-
Australian Dental Journal Dec 2018The management of medical emergencies is widely considered a requisite skill for all dentists. Timely intervention of an emergency can significantly alter the outcome... (Review)
Review
The management of medical emergencies is widely considered a requisite skill for all dentists. Timely intervention of an emergency can significantly alter the outcome for a patient's morbidity and possible mortality. This scoping review examines the prevalence of medical emergencies in dental practice, as well as dentists' attitude, confidence, and competence, of medical emergency management within a dental setting. Key findings include a lack of preparedness towards medical emergencies, despite a universal recognition of the importance and desire to improve key medical skills.
Topics: Attitude of Health Personnel; Clinical Competence; Dentists; Emergencies; General Practice, Dental; Humans; Practice Management, Dental; Prevalence
PubMed: 30169909
DOI: 10.1111/adj.12649 -
Environmental Health and Preventive... Nov 2016To assess the impact of occupational factors on the sex ratio of dentists' children.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of occupational factors on the sex ratio of dentists' children.
METHODS
A randomly selected 501 Iranian dentists participated in a telephone interview. The participants were contacted by their mobile number to answer questions about demographic variables (gender, age, marriage status), practice-related variables (year of graduation as general or specialist dentist, years of clinical work, working hours, average number of radiographs taken in a day, and spouse's job), and questions about their children (number, gender and date of birth of each child). Kruskal-Wallis and Chi-square tests served for statistical evaluation.
RESULTS
Of all participating dentists, 71 % were men, about two-thirds were 35- to 50-year olds, and 89 % were married. In total, the dentists had 768 children; about 21 % had no child. Of all the children, 54 % were boys (overall sex ratio = 1.17). The offspring sex ratio was 1.13 among male dentists, 1.50 for female dentists, and 1.44 when both parents were dentists. Higher percentages of boys were prevalent among female dentists, younger dentists, and general dental practitioners (p < 0.008).
CONCLUSION
Demographic and practice-related factors showed some impact on proportions of both sexes of dentists' children in this study. However, the result needs evaluation in further studies.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Chi-Square Distribution; Child; Child, Preschool; Dentists; Female; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Iran; Male; Middle Aged; Reproduction; Sex Ratio; Statistics, Nonparametric
PubMed: 27329277
DOI: 10.1007/s12199-016-0546-y -
BMC Oral Health Sep 2021The general dentist-specialist relationship is important for effective patient care and the professional environment. This study explores the non-clinical factors that...
BACKGROUND
The general dentist-specialist relationship is important for effective patient care and the professional environment. This study explores the non-clinical factors that may influence the general dentist-specialist relationship in Canada.
METHODS
A cross-sectional web-based survey of a sample of general dentists across Canada was conducted (N ≈ 11,300). The survey collected information on practitioner (e.g., age, gender, years of practice) and practice (e.g., location, ownership) factors. Two outcomes were assessed: not perceiving specialists as completely collegial and perceiving competitive pressure from specialists. Binary and multivariable logistic regression analysis was conducted.
RESULTS
A total of 1328 general dentists responded, yielding a response rate of 11.7%. The strongest associations for perceiving specialists as not completely collegial include being a practice owner (OR = 2.15, 95% CI 1.23, 3.74), working in two or more practices (OR = 1.69, 95% CI 1.07, 2.65), practicing in a small population center (OR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.22, 0.94), and contributing equally to the household income (OR = 0.47, 95% CI 0.26, 0.84). The strongest associations with perceiving medium/large competitive pressure from specialists include having a general practice residency or advanced education in general dentistry (OR = 2.00, 95% CI 1.17, 3.41) and having specialists in close proximity to the practice (OR = 2.52, 95% CI 1.12, 5.69).
CONCLUSION
Practitioner and practice factors, mostly related to business and dental care market dynamics, are associated with the potential for strained relationships between general dentists and specialists in Canada. This study points to the need for dental professional organizations to openly discuss the current state of the dental care market, as it has important implications for the profession.
Topics: Canada; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentists; General Practice, Dental; Humans; Specialization
PubMed: 34548047
DOI: 10.1186/s12903-021-01782-y -
Journal of the American Dental... Oct 2016Although some patients experience adverse events (AEs) resulting in harm caused by treatments in dentistry, few published reports have detailed how dental providers...
BACKGROUND
Although some patients experience adverse events (AEs) resulting in harm caused by treatments in dentistry, few published reports have detailed how dental providers describe these events. Understanding how dental treatment professionals view AEs is essential to building a safer environment in dental practice.
METHODS
The authors interviewed dental professionals and domain experts through focus groups and in-depth interviews and asked them to identify the types of AEs that may occur in dental settings.
RESULTS
The initial interview and focus group findings yielded 1,514 items that included both causes and AEs. In total, 632 causes were coded into 1 of the 8 categories of the Eindhoven classification, and 882 AEs were coded into 12 categories of a newly developed dental AE classification. Interrater reliability was moderate among coders. The list was reanalyzed, and duplicate items were removed leaving a total of 747 unique AEs and 540 causes. The most frequently identified AE types were "aspiration and ingestion" at 14% (n = 142), "wrong-site, wrong-procedure, wrong-patient errors" at 13%, "hard-tissue damage" at 13%, and "soft-tissue damage" at 12%.
