and periodontitis are the focus of this review.
Treatment of Tobacco Use and Dependence: The Role of the Dental Professional
Authors: Walsh Margaret M. , Ellison James A.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this article is to discuss tobacco use and dependence, effective treatments, and the role of the dental professional. Tobacco dependence is discussed as a chronic condition characterized by a vulnerability to relapse that persists for perhaps years. The need for ongoing rather than just acute care is highlighted. Effective treatments for tobacco dependence exist. Brief clinical intervention makes a difference. It is recommended that every dental patient who uses tobacco be offered at least one of the effective treatments available. In so doing, dental professionals can play an important role in primary prevention of adverse health effects and can have an important public health impact by helping to counter tobacco use.
A Case Study Examining Classroom Instructional Practices at a U.S. Dental School
Authors: Behar‐Horenstein Linda S. , Mitchell Gail S. , Dolan Teresa A.
Published: June 2020

A case study is used to illustrate how an evaluation strategy was used to assess classroom instructional practices following a multiyear institutional curriculum revision process. From January through April of 2003, twelve faculty in medicine and three faculty in dentistry who taught in the first‐ and second‐year basic science courses within the dental curriculum participated in a qualitative study. The purpose was to use a formative evaluation process to assess the impact of the curriculum revision at the level of classroom instruction. The observations revealed that seventeen of the twenty classes observed were teacher‐centered, passive, and lacked observable effort to help students understand the relationship of the lecture content to the oral health problems. Findings illustrate the importance of using formative evaluation as a mechanism to assess change efforts and how evidence‐based study can be used to support initiatives directed toward assessing active student learning and problem solving. Raising faculty awareness about the importance of acquiring evidence‐based educational skills, aligning instruction with course goals and objectives, formatively assessing teaching, and providing learning experiences that will actually be used in practice are essential to ensuring that active learning and critical thinking are demonstrated in the curriculum.
Problem‐Based Learning Versus a Traditional Educational Methodology: A Comparison of Preclinical and Clinical Periodontics Performance
Authors: Rich Sandra K. , Keim Robert G. , Shuler Charles F.
Published: June 2020

To evaluate efficacy of a problem‐based learning (PBL) pedagogy in preclinical and clinical teaching, test scores of 234 undergraduate dental students from the conventionally taught classes of 2003 and 2004 were compared with scores of 274 dental students from the PBL classes of 2005 and 2006. Although the groups’ means were close together, t‐test analysis of scores revealed that PBL students performed significantly better than traditional (TRAD) students on midterm (p=.0001) and final (p=.015) examinations taken on student partner/mock patients. ANOVA comparing the classes with each other showed significant differences for the midterm and final, but not for the clinical examination. Further multiple comparison tests (Tukey HSD) for the midterm and final revealed that differences specifically reflected superior performance of PBL classes against one of the TRAD classes (2004). There was no difference in performance between PBL (n=134) and TRAD (n=233) students on examinations taken with actual clinical patients who were undergoing nonsurgical periodontal treatment. Over a two‐year period, PBL students rated their program instructors at a mean of 4.41 on a Likert‐type scale of 1 (not helpful) to 5 (outstanding). The program provides a PBL model for teaching preclinical and clinical skills supported by a four‐year evaluation of manual skills outcomes.
A Model for Clinical Credentialing of Dental School Faculty
Authors: Valenza John A. , George Lloyd A. , O'Neill Paula N.
Published: June 2020

