bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Local Dental Programs: A Descriptive Assessment of Funding and Activities
Authors: Kuthy Raymond A. , Odom John G. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractIn 1986, 201 local dental programs received a dental survey requesting information on their programmatic activities. Survey categories included general agency information, dental coordinator characteristics, program budget, staffing and salaries, clinical services, health education and other programs, and miscellaneous questions. A total of 156 programs returned the survey, for a 77.6 percent response rate. This article provides descriptive data on various selected activities within local dental health organizations. Highlights include: (1) 12 agencies have terminated their dental program since 1982; (2) 88 percent of existing dental programs have a clinical component; and (3) the budgets of viable programs have increased over the past three years. These data will assist local health agencies and national organizations in program planning and serve as a resource for program directors, as well as those who are developing new programs.
Menu Preferences of Dental Public Health Diplomates—A Pilot Study
Authors: Lotzkar Stanley 
Published: May 2007

AbstractForty‐six of 103 dentists responded to a survey of their preferences for fish or chicken in preparation for the 1986 Dinner Meeting of the American Board of Dental Public Health in Miami, Florida. Approximately three‐fourths of the respondents (74%) requested fish (F). Analysis of preferences with regard to geographic location indicated that almost half of the respondents requesting fish were from Region IV (Southeast), while preferences according to year of certification indicated that more than three‐quarters of the respondents (77%) who had been certified since 1970 preferred fish. There were no significant differences between the two groups in mode of transportation, time since last visit, and number of denture wearers.
A Marketing Strategy for the Dental Public Health Profession: What Is It? Why Is It Needed?
Authors: Simon‐Rusinowitz Lori 
Published: May 2007

AbstractA personnel management problem exists within dental public health that interferes with its mission of improving the nation's oral health. A major cause of this problem may be that many administrators who write position descriptions and hire professional staff are unaware of differences between clinical and public health dental practitioners. A marketing plan has been developed to address this lack of awareness about proper use of dental public health professionals. Its main goal is to establish more appropriate personnel and employment practices within dental public health. The expected outcomes of this plan could assist both recipients of dental public health services and members of the profession. The purpose of this article is to introduce the marketing strategy to dental public health professionals.
Usefulness of a Local Oral Health Survey in Program Development
Authors: Siegal Mark D. , Martin Barbara , Kuthy Raymond A. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractIn 1986, the Columbus (Ohio) Health Department conducted an oral health survey of children in grades 1, 2, 6, and 7. The World Health Organization's Pathfinder methodology served as the basis for survey design. The survey was made possible through collaboration and sharing resources among the local and state health departments and two universities. The findings of the children's portion of the survey proved useful in program planning, marketing (including resource procurement), constituency building, and educating the dental profession and the public. The data were used to support successful grant requests that led to the implementation of a school‐based dental sealant program. The local government expanded the health department's dental budget to continue the sealant program beyond the grant period. The state health department considered the survey to be a pilot for a statewide effort.
Fissure Sealant Knowledge and Characteristics of Parents as a Function of Their Child's Sealant Status
Authors: Lang W. Paul , Weintraub Jane A. , Choi Charles , Bagramian Robert A. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractA survey was conducted to identify and compare sealant knowledge and sources of sealant information of parents whose children had and had not received fissure sealants. The socioeconomic characteristics of these individuals were also compared. The sealant group was composed of the parents of children found to have a sealant on at least one permanent tooth during dental examinations of 2,036 elementary schoolchildren in southwestern Michigan. Another group of children was selected from the same population and matched to the children with sealants by child's age, sex, school location, and community. Surveys were returned by 210 of 260 sets of parents (81% response rate). Significant differences were found between the two groups with regard to parents' ages and levels of income. Parents of children with sealants had more correct information about the procedure and 74 percent of these individuals reported that the dental office was their primary source of information. For the group without sealants, 48 percent of respondents reported no source of sealant information. Findings suggest that dental personnel may strongly influence dissemination of information about sealants and utilization of this preventive procedure.
Oral Health Status, Knowledge, and Practices in an Amish Population
Authors: Bagramian Robert A. , Narendran Sena , Khavari A. Mahyar 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThis study was conducted in the summer of 1985 to assess the oral health status, knowledge, and practices of an Amish population in southwest Michigan. Dental caries experience, periodontal health, and oral hygiene status were recorded using decayed, missing, and filled surfaces (DMFS), periodontal index (PI), and simplified oral hygiene index (OHI‐S). Data on oral health knowledge and practices were collected by interviews using a structured questionnaire. Results showed significantly lower levels of disease among Amish. DMFS scores for 5–17‐year‐old Amish children were almost half that of the US general population (NIDR 1979–80). PI score of all ages combined was 2.0, which was 3.6 times lower than a national sample (1971–74). Lower levels of disease in Amish could be related to their way of life and dietary patterns. A relatively higher level of unmet need for prosthodontic care, inadequate oral health knowledge, and barriers to dental care in the study population emphasize the need for dental public health and health education programs.
