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Primary Dental Journal Jun 2022There has been much research relating to stressors in the dental environment and concerns over dentists' health and wellbeing. The determinants of dentists' health and...
BACKGROUND
There has been much research relating to stressors in the dental environment and concerns over dentists' health and wellbeing. The determinants of dentists' health and wellbeing within the UK include factors, such as healthcare systems and regulation; factors, such as job specification and workplace characteristics; and factors, such as personal aspects, professional career level, and personal and professional relationships. Given the challenges in dentistry, research is needed to investigate the key determinants relating to the health and wellbeing of clinical dental care professionals (DCPs) nationally.
AIM
To review the literature on the key determinants of health and wellbeing among dental hygienists, dental therapists, clinical dental technicians, and orthodontic therapists in the UK.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A systematic review of the literature was conducted across seven databases. The records were screened by title, abstract and full text based on the study inclusion criteria. Extraction of data and a qualitative synthesis of the included studies was performed. A mixed methods appraisal tool was used to quality assess for risk of bias.
RESULTS
Twelve studies were included in this review, eleven of which were medium to high quality (5*, 4*) and one low quality (2*). Ten studies focused on dental therapists, and/or hygienists, with only one each on orthodontic therapists and clinical dental technicians. Job satisfaction and professional careers were the primary factors explored in the included studies and clearly identified as determinants of health and wellbeing. However, there was evidence of these being associated and linked with a range of determinants at macro-, meso-, and micro-levels, with a general lack of evidence on the overall health and wellbeing.
CONCLUSION
There is currently very limited evidence on the key determinants of health and wellbeing of clinical DCPs within the UK, but the available evidence maps to the same domains as dentists. Further well conducted research examining the overall health and wellbeing is required, with consideration of the full matrix of possible factors.
Topics: Dental Care; Humans; Job Satisfaction; Workplace
PubMed: 35658664
DOI: 10.1177/20501684221101663 -
Journal of Dentistry Jun 2024This article examines the past, present and future of primary care dentistry. It provides a historical background of primary care dentistry and describes stages of its... (Review)
Review
This article examines the past, present and future of primary care dentistry. It provides a historical background of primary care dentistry and describes stages of its evolution. It further reviews the purpose and mission of contemporary primary care dentistry and outlines a vision for the development of primary care dentistry in the future. The type and extent of innovations and technological advances that have impacted - and improved - primary care dentistry revolutionising clinical activities, ranging from early computerised tomography to modern digital systems and workflows are summarised. A discussion of current scientific evidence base pertinent to primary care dentistry highlighting the need for 'effectiveness' rather than 'efficacy' studies is included in order to provide research data pertinent to the primary care dentistry setting where most dental patients receive most of their care most of the time.
Topics: Humans; Dental Care; Dentistry; Forecasting; History, 20th Century; History, 21st Century; Primary Health Care
PubMed: 38677403
DOI: 10.1016/j.jdent.2024.105007 -
Special Care in Dentistry : Official... Jan 2022To assess the association between receipt of different types of dental procedures and mortality among nursing home residents.
AIM
To assess the association between receipt of different types of dental procedures and mortality among nursing home residents.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Between June 2006 and March 2008, 535 nursing home residents received a health screening assessment and were offered comprehensive dental care. Death certificate data were obtained in September 2013 and multivariable regression models were generated to assess the effect of dental procedures delivered after the screening assessment on mortality, adjusting for demographic and health-related covariates. Residents had a mean age of 85.2 years at baseline and approximately 30% were edentulous. About two-thirds received at least one dental procedure, and about 88% had died, between the screening date and the end of follow-up. Among dentate residents, after adjustment for relevant covariates, for each one-unit increase in the number of intervals during which they received at least one preventive dental procedure there was a 13% decrease in mortality (HR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.78-0.98) at any given time, while for prosthetic dental procedures there was a 16% decrease in mortality (HR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.72-0.97). Among edentulous residents, only prosthetic procedures were analyzed, and they were not significantly associated with mortality.
CONCLUSION
Among dentate institutionalized elderly, receipt of preventive or prosthetic dental procedures was associated with decreased mortality.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Dental Care; Humans; Mouth, Edentulous; Nursing Homes
PubMed: 34403522
DOI: 10.1111/scd.12641 -
Journal of the History of Dentistry 2020Tooth extraction was probably the first dental treatment in human history, therefore a tooth forceps usually stood out as its symbol. The procedure in these early years...