Committed to the premise that the same standards of review for clinical practice may be applied to clinical teaching, The University of Texas Health Science Center Dental Branch at Houston began credentialing clinical faculty in 1997 as part of its quality assurance and risk management program, one of the first dental schools in the country to do so. Credentialing, modeled after health care institutions such as hospitals, is general and procedure‐specific involving the review of qualifications such as licensure, training, education, experience, and performance of professional practitioners; measuring those qualifications against pre‐established criteria; and granting of “clinical privileges” to clinical faculty to perform or supervise procedures for which they are deemed qualified, based on that review. The development process included the leadership of the Quality Assurance and Risk Management Committee who met with all interested parties, explained the rationale and justification for credentialing, and successfully gained the support of the clinical department chairs, clinical faculty, faculty senate, and the administration of the school in implementing the credentials process. Evaluation of this process indicates that it has been useful in providing a mechanism to address a variety of patient care and clinical education issues such as faculty competency, compliance, and accommodations through a peer review process
A Survey of Canadian Dental Hygiene Faculty Needs and Credentials
Authors: Mitchell Terry L. , Lavigne Salme E.
Published: June 2020

The American Dental Education Association recently reported that the growing shortage of qualified faculty in dental hygiene education programs has reached a crisis situation. The authors hypothesized that Canadian dental hygiene programs will face a similar shortage. However, a review of the literature identified no studies that investigated Canadian dental hygiene faculty shortages. To address this gap in knowledge, a twenty‐three‐item descriptive survey and cover letter were mailed to the director of each Canadian school of dental hygiene (N=31) in spring 2003. The survey and letter were translated into French for francophone (French‐speaking) schools. Follow‐up telephone calls were made to nonrespondent programs. Survey results were analyzed using descriptive statistical methods. The response rate was 84 percent. Results revealed that 20 percent of schools had sought to fill empty faculty positions within the year and 47 percent of full‐time faculty were forty‐nine years or older. Within the next two years, 24 percent of dental hygiene programs in Canada will have full‐time faculty positions available, growing to 40 percent within the next five years. Respondents indicated that they preferred faculty to hold a credential above the diploma whether teaching full‐time (92 percent) or part‐time (88 percent). Other required qualifications included previous teaching experience, current clinical experience, and eligibility for licensure in the province for teaching in Canadian dental hygiene programs.
Predental Enrichment Activities of U.S. Colleges and Universities
Authors: Mentasti Lauren E. , Thibodeau Edward A.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to examine predental enrichment activities and their impact on the number of applicants from some of the nation's top dental school feeder institutions (DSFI). The DSFI were identified by their total number of applicants to dental schools and the number of applicants per total student enrollment. A survey consisting of twenty‐seven questions on possible predental enrichment activities was administered by phone or sent by email to eighty‐eight DSFI, with forty‐nine responding. In addition to identifying and characterizing the most common predental enrichment activities, the relationships among the number of applicants, predental activities, and total student enrollments per institution were evaluated. The total number of dental school applicants/institution was correlated with the total student enrollment/institution (r=0.529) and the number of predental activities/institution (r=0.520). No correlation was observed between the number of activities at an institution and dental school applicants per thousand enrolled. Sixteen of the DSFI reported ten or more enrichment activities, the most common being preprofessional health advising (96 percent), dentistry club (88 percent), and volunteer programs (73 percent). In general, larger institutions produced more applicants and provided more enrichment activities. However, there was no correlation between the number of dental school applicants per thousand students enrolled and the number of activities at an institution. Results indicate that there are specific predental enrichment activities common to some of the top dental school feeder institutions in the United States. A better understanding of successful feeder programs may assist nonfeeder schools in developing or strengthening an interest in dentistry as a career option.
Prepaid Dental Annuity for Retirement
Authors: Anderson Maxwell
Published: June 2020

A number of different groups exist within those ages sixty‐five and up. They have varying dental needs and resources with which to treat those needs. This program is targeted at those individuals who are moving toward age sixty‐five, currently have dental insurance through their employer, and desire to prepay their dental insurance premiums for the remainder of their lives while preserving any unused portion of their prepaid amount for their heirs. It does so by creating a “dental annuity” instrument with minimal administrative burden.
Promoting the Oral Health of Older Adults Through the Chronic Disease Model: CDC's Perspective on What We Still Need to Know
Authors: Gooch Barbara F. , Malvitz Dolores M. , Griffin Susan O. , Maas William R.
Published: June 2020