Barrier Techniques and Hepatitis B Vaccine Policies in Dental Components of Local Health Agencies
Authors: Kuthy Raymond A. , Odom John G. , Pruitt John W. , Ashton James J. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractNational health organizations have issued guidelines for barrier control techniques against infectious diseases and for inoculation against hepatitis B. This study surveys the policies of local health agencies regarding the safeguards used in protecting their employees. Local health agencies (N = 201) operating independently of state health departments were mailed questionnaires seeking information regarding glove, mask, and eyewear policies, as well as hepatitis B vaccine policies for new and current employees. Of the 156 programs returning the survey, 127 (76.6%) reported having a clinical component.Many agencies did not require infection control policies to be implemented for every patient. Agencies that had dental directors who have held their positions for fewer than four years were more likely to have requirements for gloves and masks than agencies run by directors with longer tenure. Those agencies that provided dental treatment to inmates at correctional institutions were also more likely to require infection control policies. The data indicate policy inconsistencies among local dental health programs nationwide. Of considerable concern is the fact that infection control was not identified as a priority for the near future. Many local health agencies would benefit from further education in infection control.
Factors Influencing Dental Decision Making
Authors: Grembowski David , Milgrom Peter , Fiset Louis 
Published: May 2007

AbstractIn clinical decision making, dentists routinely choose between alternative treatments such as crown vs amalgam/composite buildup, root canal vs extraction, fixed bridge vs removable partial denture, and prophylaxis vs subgingival curettage or periodontal scaling. A number of technical and patient factors can influence dentists' choice of treatment in these situations; however, little is known about their relative importance. To address this issue, a list of technical (e.g., periodontal status and caries rate) and patient (e.g., cost and patient preference) factors possibly influencing choice of treatment was developed for each pair of services. Responding to a mail questionnaire, 156 general dentists in Washington State listed the top three factors influencing their choice of service in each pair. Results revealed that dentists took different factors into account in choosing among alternative treatments. Technical factors dominated over patient concerns; only about 33 percent of the dentists considered patient factors important in choosing alternative therapies. The latter group was less preventively oriented, were solo practitioners, worked longer hours, and had lower prices. Results suggest patients may have little influence on prescriptions of therapy among experienced general dentists.
Risk Assessment of Mercury Exposure from Dental Amalgams*
Authors: Reinhardt John W. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractMuch attention is being focused upon the issue of mercury exposure from dental amalgam restorations and the potential for adverse health effects. This controversy has grown beyond the confines of the dental profession itself and is becoming an emotional public health issue. In hope of regaining good health, many dental patients with chronic systemic diseases are considering replacement of their amalgams. Dentists are increasingly being challenged to prove the safety of amalgams. Recently, systematic methods have been established for quantitative evaluation of environmental risks. This study brings together the quantitative methodologies of risk assessment and the knowledge of mercury exposure from dental amalgams to estimate the safety of dental amalgam restorative therapy. Analysis concludes that the margin of safety for mercury toxicity in humans from dental amalgams is approximately 8‐to 30‐fold. There are many uncertainties involved in this estimate, and further studies are warranted to improve its precision.
The Rural Dental Health Program: Long‐term Impact of Two Dental Delivery Systems on Children's Oral Health
Authors: Feldman Cecile A. , Bentley J. Marvin , Oler Jacqueline 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThis paper addresses the long‐term effect of two dental delivery systems established during the Rural Dental Health Program (RDHP) in 1975. At that time 725 children in grades K‐2 were assigned randomly to an enriched dental health education program or regular health education program and to a SCHOOL‐or COMMUNITY‐based dental delivery system. Seven years after funding for RDHP ended, children originally assigned to the COMMUNITY group utilized more professional services and showed a higher level of dental knowledge than children assigned to the SCHOOL group. In addition, COMMUNITY‐based children had, on average, twice as many sealed teeth. While the follow‐up study did not reveal any statistically significant difference in the clinical oral health indices (DMFS, gingival index, calculus index, plaque index, periodontal probing depth, and orthodontic treatment priority index) the COMMUNITY‐based children's higher level of professional dental service utilization, greater number of sealed teeth, and increased dental knowledge should lead to a higher level of oral health in the long run.
