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International Journal of Clinical... 2023The aim is to assess the awareness and professional responsibilities of pedodontists, general dentists, and dental students concerning suspected child abuse and to...
Awareness and Professional Responses in Managing Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) among Dental Students, General Dentists, and Pedodontists of Bengaluru City, India.
AIM
The aim is to assess the awareness and professional responsibilities of pedodontists, general dentists, and dental students concerning suspected child abuse and to explore their professional experiences with this issue.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted among 400 conveniently selected general dentists, pedodontists, and dental students in Bengaluru city. Self-administered, structured, both open- and closed-ended questionnaires were used to elicit information about their experience (if any) with suspected/confirmed cases of Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN). Responses to open-ended items were grouped based on common responses. Descriptive statistics and Chi-squared tests were used to analyze the data.
RESULTS
About 15.6% suspected a case of CAN based on physical indicators, and 8% reported a confirmed case of CAN that was based on conflicting history from child to parent. Counseling of both child and parent, followed by a proper recording of history, was the action taken for suspected cases. In addition, counseling of parents followed by reporting to concerned authorities was done for confirmed cases. About 18.4% observed a change in the child's behavior that was predominantly scared and submissive. Counseling of the child/parent/caretaker was the preferred approach, followed by reporting to concerned authorities. Pedodontists preferred to create public awareness, and dental students preferred to report to concerned authorities.
CONCLUSION
The exposure to a suspected or confirmed case of CAN was very less in the present study. Not many participants who encountered a child abuse case opted to report it to higher authorities and rather focused on counseling the parent/family. The role of pedodontists was found to be crucial since most reported cases were from their end; however, dental students showed a greater interest in managing a case of CAN. There is a need to create more awareness regarding the management of CAN cases among dentists and students.
CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
CAN is a major problem around the world that can have long-term adverse effects on Children. The first step in intervention is awareness and identification of CAN cases.
HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE
Sampangi Ramegowda AB, Kumar VD, Bhatnagar S, Awareness and Professional Responses in Managing Cases of Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) among Dental Students, General Dentists, and Pedodontists of Bengaluru City, India. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2023;16(4):619-625.
PubMed: 37731808
DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10005-2638 -
British Dental Journal Feb 2024Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) is a distinct type of oral leukoplakia which has the potential to enlarge or develop into new areas of leukoplakia coupled with... (Review)
Review
Proliferative verrucous leukoplakia (PVL) is a distinct type of oral leukoplakia which has the potential to enlarge or develop into new areas of leukoplakia coupled with areas of a warty surface texture. PVL is usually diagnosed from the fifth decade onwards and is more common in female patients. The most frequent sites involved tend to be gingivae, followed by buccal mucosa and lateral border of tongue. It is one of the oral potentially malignant conditions with a high risk of malignant transformation. It is important for general dental practitioners (GDPs) to identify such lesions to facilitate referral for further investigation and diagnosis. Management is challenging with long-term monitoring and surgical excision when appropriate; however, PVL tends to recur following surgical excision. This article provides an up-to-date review tailored for GDPs on the present knowledge of PVL and illustrates the management challenges with clinical cases.
Topics: Humans; Female; Dentists; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Professional Role; Leukoplakia, Oral; Mouth Mucosa
PubMed: 38388601
DOI: 10.1038/s41415-024-7066-8 -
BMC Oral Health Dec 2023One of the main clinical features of Sjögren's Syndrome is oral dryness, which is associated with an increased risk of oral diseases and a lower oral life quality....
BACKGROUND
One of the main clinical features of Sjögren's Syndrome is oral dryness, which is associated with an increased risk of oral diseases and a lower oral life quality. Dentists have a key role to play in the Sjögren's Syndrome diagnosis and specific management. In parallel, many patients rely on patient associations, which offer opportunities for members to seek information about their disease and share their experiences. We aimed to evaluate patients experience with dry mouth and the importance of dentists in Sjögren's Syndrome diagnosis and its management.
METHODS
We carried out a cross-sectional survey in 2020 based on a questionnaire drafted in collaboration with clinicians specializing in Sjögren's Syndrome and patient members of a patient association. The survey consisted of 27 questions divided into the six sections: the patient's profile, their experience with dry mouth and treatments used to manage, characteristics of experienced oral-health problems, effects of dry mouth and its consequences on the quality of life, evaluation of the dentist role in the screening of Sjögren's Syndrome, and its management by the dentist. Recruitment was carried out via the patient association's newsletter, website, and social networks. Sjögren's diagnosis was self-reported.