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has adopted a multicomponent approach to health promotion: the Chronic Disease Model. Among its underlying public health principles are 1) recognition of the universal preference for primary prevention of disease, 2) awareness that prevention often takes place outside of clinical settings and is influenced by behaviors that can be affected by social circumstances and institutional policies, 3) the need to base program efforts on the best available science, 4) the special responsibility of public health for at‐risk populations, and 5) the need for population‐based approaches. Such approaches require public health agencies to build programs that engage broad networks of partners; monitor diseases, risk factors, and behaviors; implement proven prevention strategies; and evaluate programs rigorously. If CDC is to implement comprehensive programs to promote the oral health of elderly people, more information is needed. In this short report we comment on gaps in knowledge concerning the components of programs, measurement of oral diseases and risk factors, and the effectiveness of preventive interventions at the self‐care, clinical, and community levels for dental caries and oral and pharyngeal cancers.
Increasing Dentists’ Capacity for Secondary Prevention of Eating Disorders: Identification of Training, Network, and Professional Contingencies
Authors: DeBate Rita DiGioacchino , Tedesco Lisa A.
Published: June 2020

The incidence of eating disorders has increased substantially over the last forty years. Primary care physicians and dentists share a parallel challenge for secondary prevention of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The dentist, in particular, has a uniquely important and valuable role with respect to assessment of oral and physical manifestations, patient communication, referral, case management, and restorative care. Despite this crucial role, few dentists are engaged in eating disorder‐specific secondary prevention. The purpose of this study was to explore beliefs, attitudes, and experiences of general dentists regarding eating disorder‐specific secondary prevention behaviors using focus group methodology. Three ninety‐minute focus groups were conducted with twenty‐one general dentists (seventeen male, four female) recruited from the 2004 Academy of General Dentistry Leadership Conference. Data from the focus groups were analyzed to identify two overarching themes and associated subthemes with regard to supports and barriers to eating disorder‐specific secondary prevention practices. Analysis of data revealed that training, network, and dental professional contingencies emerged as places of influence for increasing capacity among dentists with regard to secondary prevention of eating disorders. This exploratory assessment identifies leverage points where strategic interventions including curriculum development, policies, and practices can be developed to support and sustain secondary preventive clinical behaviors among dentists.
How Did We Get Here? Where Are We Going? Hopes and Gaps in Access to Oral Health Care
Authors: Patthoff Donald E.
Published: June 2020

This article reviews the history and future good of acceptance ethics and helps frame the publication of papers presented at the workshop on Professional Promises: Hopes and Gaps in Access to Oral Health Care. Discovery and development of Universal Patient Acceptance (UPA), a practical application of acceptance ethics, is key to systematizing access to oral health; UPA expands partnerships among professional volunteerism, culture, and economic structures. A Veterans’ Administration health services preventive dentistry research project and a West Virginia school children's preventive dental program raised awareness of acceptance. A state insurance crisis revealed an underlying systems ethics problem that was not purely legal, political, educational, economic, or scientific in nature. Key players were identified for dialogue, and questions were ranked. UPA was articulated and proposed as a unique, practical, and positive professional promise. The experience involved PEDNET, a dental ethics education group. An intensive applied dental ethics course for practicing dentists was developed; it attracted the American College of Dentists (ACD) and American Dental Association (ADA). Annual ACD LeaderSkills helped expand continuing education of ethics; several dental ethics summits were initiated. Concepts like discourse, adequate care, and viewing organizations as both persons and machines motivated further exploration of acceptance. Separating acceptance from diagnosis, treatment, and payment improves discourse on the various philosophical notions and practical applications that dominate each area.
Ethics, Access, and Care
Authors: Ozar David T.
Published: June 2020