CONCLUSIONS
Dental providers identified a large and diverse list of AEs. These events ranged from "death due to cardiac arrest" to "jaw fatigue from lengthy procedures."
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS
Identifying threats to patient safety is a key element of improving dental patient safety. An inventory of dental AEs underpins efforts to track, prevent, and mitigate these events.
Topics: Dental Care; Dental Staff; Dentists; Focus Groups; Humans; Interviews as Topic; Medical Errors
PubMed: 27269376
DOI: 10.1016/j.adaj.2016.04.015 -
International Dental Journal Oct 2022In many countries, periodontal surgery is mainly provided by periodontists. This specialty is not recognised in France, where periodontal care and treatment are...
AIM
In many countries, periodontal surgery is mainly provided by periodontists. This specialty is not recognised in France, where periodontal care and treatment are principally the responsibility of general dentists (GDs). The objective of this study was to investigate the periodontal care provided and factors associated with the treatment of periodontal diseases, including periodontal surgery, by GDs in France.
METHODS
A national cross-sectional survey of GDs practicing in the French metropolitan area was conducted in 2019. A self-administered questionnaire was sent by mail to the GDs selected by stratified simple random sampling. It included questions on respondents' sociodemographic characteristics and their periodontal practice. A multivariate logistic regression model was employed to identify the factors associated with the practice of periodontal surgery by GDs.
RESULTS
Three hundred eighty-five GDs responded (response rate, 23.4%). Their mean age was 45.2 years; 51.2% were male and 83.6% were in private practice. They reported performing selective periodontal examinations such as pocket probing on average for 34.2% of their patients, but only 5.5% of them performed them systematically. Several variables were significantly associated with the provision of periodontal surgical procedures such as the gender of the GDs, full mouth periodontal probing, implantology practice, insufficient fees, or uncertainty about treatment procedure. This survey confirmed the referral of patients for periodontal surgery by a minority of practitioners. It also highlighted insufficient screening and diagnostic procedures for periodontal diseases by GDs.
CONCLUSIONS
There is a need to improve French GDs' periodontal skills and knowledge and to address other barriers that currently limit their ability to deliver comprehensive periodontal care.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentists; Female; France; General Practice, Dental; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Periodontal Diseases; Practice Patterns, Dentists'; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 35422317
DOI: 10.1016/j.identj.2022.02.002 -
British Dental Journal Jun 2021Introduction Long-term orthodontic retention using removable or fixed retainers is needed to maintain the outcome of orthodontic treatment. The aim of this article is to...
Introduction Long-term orthodontic retention using removable or fixed retainers is needed to maintain the outcome of orthodontic treatment. The aim of this article is to describe how long-term retention is managed and to report on a survey of general dental practitioners (GDPs) as to how this management currently operates in the UK.Materials and methods GDPs were invited to complete a short online survey on orthodontic retention using an open notice posted in the British Dental Journal and a direct email to the members of a local dental clinical society.Results Fifty-six GDPs completed the online survey. Overall, the findings highlighted poor levels of communication between orthodontists and GDPs with respect to the latter assuming responsibility for the management of long-term retention.Conclusion The management of long-term retention could be improved by more effective communication between the orthodontist and GDP. One solution might be a retention management pro forma. GDPs are in some instances willing to undertake more of the management of retention following further training and possible remuneration.
Topics: Dentists; Humans; Orthodontic Retainers; Orthodontists; Professional Role; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 34117434
DOI: 10.1038/s41415-021-2875-5 -
BMC Oral Health Apr 2022During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, ordinary dental services were sustained in Nepal. Because a dental practice is considered to involve a high risk of...
BACKGROUND
During the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, ordinary dental services were sustained in Nepal. Because a dental practice is considered to involve a high risk of infection, the needs of dentists should be identified, and demand-driven support should be provided. The purpose of this study was to investigate the situation and needs of dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to guide demand-driven support. First, we investigated how the situation of Nepali dentists differed according to their types of practices between private clinics and university/government hospitals. Second, we assessed the characteristics of dentists demanding four types of support: financial, material, technical, and guidelines/guidance support.
METHODS
A cross-sectional online questionnaire survey was conducted between July 28th and August 7th 2020. Closed-ended questions were prepared regarding behavior, material availability, economic and psychological impacts, training, and the main support dentists wanted to receive. The situation of dentists between private clinics and university/government hospitals was determined using a chi-squared test for each variable. To examine the association between the characteristics of dentists and four types of support, multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) for each variable.
RESULTS
There were 352 dentists (137 males and 215 females) included in the analysis. Private clinic dentists experienced a bigger economic impact and demanded financial support that 45.5% of them did not receive a salary, compared to 18.9% in university/government hospitals. On the contrary, university/government hospitals experienced lack of PPE and demanded material support that 79.8% had personal protective equipment, compared to 92.5% in private clinics. Financial support was demanded significantly more by male than female dentists (ORs = 5.56; 95% CI = 2.96-10.45). Material support was demanded significantly more by dentists who received training regarding COVID-19 management (ORs = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.01-3.81). Technical support was demanded significantly less by male dentists (ORs = 0.44; 95% CI = 0.23-0.83). Guideline/guidance support was demanded significantly more by dentists who answered that Nepal Dental Association provided appropriate support (ORs = 2.21; 95% CI = 1.25-3.91).