Tooth extraction was probably the first dental treatment in human history, therefore a tooth forceps usually stood out as its symbol. The procedure in these early years was not easy and it posed many risks. Those extracting the teeth prepared several medicaments in order to remove them without pain or to minimize effort. In the ancient medical literature, there are a plethora of references to medicaments that were used for extracting the teeth, and although it seemed like an appealing idea, it did not offer much in painless practice. Only in cases where the pain was unbearable and any effort to relief the process with drugs failed, only then was the tooth forceps used. Just a few forceps have survived in Europe, due to the deterioration of their material used for their construction. The study of instruments that were unearthed came to the conclusion that these surgical instruments which were used not only for tooth extraction but also, for the extraction of arrows and bone fragments. However, those instruments were not anatomically designed to adapt to the cervix of the tooth. At the same time, the steps of the extraction procedure resembled those used today. At first a sharp surgical instrument was used to separate the tooth from the soft gum tissue. Then, the tooth was grabbed with the forceps and were used in rocking movements. When the tooth was loose enough, they pulled it out using their fingers. In case that this was not possible, the final step for the extraction was done with forceps. Only doctors, usually surgeons, used the forceps. There are also references for root forceps. In Greece, three forceps have been excavated until now. The oldest is dated to the 5th century B.C.
Topics: Dental Care; Europe; Female; Greece; Humans; Tooth; Tooth Extraction
PubMed: 33789783
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of the World Federation of... Dec 2021
Topics: Dental Care; Goals; Humans; Orthodontics
PubMed: 34861933
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejwf.2021.10.003 -
PloS One 2023Constructing and validating a theoretical model of relationships between dental services use and socioeconomic characteristics, oral health status, primary care...
OBJECTIVES
Constructing and validating a theoretical model of relationships between dental services use and socioeconomic characteristics, oral health status, primary care coverage, and public dental services.
METHODS
The first stage of the study consisted of developing a theoretical-conceptual model to demonstrate the expected relationships between variables based on the literature. In the second stage, we tested the proposed theoretical model using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique, using data from the Brazilian National Health Survey conducted in 2019 with a sample of 41,664 individuals aged 15 or older.
RESULTS
This study successfully defined a theoretical model that explains the systematic relationships involving public dental services utilization. Socioeconomic status was negatively associated with oral health status (β = -0.376), enrollment in primary care facilities (β = -0.254), and the use of public dental consultations (β = -0.251). Being black, indigenous, or living in a rural area was directly associated with lower socioeconomic status and greater use of public dental services.
CONCLUSIONS
The identified relationships, establishing a theoretical basis for further investigations, also provide evidence of a public access policy's effect on oral health services on equity, supporting the construction of more effective and equitable public policies.
Topics: Humans; Black People; Brazil; Dental Care; Facilities and Services Utilization; Health Surveys; Models, Theoretical; Socioeconomic Factors
PubMed: 37656715
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290992 -
International Journal of Environmental... Apr 2020COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, with a high fatality rate that may reach 8%. The disease is caused by SARS-CoV-2 which is one of the... (Review)
Review
COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization, with a high fatality rate that may reach 8%. The disease is caused by SARS-CoV-2 which is one of the coronaviruses. Realizing the severity of outcomes associated with this disease and its high rate of transmission, dentists were instructed by regulatory authorities, such as the American Dental Association, to stop providing treatment to dental patients except those who have emergency complaints. This was mainly for protection of dental healthcare personnel, their families, contacts, and their patients from the transmission of virus, and also to preserve the much-needed supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE). Dentists at all times should competently follow cross-infection control protocols, but particularly during this critical time, they should do their best to decide on the emergency cases that are indicated for dental treatment. Dentists should also be updated on how this pandemic is related to their profession in order to be well oriented and prepared. This overview will address several issues concerned with the COVID-19 pandemic that directly relate to dental practice in terms of prevention, treatment, and orofacial clinical manifestations.
Topics: COVID-19; Coronavirus Infections; Dental Care; Forecasting; Humans; Infection Control; Pandemics; Pneumonia, Viral; Practice Guidelines as Topic
PubMed: 32366034
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17093151 -
Compendium of Continuing Education in... 2022Many patients with special healthcare needs present to medical, dental, and other health visits with behavioral, emotional, postural, and psychological issues. According...