There are two very different ways of understanding access and care that are at work in contemporary American society. One of these is the understanding that our society's health professions have about access and care as they consider their ethical commitment to respond to patients’ oral health needs. The other is how these matters are understood within America's public culture. In this view, needs—including health care needs—are no different in kind or ethical significance from unmet desires of any sort. This article will spell out the differences between these two ways of understanding care and access. Comprehending the distance that separates the health professions’ perspective from much of mainstream American thinking on these matters is essential to a careful discussion of the ethics of access to oral health care.
Basic Oral Health Needs: A Public Priority
Authors: Ozar David T.
Published: June 2020

Is there a way to support a special ethical status for unmet oral health needs within our pluralistic, liberty‐loving American society? Some people in American society, perhaps many people, believe that some kinds of human needs have special ethical importance. But very few people outside the oral health professions have ever considered that unmet oral health needs might belong to this category. This article will examine why some kinds of needs are thought to have special ethical importance and propose that certain categories of oral health care are needs that fit this description. Without thinking these issues through, we who argue for improved access to oral health care will remain unable to provide an adequate answer to a very legitimate question, namely: improved access to what? When this task has been completed, the article will consider some of the implications of such a view for our society.
Basic Oral Health Needs: A Professional Priority?
Authors: Garetto Lawrence P. , Yoder Karen M.
Published: June 2020

The inadequacy of access to oral health care is a complex problem facing society. Many in society who need care are unable to obtain it or do not seek it for a variety of reasons. Most commonly, these are the unfunded, who simply have inadequate resources; the “unaccepted,” who may not have dental coverage or have types of coverage that are not accepted by private practitioners; the inaccessible, who may be homebound or live in sparsely populated or low‐income geographic areas without dental providers; the unconvinced, who may have resources but do not believe in or recognize the need for treatment; and the unmotivated, who may realize that they need care but for them it is not a priority. While the oral health care professions cannot be expected to shoulder the entire burden to “fix” inadequate access to care, we believe that they have important responsibilities. True professions have a unique relationship with society that places them in positions of trust. With this trust comes the responsibility for public policy advocacy and to actively participate in identifying realistic ways to reduce the access problem. The leadership of organized dentistry, as well as educational institutions, and practitioners themselves must be committed to improving access and thereby the health of those currently underserved.
Band‐Aid Solutions to Problems of Access: Their Origins and Limits
Authors: Smith David H.
Published: June 2020

Many persons lack adequate access to oral health services. The causes of this are a constricted understanding of the roles of governments and professions. Both those groups have responsibilities to ensure that a decent level of oral health care is available to all persons in the United States. If the dental professions as a whole were to embrace this ideal, the sacrifices required of any one professional would be minimal.
The Ethical and Practical Aspects of Acceptance and Universal Patient Acceptance
Authors: Corsino Bruce V. , Patthoff Donald E.
Published: June 2020

“Acceptance” is an often presupposed, hidden core value and ethic focused on how dental and other health practitioners first accept people as possible patients. The three basic styles of patient acceptance are random, selective, and universal. Reduced public access to care results from the practice of random and selective acceptance. Only universal acceptance creates a potential pathway for improved access to care. The notion of Universal Patient Acceptance (UPA) is discussed here as one kind of applied ethical tool or clinical practice that allows for the ethic of acceptance to be more effectively pursued in daily practice. We suggest that health providers falsely surmise that they already understand and practice Universal Patient Acceptance. That myth and perspective are partly what keeps Acceptance hidden as an ethic and overlooked as a potential way to foster dialogue and indirectly promote better access to care. Without Universal Patient Acceptance, dental and health providers will continue to silently engage in practice patterns that adversely affect public access to care. The actual benefits of Universal Patient Acceptance are the subject of ongoing review and debate. Whatever those benefits might be will not likely be realized until Acceptance and Universal Patient Acceptance are included as part of dental and other health professional codes of ethics and training curricula. That is what we argue for here.
Promoting Access to Oral Health Care: More Than Professional Ethics Is Needed
Authors: O’Toole Brian
Published: June 2020