RESULTS
One thousand four hundred fifty-eight patients fully responded to the survey. Most respondents were women over 50 and were mainly concerned with primary Sjögren's Syndrome. Overall, 86.97% of respondents reported experiencing frequent or constant dry mouth and 69.01% declared having had oral problems (candidiasis, oral pain, loss or alteration of taste, bad breath, gastro-esophageal reflux). We found a positive correlation between the frequency of dry mouth and each of these disorders and between the frequency of dry mouth and alterations in life quality dimensions. Finally, 74.9% of patients did not report having dry mouth to their dentist prior to being diagnosed with Sjögren's Syndrome and 58% had not been informed about the oral risks associated with it by their dentist and sought information themselves or from their physician.
CONCLUSIONS
We confirm the significant consequences of dry mouth on oral quality of life, as well as its association with oral health problems. Sjögren's Syndrome screening by dentists should be increased, as well as prevention of the associated oral health risks.
Topics: Humans; Female; Male; Sjogren's Syndrome; Quality of Life; Cross-Sectional Studies; Xerostomia; Dentists; Patient Reported Outcome Measures
PubMed: 38102574
DOI: 10.1186/s12903-023-03727-z -
Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023Accidental exposure to blood or other biological fluids is a common occurrence in dentistry, and its post-exposure management is a key component of infection prevention... (Review)
Review
Accidental exposure to blood or other biological fluids is a common occurrence in dentistry, and its post-exposure management is a key component of infection prevention and control programs designed to prevent the transmission of blood-borne pathogens such as hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV, HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This narrative review aims to comprehensively review the risk assessment process for each of these pathogens at all steps of the epidemiological process, i.e., source-exposure route-receptive person, in order to provide a better understanding of the delicate differences that influence the transmission risk and that drive the individualized post-exposure management.
PubMed: 37513815
DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12070968 -
Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in... 2023This article identifies the factors associated with burnout among dentists in the state of Bahia, Brazil, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
BACKGROUND
This article identifies the factors associated with burnout among dentists in the state of Bahia, Brazil, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study, conducted between November 2020 and February 2021, of 251 dentists, selected by snowball sampling. Sociodemographic, occupational, and epidemiological information was collected in an electronic form. Burnout was evaluated through the Maslach Burnout Inventory; anxiety through the Beck Anxiety Inventory; and quality of life through the WHOQol-BREF questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was used to identify factors associated with variations in levels of the three burnout dimensions.
RESULTS
The mean levels of the burnout dimensions were: Emotional Exhaustion: 28.9 ± 8.9 (SD); Depersonalization = 8.2 ± 6.3; and Personal Accomplishment: 28.0 ± 6.2. The proportion of professionals with high Emotional Exhaustion (≥ 30 cut-off score), high Depersonalization (≥ 12 cut-off score), and low Personal Accomplishment (≤ 33 cut-off score) were 43.4%, 26.3% and 81.3%, respectively. Burnout components were associated with high anxiety; lower levels of the physical, psychological, social relations, and environmental dimensions of quality of life; less time working as a dentist; increased alcohol consumption during the pandemic, feeling safe when using personal protective equipment, and support from work fellows.
CONCLUSION
The dentists investigated showed moderate levels of Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization, and very low levels of Personal Accomplishment. The prevention and mitigation of burnout syndrome among dentists during a pandemic should consider several factors, such as quality of life, amount of time in the profession, use of personal protective equipment, support from fellow dentists, and alcohol consumption.
PubMed: 37916202
DOI: 10.2174/17450179-v19-e230717-2023-1 -
BMC Research Notes Sep 2023Medical emergency situations in dental clinics have been contemplated to be an issue in most of the countries by reason of dentist's lack of knowledge and preparedness...
BACKGROUND
Medical emergency situations in dental clinics have been contemplated to be an issue in most of the countries by reason of dentist's lack of knowledge and preparedness to attend emergency situations in dental offices. The aim of this paper is to observe the knowledge, attitude, and perceived confidence of the general dental practitioners regarding emergency medical care and its practical application. Questionnaire on knowledge assessment was circulated among 500 dentists using printed questionnaire formats and various social media platforms. The questionnaire included details on treating hypertensive patients, cardiopulmonary resuscitation training, accessibility of medical emergency equipments in the dental clinics, prevalence of medical emergency cases in the dental office and the self-assessed competence to handle medical emergency situations in the dental clinics. Data was surveyed and scrutinized using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 17 (SPSS Inc., Chicago IL). Descriptive statistics was tabulated and Chi square tests was applied.