CONCLUSION
This study articulated the diverse needs of Nepali dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand-driven support should be provided in the future.
Topics: COVID-19; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentists; Female; Humans; Male; Nepal; Pandemics; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 35365151
DOI: 10.1186/s12903-022-02139-9 -
Clinical and Experimental Dental... Aug 2019From casual observation of our colleagues, only a few individuals use the dental dam for operative procedures in their faculty practice. The purpose of this study was to...
OBJECTIVES
From casual observation of our colleagues, only a few individuals use the dental dam for operative procedures in their faculty practice. The purpose of this study was to obtain faculty perceptions of the dental dam, quantify its utilization in their intramural faculty practice, and determine the factors that influence dental dam usage.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A survey containing 11 questions was sent to 19 faculty members who teach full time and maintain an intramural dental practice involving operative dentistry. Thirty electronic dental health records of the 19 providers were reviewed to gather the following information from restorative procedures they completed: isolation methods, tooth location and involved surfaces, and dental restorative material.
RESULTS
Overall, dental dam was utilized for 30% of all restorative procedures and was used less than 20% of the time for placement of class II and class III composite resins. Dental dam utilization rate by general dentists was 37% and 17.6% for prosthodontists. Those general dentists with prior history of military dental practice had a utilization rate of 78.6% and nonmilitary dentists only 7.6%. Eight faculty members responded to the questionnaire for a 42% return rate. Those who practiced dentistry in the military strongly agreed that the dental dam is the standard of care, improves their quality of restorative work, and should be documented in the dental record.
CONCLUSIONS
There were significantly different dental dam utilization rates between general dentists and prosthodontists and between dentists with prior military experience and those without.
Topics: Dentistry, Operative; Dentists; Faculty; Humans; Practice Patterns, Dentists'; Rubber Dams; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 31452948
DOI: 10.1002/cre2.191 -
International Journal of Environmental... May 2022Dental care for hospitalized patients can improve nutritional status and feeding function while reducing complications. However, such care in Japan is not uniformly...
Dental care for hospitalized patients can improve nutritional status and feeding function while reducing complications. However, such care in Japan is not uniformly provided. This investigation examined the presence and characteristics of hospitals where dentists work and the collaboration between medical and dental teams. This cross-sectional study involves 7205 hospitals using the administrative reports on the Hospital Bed Function of 2018. Indicators described were the proportion of hospitals employing dentists, those providing perioperative oral care, and those with a nutrition support team (NST) that included dentists. A two-level logistic regression model was performed using hospital-based and secondary medical area-based factors to identify factors associated with hospitals employing dentists and dental care services. Some hospitals had poor medical and dental collaboration, even those with dentists, and no-dentist hospitals had rare medical and dental collaboration. Factors positively associated with hospitals that employed dentists were diagnosis-procedure-combination-hospital types, the Japanese government-established hospitals compared with hospitals established by public organizations, among others. In conclusion, the present study found poor medical and dental collaboration was observed in some hospitals and that hospital type, region, and hospital founders were associated with the performance of collaborative medical and dental care.
Topics: Cross-Sectional Studies; Dental Care; Dentists; Hospitals; Humans; Japan
PubMed: 35682033
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19116448 -
Australian Dental Journal Mar 2022This study aimed to investigate the perceptions and opinions of orthodontists and periodontists on the management of gingival recession in orthodontic patients.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to investigate the perceptions and opinions of orthodontists and periodontists on the management of gingival recession in orthodontic patients.
METHODS
An online survey was sent to 29 periodontists and 80 orthodontists registered and currently practising in New Zealand. All participants answered questions about the timing and clinical indications of mucogingival surgeries in orthodontic patients diagnosed with mucogingival deformities.
RESULTS
Most periodontists and orthodontists believed that gingival grafts should ideally be performed after orthodontic treatment. In clinical practice, 40% of periodontists indicated that they would receive referrals after completion of orthodontic treatment. However, 29.6% of orthodontists indicated that they would refer to a periodontist before orthodontic treatment in clinical practice. The most crucial factor that affected periodontists' decision-making was 'evidence-based guidelines' (35.0%), followed by 'clinical experience' (30.0%) and 'patient concerns' (15.0%). All four factors of 'gingival phenotype', 'presence of gingival recession', 'amount of keratinised tissue' and 'planning specific tooth movements' were equally considered by orthodontists regarding their decision-making.
CONCLUSIONS
The majority of the surveyed New Zealand periodontists and orthodontists expressed a belief that the ideal timing for the management of gingival recessions would be after the completion of orthodontic treatment.
Topics: Humans; Gingival Recession; Orthodontists; New Zealand; Dentists; Tooth Movement Techniques
PubMed: 35527478
DOI: 10.1111/adj.12914