The University of North Carolina Caries Risk Assessment Study I: Rationale and Content
Authors: Stamm John W. , Disney Judith A. , Graves Richard C. , Bohannan Harry M. , Abernathy James R. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThis article presents the rationale and content of a current study that seeks to improve methods to identify children at high risk to dental caries. It summarizes the results of the development of a 12‐factor, preliminary caries prediction model based on data derived from the National Preventive Demonstration Program. Despite data limitations, the model produced a sensitivity of .5 and specificity of .8 for four‐year caries increment prediction in first‐and fifth‐grade children. Data on a number of additional potential predictors are being collected in two sites to expand and improve the existing model. These factors are identified.
The Pre‐and Posteruptive Effects of Fluoride in the Caries Decline
Authors: Beltran Eugenio D. , Burt Brian A. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThe widespread availability of fluoride from many sources is accepted as a major reason for the canes decline among children in developed countries. There is still controversy, however, about its principal mode of action. This article reviews the evidence on fluoride's preemptive and posteruptive effects, and suggests reasons for its continuing role in the caries decline. Early fluoridation studies accepted that fluoride acted preeruptively through incorporation into developing enamel; but further research could not explain why fluoride levels were not clearly higher in enamel exposed to fluoride, nor why there were no clear correlations between caries experience and enamel fluoride concentration. Instead, considerable evidence suggests that fluoride acts mainly, though not entirely, through posteruptive remineralization of demineralized enamel. Caries experience has declined in non‐fluoridated as well as in fluoridated areas, though DMF scores are still consistently lower in fluoridated areas. Posteruptive remineralization effects are seen from fluoridated drinking water as well as with fluoride from other sources. The continuing caries decline, beyond the level suggested by early fluoridation field trials, can be attributed either to more efficient remineralization or to long‐term, intraoral ecological change, or to both.
Trends in the Prevalence and Severity of Periodontal Diseases in the US: A Public Health Problem?
Authors: Capilouto Mary Lynne , Douglass Chester W. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThis article reviews trends in the prevalence and severity of periodontal disease in US adults and examines the implications of these trends regarding the recognition of periodontal disease as a public health problem. Data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) examination surveys, 1960–62 and 1971–74, and the National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) 1985–86 Survey of Employed and Senior Adults are examined. Issues of comparability and generalizability are discussed. Changes in the prevalence and severity of gingivitis and periodontitis are presented for the time periods 1960–62 to 1971–74 and 1971–74 to 1985–86. We concluded (1) it is difficult to document the changes occurring in the prevalence of gingivitis; however, given the available evidence, the prevalence and severity of gingivitis have probably declined; (2) it appears that periodontitis continues to affect approximately the same proportions of the overall US adult population; but with those affected, the extent and severity of the disease have declined; and (3) older adults continue to exhibit more disease and greater levels of severe disease than the younger age groups. Renewed efforts to clarify the epidemiologic confusion concerning trends in the prevalence and severity of periodontal disease should remain high on the agenda for public health dentistry.
Oral Hygiene Instruction and Health Risk Assessment in Dental Practice
Authors: Milgrom Peter , Weinstein Philip , Melnick Sandra , Beach Barbara , Spadafora Agnes 
Published: May 2007

AbstractWe studied oral hygiene instruction given to 109 patients in 19 Washington State dental practices to investigate the extent to which therapists targeted their efforts toward patients with high disease risk. Patients were examined prior to instruction and prophylaxes. Therapists' instructions were tape‐recorded and their content analyzed: therapists' expectations were scored. There were no statistically significant associations between patients' initial plaque levels and the process/content of the oral hygiene instructions delivered. On average, therapists spent 9.4 minutes of each prophylaxis session discussing oral hygiene. Therapists were judged more genuine with those patients for whom they had higher expectations of compliance, i.e., those with less plaque and low disease risk. We conclude that dental practitioners were not employing effective risk assessment strategies in selection of patients most in need of intensive instructional efforts.
Fluoride Exposure in Michigan Schoolchildren
Authors: Szpunar Susan M. , Burt Brian A. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractRecent trends in the prevalence of dental caries in children, as well as a possible increase in the prevalence of dental fluorosis, have prompted some researchers to suggest the reassessment of water fluoride concentration standards. Instead of reducing water fluoride concentrations, an alternative approach would be to limit the use of, or reduce the fluoride concentration of, dentifrices, mouthrinses, and supplements. Information about the use of these other sources of fluoride, however, is scarce. Using data from a 1987 survey of Michigan schoolchildren, exposure to selected fluoride sources as well as tooth brushing habits are described. Responses from questionnaires revealed that, overall, 98.5 percent of the children have used fluoride dentifrices, 27 percent have used topical fluoride rinses, 72.5 percent have had at least one exposure to professionally applied topical fluoride, and 27percent have used dietary fluoride supplements. Although the use of fluoride dietary supplements was appropriate for most children residing in fluoride‐deficient Cadillac, the percentages of children in the other communities who have ingested these supplements suggest that these products are being prescribed improperly. Given the almost universal use of fluoride dentifrices at an early age, it may be time to investigate the use of reduced fluoride dentifrices for children. In addition, continuing efforts to decrease inappropriate dietary fluoride supplementation are required.