I suggest that an appeal to professional ethics alone is inadequate to leverage significant behavioral change among dentists to provide or to promote access to oral health care for all regardless of the ability to pay. Presuming that access to oral health care is desired, however, then efforts in professional ethics must be complemented by strategic appeals to the personal values and even to the self‐interest of dentists. In addition, if dentists as a professional group publicly elect or decide to value access to oral health care in a manner similar to how a health care organization can choose its values, then lessons can be drawn from organizational strategies to assist in cultivating and fostering among dentists the commitment to and implementation of this value. I believe that a combination of these and undoubtedly many other approaches is needed if there will ever be a professional commitment by dentists as a professional group to value access to oral health care.
General Dentists and Pediatric Dental Patients: The Role of Dental Education
Authors: Rich John P. , Straffon Lloyd , Inglehart Marita Rohr
Published: June 2020

The objective of this study was to investigate whether undergraduate dental education affects general dentists’ practice characteristics, attitudes, and professional behavior concerning the treatment of pediatric patients. Data were collected with a self‐administered mailed survey from 241 general dentists who were members of the Michigan Dental Association (response rate=48.2 percent). While 40.4 percent of the respondents reported that their dental education had prepared them well to treat child patients, only 33.4 percent indicated that their clinical education had prepared them well. The level of educational preparedness was significantly correlated with a) practice characteristics such as how well the practice was set up to treat children and how knowledgeable and comfortable the staff was concerning providing care for children, b) attitudes concerning the treatment of child patients, and c) professional behavior such as the types of services provided for child patients versus the number of referrals made. The findings strongly suggest that educational experiences concerning the treatment of pediatric dental patients will shape future dental care providers’ attitudes and professional behavior. Given the lack of access to dental care for children, it seems crucial to carefully evaluate undergraduate dental curricula to ensure that future dental care providers receive sufficient educational and especially clinical experiences concerning the treatment of child patients.
Student Accuracy and Evaluation of a Computer‐Based Audience Response System
Authors: Holmes Robert G. , Blalock John S. , Parker Merle H. , Haywood Van B.
Published: June 2020

We have incorporated an audience response system into our curriculum to increase student interaction in the teaching process. Classroom Performance System (CPS) is a computer‐based audience response system that allows students to answer questions posed to the entire class by entering responses on a keypad. The responses are tallied and displayed on the classroom screen for all students to see. The purpose of our study was to determine student accuracy using the system with three different methods of administering questions. A secondary purpose was to assess students’ perceptions about using the system. Our hypothesis for the study was that there should be no difference in volunteer accuracy or questionnaire responses to the three methods of gathering responses. Sixty‐two dental students volunteered to participate. Using three methods (projected on a screen, verbal, and written), volunteers were given “responses” to enter into the system using CPS wireless remote answering devices. In the projected and verbal formats, the teacher managed the assessment by controlling the pace of input. In the written format, students were given responses on paper to input into the system at their own pace. At the end of the sessions, volunteers completed an anonymous questionnaire regarding their experiences with the system. The accuracy of responses was similar in the teacher‐managed assessments (projected and verbal format). There was a statistical difference in the accuracy of responses in the student‐managed assessment (p=<0.000001). Questionnaire responses also showed that students preferred teacher‐managed assessments. The hypothesis was disproved. The overall response to this audience response system and its methods of gathering information was very positive.
Scope of Practice Comparison: A Tool for Curriculum Decision Making
Authors: Solomon Eric , Murray John , Dodge William W. , Redding Spencer W. , Valenza John A. , Flaitz Catherine M. , Cole James S. , Kalkwarf Kenneth L.
Published: June 2020