FINDINGS
500 general dental practitioners pan India were involved in the study (294 were females and 207 were males). They were grouped into different age groups (20-30 yrs, 30-40 yrs, 40-50 yrs, 50 and above) and experience (0-5 yrs, 5-10 yrs and more than 10 years). 279 participants did not attend any medical emergency training whereas, 222 participants from all groups attended training program. It was observed that with increased experience in the field, the knowledge, awareness and confidence to treat medical emergency situation in the dental clinics was better. Dentists should update themselves from time-to-time with the latest technologies in the field and need to attend training programs to handle any medical emergency situations in the dental offices. Medical emergencies in a dental clinic can be encountered at any point of time and the clinician should have apt knowledge in handling such situations. Majority of the dentists feel subdued in managing medical situations in dental offices. Training and workshops for handling medical situations in the dental offices should be mandated at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. This will help the dentist to shape one's confidence in managing such situations without apprehension. Availability of proper infrastructure and equipments is recommended in every dental clinics so as to ease the handling of the situation.
CONCLUSION
This paper enlightens the need of basic life support training on regular basis among the dentists to improve the competence among them and to improve the confidence in handling such situations.
Topics: Female; Male; Humans; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentists; Emergencies; Professional Role; India
PubMed: 37710327
DOI: 10.1186/s13104-023-06477-x -
BMC Medical Education Dec 2023Communication abilities are essential for the successful operation of a dental business and significantly influence outcomes, compliance, and patient satisfaction.
BACKGROUND
Communication abilities are essential for the successful operation of a dental business and significantly influence outcomes, compliance, and patient satisfaction.
AIMS AND METHODS
The aim of our study was to evaluate the knowledge and practice of doctor-patient communication among Jordanian dentists. This evaluation was conducted through a survey based on the key components of the Calgary Cambridge Observation Guides. Additionally, the impact of several sociodemographic characteristics on communication abilities was investigated. This cross-sectional study was conducted from January to June 2022. The data collection tool was an online questionnaire developed by the researchers, consisting of three sections: self-reported demographic and professional data, the practice of doctor-patient communication, and knowledge of doctor-patient communication.
RESULTS
The study included 305 dentists, comprising 106 males and 199 females, with a mean age of 32.9 ± 9.0 years. The mean score for communication skills knowledge was 41.5, indicating a moderate level of communication skills knowledge. Female dentists demonstrated significantly higher communication scores compared to their male counterparts, and those working in the private sector scored significantly higher than those in the governmental sector or in both sectors (P ≤ 0.05). In general, older and more experienced dentists exhibited better communication skills. Educational level had a positive impact on certain communication skills items. 58.4% believed that communication skills can always be developed and improved through training sessions, while 48.9% reported never having attended such courses. 95.1% believed that training courses on communication skills are always necessary as part of the educational curriculum. The main obstacles that may deter dentists from considering communication skills courses were limited time (62.3%), course availability (37.7%), cost (28.2%), and perceived lack of importance (8.2%).
CONCLUSION
Among a sample of Jordanian dentists, there appears to be a discrepancy between knowledge and self-reported practices regarding communication abilities. In certain crucial, evidence-based areas of doctor-patient communication, there are fundamental deficiencies. Considering the significant role dentists play in oral health and prevention, communication skills should be a top educational priority for them.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Young Adult; Adult; Dentists; Cross-Sectional Studies; Sociodemographic Factors; Communication; Oral Health; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 38087317
DOI: 10.1186/s12909-023-04958-y -
International Journal of Environmental... Aug 2023The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on every aspect of life, especially for healthcare professionals. Dentists are the most at risk of infection due to...