Dentists' and Physicians' Attitudes on the Role of the Dental Health Care Team in a Cardiovascular Risk Factor Reduction Program
Authors: Young Sandra L. , Karp Nancy V. , Karp Warren B. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThis study examines the attitudes of both dentists and physicians on the role of the dental health care team in a cardiovascular risk factor reduction program directed at a general “well” population. A questionnaire was sent to a stratified sample of primary care dentists and physicians in the Augusta, Georgia, metropolitan area. The questionnaire was divided into four parts: the demographic component and three attitude components (the affective component, the cognitive component, and the action component). Results showed that dentists tended to have a positive attitude about performing cholesterol screening, nutrition counseling, and blood pressure screening in the dental office. Physicians tended to be negative about the idea of dentists performing cholesterol screening and nutrition counseling and were undecided about this role for dentists in a cardiovascular risk factor reduction program. Both dentists and physicians had positive attitudes about the idea of dentists referring high cardiovascular risk patients to physicians, as well as about the role of dentists in blood pressure screening. Overall, although dentists and physicians expressed concerns about the role of dentists in a cardiovascular risk factor reduction program, responses of both groups demonstrated a willingness to explore this concept further.
Dental Health Personnel Planning: a Review of the Literature
Authors: Goodman Harold S. , Weyant Robert J. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractDental personnel planning is important in formulating policy in dental education, dental public health programs, and dental care delivery systems. The purpose of this literature review is to illustrate the use of dentist‐to‐population ratios, need‐based models, and demand‐based models in the determination of appropriate supply of dental personnel. A historical perspective is provided that demonstrates how political manipulation and subjectivity have characterized the use of these models by organized dentistry, the federal government, and others. The lack of pertinent data and the inability to predict economic, social, political, and epidemiologic trends weaken the applicability of each model in determining future personnel levels. Considering the long‐term consequences of the use of each model in personnel planning, caution is urged in using any of the presently available models.
Measuring the Impact of P.L. 99‐252: an Economist's View
Authors: Caswell Robert J. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThis paper examines ways in which standard economic analysis may be used to predict and evaluate the impact of P.L 99‐252, the Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Education Act of 1986. Simple supply and demand models are used to illustrate the range of possible effects of the act. Analysis indicates that the act should reduce demand, though the magnitude of the impact can only be determined empirically. Given that the act affects only one of the principal determinants of demand, consumer preferences, the impact may be rather limited in magnitude. The impact on supply is more ambiguous, but it is possible that restrictions on advertising might lower the smokeless tobacco producers' costs in ways that would lead to an increase in supply. Several suggestions for empirical measurement of impact are made. Three other issues are identified and discussed: potential negative consequences of the act's required health warnings (as a liability defense for firms); the importance of point of view in dealing with the costs of smokeless tobacco use; and a comparison of the act to alternative strategies to reduce smokeless tobacco use, such as taxation.
P.L. 99‐252–Implications for Dentists and Their Clinical Practice
Authors: Schroeder Kathleen L. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThis paper is one of a series attempting to determine the impact of Public Law 99‐252, the Comprehensive Smokeless Tobacco Health Education Act of 1986, on decreasing smokeless tobacco use. Potential indicators are discussed that could be used by the dental profession to determine the efficacy of the profession's involvement in existing and future prevention and cessation efforts relative to this law. In this review, six major areas are considered for measuring declines in smokeless tobacco use relative to the role of the dental health practitioner. These areas encompass the following: (1) the dental profession's knowledge of smokeless tobacco health hazards, (2) dental practitioners' involvement in measuring changes in use patterns, (3) the influence dentists have with their patients and community in decreasing smokeless tobacco use, (4) the general attitude and intention to quit on the part of dental patients, (5) active governmental involvement efforts, and (6) health effects of smokeless tobacco that might be used for identifying decreasing smokeless tobacco use. Within each of these six broad categories, more specific indicators for measuring the impact of P.L. 99‐252 relative to the dental profession were considered.