The proportion of claims filed for specific dental procedures (ADA codes # 05110, 05120, 03320, 03330, 04260, 02150) between January 1, 2000 and June 30, 2004 by Texas general practitioners participating in a preferred provider network was compared to the proportion of these procedures performed by students graduating from the three Texas dental schools during the same period. Analysis of the data revealed that Texas dental students provide class two amalgam restorations in permanent teeth (02150) at approximately the same frequency as Texas general practitioners. Both groups provide periodontal osseous surgery (04260) at an extremely low frequency (<0.02% of total procedures). Bicuspid endodontic procedures (03320) were performed at a slightly higher frequency by students (0.43% of all procedures) than by general practitioners (0.36% of all procedures), and molar endodontic procedures (03330) were performed at a slightly higher frequency by general practitioners (0.65%) than by students (0.36%). Significant discrepancies between the groups were noted for the two complete denture procedures (05110, 05120). Students provided these procedures at frequencies fifteen times (05110) and twenty‐five times (05120) greater than general practitioners. Dental schools should use data provided by scope of practice analyses to help determine an appropriate breadth and depth for their educational programs.
French Dental Students’ Perception of a Period of Instruction in a Hospital Department
Authors: Roger‐Leroi Valérie
Published: June 2020

At the end of the first year of both French medical and dental studies, a four‐week rotation in a hospital department has been implemented to introduce preclinical students to hospital life. The aims of this study were to analyze the scope of this training period and to determine dental students’ perceptions of how they benefited from this hospital experience. All registered second‐year dental students belonging to four successive cohorts were enrolled in the study (n=161). They were asked to complete two questionnaires, one immediately at the end of the course, the second one in the final year of dental studies. The former questionnaire assessed what had been accomplished during the hospital rotation; the latter evaluated the impact of the course on dental studies. Good implementation of hygiene rules (77.7 percent) and washing hands (75.5 percent), communication with patients (67.5 percent), carrying out injections (53.5 percent), and performing easy nursing care (53.2 percent) seemed to be the most useful practices that helped students all through their dental education. The majority of students (70.7 percent) judged the course useful and necessary for dental studies. For 70 percent, however, the hospital rotation was too long, and these students recommended shortening the program. The usefulness of such an experience depends a lot upon the supervision that the student received.
A Preliminary Survey of Interprofessional Education
Authors: Rafter Mary E. , Pesun Igor J. , Herren Michael , Linfante Jeffrey C. , Mina Mina , Wu Christine D. , Casada Jane P.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this article is to review the literature on interprofessional education (IPE) and report on a preliminary survey of the current status of interprofessional education in seven academic health centers (AHCs) that have schools of dentistry associated with them. There is wide variability in interpretation of the term “interprofessional,” and many barriers to interprofessional education exist including already overcrowded curricula in health professions schools, lack of support from faculty and administration, and financial constraints. Based on interviews completed at the authors’ home institutions, it was recommended that topics such as ethics, communication skills, evidence‐based practice, and informatics could be effectively taught in an interprofessional manner. Currently, some academic health centers are attempting to develop interprofessional education programs, but most of these efforts do not include dental students. Of the seven AHCs investigated in this study, only two had formal interprofessional educational activities that involved students from two or more health professions education programs. Dental school participants in this study professed a strong interest in interprofessional programs, but many interviewees from other professional schools and AHC administrators perceived that the dental school was isolated from other schools and disinterested in IPE. Many health care setting models in the future will include dentists as part of an interdisciplinary health care team; consequently, it is important for dental schools to become an active participant in future interprofessional educational initiatives.
ADEA Survey of Clinic Fees and Revenue: 2003–04 Academic Year
Authors: Weaver Richard G. , Valachovic Richard W.
Published: June 2020