Many patients with special healthcare needs present to medical, dental, and other health visits with behavioral, emotional, postural, and psychological issues. According to the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry (AADMD) guidelines from 2017: "Clinical dental treatment is the most exacting and demanding medical procedure that persons with special needs undergo on a regular basis throughout their lifetime." Moreover, dental treatment is basically surgical in nature, usually requiring controlled placement of sharpened instruments in intimate proximity to the face, airway, and highly vascularized and innervated oral tissues. When medically necessary healthcare must be provided and the patient's inability to accept or cooperate will compromise the quality of care the clinician will be able to deliver, interventions may be indicated and implemented.
Topics: Dental Care for Disabled; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; United States
PubMed: 35790483
DOI: No ID Found -
JDR Clinical and Translational Research Oct 2021Fear, lack of information, and lower health literacy are prominent barriers preventing people experiencing homelessness from accessing dental services. Most of this...
INTRODUCTION
Fear, lack of information, and lower health literacy are prominent barriers preventing people experiencing homelessness from accessing dental services. Most of this population are eligible for free dental treatment in Australia, yet few access care. This study evaluated 3 models for facilitating access to dental services for people experiencing homelessness.
METHODS
Three facilitated access models were developed and implemented at 4 community organizations. In model 1, dental appointments were booked on the spot after a screening by dental practitioners. Model 2 also involved dental screenings followed by appointments made via phone call from the service. In model 3, the community organizations referred clients directly to the service where appointments were made via a phone call to the client. The models were trialed with community organizations between 2017 and 2019. For each model, participant demographic information, attendance at subsequent dental appointments, and program operation resource use were collected. Cost-effectiveness was assessed as an incremental cost per additional person attending a dental appointment.
RESULTS
A total of 76 people participated in model 1, 66 in model 2, and 43 in model 3. Model 1 was the most effective, leading to 84.2 (confidence interval, 75.8-92.7) of every 100 participants attending a dental appointment. Model 2 had a lower effectiveness of 56.1 (44.6-67.6), and model 3 was the least effective, with a mean of 29.3 (15.0-43.6) per 100 participants attending. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were $51 per additional person attending a dental appointment for model 3 (compared to no strategy) and $173 per additional person attending for model 1 (compared to model 3).
CONCLUSIONS
Model 3 was the most cost-effective strategy of increasing access to dental care for people experiencing homelessness. Decision makers who find the effectiveness of model 3 insufficient should look instead to employ model 1 or a combination of these 2 models. The importance of face-to-face engagement to foster trust between the individual and health care practitioner was evident.
KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER STATEMENT
This study provides a range of models for dental and community services to facilitate access to dental care for people experiencing homelessness. Decision makers should consider the needs of vulnerable populations, alternative model designs, and their cost-effectiveness when implementing models of facilitated access to dental care. Face-to-face engagement between clients and dental practitioners by inclusion of a screening stage appears to be instrumental in overcoming barriers to access clinical care.
Topics: Dental Care; Dentists; Ill-Housed Persons; Humans; Professional Role; Social Problems
PubMed: 32853528
DOI: 10.1177/2380084420952350 -
The Bulletin of Tokyo Dental College Mar 2022In Japan, domiciliary care fees are only covered by the public health insurance system if the clinic concerned is located within 16 km of the patient's residence. This...
In Japan, domiciliary care fees are only covered by the public health insurance system if the clinic concerned is located within 16 km of the patient's residence. This nationwide rule does not take local conditions into account and therefore may not be appropriate. The goal of the present study was to assess the current state of domiciliary dental care nationwide in view of this restriction to clarify the current situation and any inherent problems. Six dental institutions providing domiciliary dental care were selected by location (urban or mountainous area) and size. Travel time from clinics to the 16 km points and the longest time required for the journey from clinics were investigated. Two of the dental clinics were located in depopulated areas with few dental institutions. These clinics had to provide domiciliary dental care not only in the 16-km area around the clinic, but also in areas over 16 km away. Travel time to the 16-km points was between 52 and 90 min. On the other hand, the longest time for actual visiting was between 30 and 60 min. In some areas, no domiciliary dental care was available within the 16 km limit. This indicates that the 16-km area is too wide to be covered by one dental institution alone and that it poses a problem in areas with few dental institutions. This suggests that it would be preferable to consider time required to visit rather than geographical distance in forming policy. The 16-km limit often spans multiple residential areas, indicating that greater coordination is needed between the Community-based Integrated Care System and dental offices.
Topics: Aged; Dental Care; Dental Care for Aged; Home Care Services; Humans; Japan; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 35173083
DOI: 10.2209/tdcpublication.2021-0016