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on every aspect of life, especially for healthcare professionals. Dentists are the most at risk of infection due to close contact with patients. This study aimed to assess the level of awareness, perception, and attitude of Palestinian dentists towards COVID-19 and infection control. A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from 17-30 July 2020, and 349 dentists from the West Bank participated. The survey assessed demographic variables, participation in infection control training, prevention methods used in dental clinics, patient preparation for dental work, cross-infection control and sterilization before and after the pandemic, and sources for guideline protocols for dental workers. The results of the study showed that 54 (14.4%) dentists had received training in infection control in dentistry and 121 (34.3%) had attended training specifically regarding COVID-19. During a partial lockdown, 60% of dentists treated only urgent cases. Overall, the dentists in the West Bank demonstrated good knowledge and a positive attitude towards COVID-19 and infection control measures in dental clinics, as there were significant differences between replacing a medical apron or mask and wearing a face shield, cover shoes, head cap, and goggles before and after COVID ( < 0.05). Moreover, there were significant differences between wrapping the chair and using purification devices to disinfect the clinic before and after COVID ( < 0.05). However, dentists' knowledge could be improved by increasing their accessibility to materials and provided training. Dental associations should provide guidelines regularly to dentists during a crisis to inform them of best practices and disease management. In conclusion, dentists need to update their knowledge, continuing education and training to guarantee the proper handling of COVID-19. The study's findings show the importance of updating infection control protocols and training programs that address the specific needs and challenges faced by dentists in the West Bank.
PubMed: 37569059
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20156517 -
Journal of Pharmacy & Bioallied Sciences Jul 2023Flapless surgery for implant placement has been gaining popularity among implant surgeons. it has numerous advantages, including preservation of circulation, decreased...
BACKGROUND
Flapless surgery for implant placement has been gaining popularity among implant surgeons. it has numerous advantages, including preservation of circulation, decreased surgical time; improved patient comfort; and accelerated recuperation.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
As a part of the study to evaluate crestal bone loss changes after placement of implant using the flapless technique, we placed twenty endosseous implants. Access was achieved to the crestal bone using a tissue punch. Clinical and radiographic analyses were performed second and fourth months after placement of the implant. Postoperative pain was measured by the visual analog scale at the 4, 8, and 24 hour.
RESULTS
The findings of the present study demonstrate that the average crestal bone loss around the implant at 4 months using the flapless technique was 0.19 mm. No implants failed to osseointegrate, and no implants exhibited bone loss greater than 0.5 mm in the first four months. This present study shows significantly less postoperative pain in the flapless technique of implant placement.
CONCLUSION
The flapless approach is a predictable procedure when patient selection and surgical technique are appropriate.
PubMed: 37693976
DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_189_23 -
Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology Dec 2023To describe the taxonomy of the microbiota in crevicular fluid of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients, and evaluate its association with clinical/serological... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
OBJECTIVES
To describe the taxonomy of the microbiota in crevicular fluid of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients, and evaluate its association with clinical/serological variables, and oral quality of life.
METHODS
Observational study that included 48 pSS without diabetes mellitus, no active neoplasia, no antibiotic use in the previous two weeks, and no current active infection. We registered demographics, oral/ocular sicca symptoms, parotid enlargement and anti-Ro/La serology. We assessed the non-stimulated whole salivary flow (NSWSF), the EULAR Sjögren's Syndrome Patient Reported Index (ESSPRI), and the Xerostomia-related Quality of Life Scale (XeQoLS). Two periodontists determined the presence of periodontal disease and collected crevicular fluid from 6 teeth using filter paper. Samples were frozen at -86°C until processing. We included 17 sex- and age-matched control subjects. Bacterial DNA was extracted from the crevicular fluid sample using a commercial kit. 16SrRNA V3-V4 region was sequenced using reversible adaptor technology. Sequences were pre-processed and analysed using QIIME2 and phyloseq software programs. Functionality profiles were predicted using the Tax4Fun2 package.
RESULTS
PSS patients had more bacteria of the genera Prevotella, Streptococcus, Veillonella, Fusobacterium, and Leptotrichia and fewer bacteria of the genus Selenomonas than controls. The pSS microbiota contained more genes encoding accessory secretory proteins. Microbiota also differed between patients with anti-Ro/La status, parotid gland enlargement, and periodontal disease severity, but did not correlate with NSWSF and XeQoLS.
CONCLUSIONS
The crevicular fluid microbiota of pSS patients and controls differed significantly, even in SSP patients depending on their serology, parotid gland enlargement, and periodontal disease status.
Topics: Humans; Sjogren's Syndrome; Quality of Life; Xerostomia; Microbiota; Periodontal Diseases
PubMed: 38079342
DOI: 10.55563/clinexprheumatol/k3vx8u