The American Dental Education Association's 2003–04 Survey of Clinic Fees and Revenue obtained data by which to report, by school, clinic revenue information per student. Fifty‐one of the fifty‐four dental schools that had third‐ and fourth‐year students responded to the survey. The median revenue per third‐year student was $9,937. It was $13,602 for fourth‐year students. Clinic revenue was also obtained for programs of advanced dental education. General Practice Residency programs generated the highest revenue per student at $66,474, followed by programs of Advanced Education in General Dentistry at $63,860. Other areas of the survey provided information regarding clinic fees by type of program, levels of uncompensated care by type of program, clinic revenue by source of payment, and dental school fees as a percent of usual and customary private practice fees.
A Review of Exam Accommodations for Dental Students with Disabilities
Authors: Johnson Aaron D.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the extent to which testing accommodations are granted for students with disabilities in the dental predoctoral and doctoral settings. The investigator aimed to examine both the types of accommodations granted and estimate the number of students seeking accommodations due to a physical or learning disability. To address the research purpose, surveys were sent to the ADA and to each of the ten independent state and four regional dental licensing boards. During the five‐year study period (1998–2003), there were 508 requests for accommodations on the Dental Admission Test (DAT) from 49,211 applicants (1.03 percent), 235 accommodation requests for the National Board Dental Examination, Part I from 54,750 applicants (0.43 percent), and 150 accommodation requests for the National Board Dental Examination, Part II from among 40,412 applicants (0.37 percent). Three of the fourteen U.S. licensing agencies (21.4 percent) kept no records, and eleven (78.6 percent) maintained some records. Unfortunately, a rigorous analysis of the impact that the Americans with Disabilities Act has had on standardized testing in dental education cannot be completed because of a lack of data available from the testing agencies.
Impact of Gender on Dental State Licensure Examination Performance
Authors: Stewart Carol M. , Bates Robert E. , Smith Gregory E. , Young Linda
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to identify performance differences in subgroups of dental students during dental school and on state dental licensure examinations. One of the specific aims was to determine if gender is predictive of performance in dental school and on state licensure examinations. The study consisted of a retrospective analysis of 416 graduates (136 females and 280 males) from the University of Florida College of Dentistry (UFCD) between 1996 and 2003. Four categories of variables were assessed: academic measures, clinical productivity measures, performance on a senior mock board examination, and performance on the state licensure examination. The academic measures consisted of the Dental Admission Test (DAT) academic average, DAT Perceptual Ability Test (PAT), and dental school entering and graduating grade point average (GPA). Based on univariate analyses, males had significantly higher DAT academic averages and PAT scores than females. More importantly, males had significantly higher state board clinical scores. Using stepwise regression and the maximum R2 procedure, factors most predictive for the performance on the state licensure clinical exam were the PAT, numbers of amalgams completed, and the UFCD senior mock board clinical score. Each factor was highly significant (p<0.001). After controlling for these three factors, the difference in genders was no longer statistically significant. With increasing enrollment of females in dental schools, it is important to periodically assess student performance to determine whether instructional modifications are needed to accommodate gender differences. Due to consistency of our findings with similar recent reports, it might be reasonable to think the gender gap is narrowing. Additional studies from other regions would provide support for this concept.
An Assessment of Cross‐Cultural Education in U.S. Dental Schools
Authors: Saleh Linda , Kuthy Raymond A. , Chalkley Yvonne , Mescher Kay M.
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to assess the status of cross‐cultural education in U.S. dental schools and to identify characteristics associated with having a formal cross‐cultural curriculum. An eighteen‐item survey, which included questions about curricular format, teaching and evaluation methods, time, and course content, was sent to all U.S. dental schools. Comparisons were made using whether or not institutions had formal cross‐cultural curricula. Forty‐five of fifty‐six schools responded. Twenty‐nine schools reported having formal cross‐cultural curricula in a separate course and/or integrated with other courses with specific goals and objectives. Schools that have formal cross‐cultural curricula had higher scores on depth of curricula and spent more time than schools that reported having informal curricula (p=0.03). Competing curricular time and lack of faculty expertise were the most frequently cited impeding factors for inclusion of cross‐cultural issues (87.8 percent and 68.3 percent, respectively), while diverse patient population and leadership commitment were the most frequently cited facilitating factors (92.5 percent and 67.5 percent, respectively). There is wide variation among dental schools regarding how they teach these issues and how students are evaluated. Dental schools lack guidance about how to best incorporate this curricular content.
Low‐Cost Implant Overdenture Option for Patients Treated in a Predoctoral Dental School Curriculum
Authors: McCracken Michael S. , Aponte‐Wesson Ruth , O'Neal S. Jean , Rajdev Kavita
Published: June 2020

In an effort to make the implant overdenture more affordable for patients, a pricing package at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry was established. This package includes two implants, two dentures (upper and lower), and two implant abutments, all for $975. It is known as the “2‐2‐2” implant program. One concern regarding the program was whether patients would complete overdenture treatment or simply receive implants at this relatively low cost and have the implants restored outside the school. The purpose of this retrospective chart review was to determine how many patients in 2004 received implants as part of this program and how many of these patients completed overdenture treatment. Other data (age, distance from school, number of teeth at start of treatment, and gender) were collected to identify variables that might be associated with greater likelihood of completing overdenture treatment. In 2004, fifty‐one patients received 102 implants as part of this program. Two patients had a failed implant prior to restoration (two of 102 implants), and one patient was referred to graduate prosthodontics for restoration. Of the remaining forty‐eight patients, forty‐one completed overdenture treatment (85 percent), and seven (15 percent) were lost to follow‐up. The mean age of patients receiving this treatment was 60.7 years. The mean distance traveled to the school was 70.7 miles. While no variables showed significant predictive value, point estimates (estimate of the odds ratio) suggest that older patients and patients who travel greater distance to the school were less likely to complete treatment. The low‐cost implant overdenture has been an important addition to our curriculum. The majority of patients who receive implants as part of this program complete overdenture treatment.
Interprofessional Educational Partnerships in School Health for Children with Special Oral Health Needs
Authors: Mabry Charlotte Connick , Mosca Nicholas G.
Published: June 2020

Dental caries is an infectious yet preventable disease that is rampant in some subpopulations in the United States, in particular among individuals with neurodevelopmental/intellectual disabilities (ND/ID). This article reports on the implementation and evaluation of the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) School of Dentistry interprofessional school health educational model to improve oral health assessment and referral for children with ND/ID in an inner‐city school system. During this project, dental hygiene students and elementary school nurses were paired to assess the oral health status of 255 inner‐city children with developmental disabilities, improve referral/access to dental care for those identified as having need, and propose dental hygiene curriculum changes that would incorporate participation in a “real‐life public health setting” for those with ND/ID. Following the program, 66 percent of dental hygiene students said their likelihood of participating in future oral health programs had increased and 75 percent of school nurses rated the educational process as very good or excellent. Modifications in dental hygiene curricula that provide students with training and experience in oral health risk assessment and referral for people with ND/ID is recommended to address the new Commission on Dental Accreditation educational standards 2–18 and 2–26 (implemented January 1, 2005) and dental standard 2–26 (implemented January 1, 2006), which state that dental hygiene and dental graduates must be competent in assessing the treatment needs of patients with special needs.
The Effect of an HIV/AIDS Educational Program on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of Dental Professionals
Authors: Mulligan Roseann , Seirawan Hazem , Galligan Joyce , Lemme Sue
Published: June 2020

The Pacific AIDS Education and Training Center (PAETC) developed and tested over time a curriculum to meet the changed HIV/AIDS‐related needs of dental health professionals. The objective of this study was to evaluate the HIV‐related knowledge, attitudes/beliefs, and behaviors among the participants of a CE training course based on this curriculum, both before and six weeks after the completion of the course. The project recruited 106 participants who were dental health professionals over a ten and a half year period (1992–2003). The dental participants consisted of 79 percent dentists and 21 percent dental hygienists or dental assistants. The sample was 67 percent male, 33 percent female, 45 percent Caucasian, and 24 percent Asian. An adapted questionnaire was used before and after the training to assess the educational needs of the participants and evaluate the success of the program in meeting those needs. Approximately 81 percent of the participants completed both questionnaires. After the course, the participants significantly changed their knowledge, attitudes/beliefs, and behaviors (65 percent, 86 percent, 55 percent respectively, all at p=.0001). Overall, the educational program was successful in increasing and promoting the HIV/AIDS‐related knowledge and attitudes/beliefs of the participants and enhancing their commitment to infection control and HIV risk screening behaviors.