-
International Journal of Environmental... Apr 2021The use of dental hand pieces endanger dentists to vibration exposure as they are subjected to very high amplitude and vibration frequency. This paper has envisaged a...
The use of dental hand pieces endanger dentists to vibration exposure as they are subjected to very high amplitude and vibration frequency. This paper has envisaged a comparative analysis of vibration amplitudes and transmissibility during idling and drilling with micro motor (MM) and air-turbine (AT) hand pieces. The study aims to identify the mean difference in vibration amplitudes during idling, explore different grasp forces while drilling with irrigant injection by the dentist, and various vibration transmission of these hand pieces. The study utilized 22 separate frequency resonances on two new and eight used MMs and two new and eight used ATs of different brands by observing the investigator at 16 different dentist clinics. The study adopted a descriptive research design with non-probability sampling techniques for selecting dentists and hand pieces. Statistical methods like Levene Test of Homogeneity, Welch ANOVA, independent t-test, and Games-Howell test were utilized with SPSS version 22 and MS-Excel. The results reveal that vibration amplitudes and vibration transmissibility when measured at position 2 are higher than in another position 1. Vibrations during idling for used MMs are more than AT hand pieces, and the used MM (MUD) and used AT (AUA) hand pieces differ due to their obsolescence and over-usage. Vibration amplitudes increase every time with the tightening of grasping of the hand piece. Vibration amplitudes for each grasping style of MM hand piece differ from all other grasping styles of AT hand pieces. Routine exposure to consistent vibrations has ill physical, mental, and psychological effects on dentists. The used hand pieces more hazardous as compared to newer ones. The study suggests that these hand pieces must be replaced periodically, sufficient to break between two operations, especially after every hand piece usage. Hence, the present research work can be further extended by creating some control groups among dentists and then studying the vibration amplitude exposure of various dental hand pieces and subsequent transmissibility to their body parts.
Topics: Dentists; Hand Strength; Humans; Physical Therapy Modalities; Rotation; Vibration
PubMed: 33924408
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18084084 -
Indian Journal of Dental Research :... 2023Noncooperative behaviour faced by a paediatric dentist is the most common attribution towards behavioural manifestations of anxiety in children, and it had been observed... (Review)
Review
Noncooperative behaviour faced by a paediatric dentist is the most common attribution towards behavioural manifestations of anxiety in children, and it had been observed that these relationships are long-deterministic and form part of the aforementioned belief system of the child. Forehead and Long in their study found that most uncooperative behaviour of the child is due to their strong will and these children are generally confident, persistent and independent. A fruitful method to deal with strong willed children is to violate the causal relationship by some magic tricks from preventive via curative to his/her follow ups visits. Tricks can be applied at three levels of their visit. Level 1 is preoperative tricks, which includes the preventive measures that teach and educate children for good oral health. Level 2 is operative tricks, which involves child preparedness for successful dental procedures. Level 3 is postoperative tricks, which involve positive reinforcement for regular follow ups. The purpose of this review is to make paediatric dentists think like magicians by using the science behind the magic and applying it in their practice for creating a positive attitude of a child toward dentistry and better procedural experience.
Topics: Child; Humans; Dentists; Oral Health; Pediatric Dentistry; Dental Anxiety
PubMed: 38197355
DOI: 10.4103/ijdr.ijdr_986_22 -
Journal of Oral Rehabilitation Apr 2022Regular dental attendance is important in order to receive preventive care, maintain good oral health and identify oral and dental disease at an early stage; however,...
BACKGROUND
Regular dental attendance is important in order to receive preventive care, maintain good oral health and identify oral and dental disease at an early stage; however, many people do not visit their dentist regularly. Barriers to regular attendance have been studied in small patient groups but not in the wider general population.
OBJECTIVE
To outline concerns about visiting the dentist and suggestions about how dentists could help using a general population sample.
METHOD
A survey was constructed using Qualtrics XM software and circulated. Respondents completed questionnaires about dental anxiety and about their concerns and suggestions around dental appointments including the option for free-text answers.
RESULTS
One hundred and fifty-four people completed the survey. Common concerns were the unknown element (62.58%) and worries about 'bad teeth' (60.54%). The most popular request for change was for dentists to inform patients of the condition of all their teeth including those in good health (86.30%). A thematic analysis of qualitative responses identified themes of control, shame, discomfort, long-term impact and cost. Several concerns and suggestions for improvement were expressed.
CONCLUSION
Although the pain associated with dental treatment was identified as important, concerns about the unknown and feeling vulnerable were seen as a higher priority. People in the general population want dentists to help them to feel informed and in control at dental appointments and to be involved in discussions about how they are feeling and what is important to them.
Topics: Dental Care; Dentists; Humans; Oral Health; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 35032077
DOI: 10.1111/joor.13305 -
Journal of Public Health Dentistry Mar 2017The purpose of this paper is to describe the Hispanic/Latino (H/L) dentist workforce, their general practice patterns, and their contributions to oral health care for...
OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this paper is to describe the Hispanic/Latino (H/L) dentist workforce, their general practice patterns, and their contributions to oral health care for H/L and underserved patients.
METHODS
A national sample survey of underrepresented minority dentists was conducted in 2012 and received a 35.4 percent response rate for self-reported H/L dentists. Data were weighted for selection and response bias to be nationally representative. A workforce profile of H/L dentists was created using descriptive and multivariable statistics and published data.
RESULTS
Among all H/L dentists (weighted n = 5,748), 31.9 percent self-identify their origin as Mexican, 13.4 percent as Puerto Rican, 13.0 percent as Cuban, and 41.7 percent as another H/L group. The largest share of H/L dentists are male, married, and have children under age 18. Fifty percent of H/L dentists are foreign-born and 25 percent are foreign-trained. H/L dentists report higher than average educational debt, with those completing International Dentist Programs reporting the highest debt load. Sixty-nine percent of clinically active H/L dentists own their own practices, and 85 percent speak Spanish in their practice. Among clinical H/L dentists, 7 percent work in safety-net settings, 40 percent primarily treat underserved populations, and, on average, 42 percent of their patient population is H/L.
CONCLUSIONS
H/L dental providers are underrepresented in the dentist population, and those that are in practice shoulder a disproportionate share of dental care for minority and underserved communities. Improving the workforce diversity of dental providers is a critical part of strategy to address the high burden of dental disease in the H/L population.
Topics: Adult; Aged; Dentists; Female; Hispanic or Latino; Humans; Male; Medically Underserved Area; Middle Aged; Practice Patterns, Dentists'; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States
PubMed: 28025830
DOI: 10.1111/jphd.12194 -
British Dental Journal Apr 2021Registering as a dentist and working in the UK is a goal that many overseas dentists aspire to. Overseas-qualified dentists need to either pass a registration exam to be...
Registering as a dentist and working in the UK is a goal that many overseas dentists aspire to. Overseas-qualified dentists need to either pass a registration exam to be able to practise dentistry in the UK or, under certain circumstances, they can register through assessment. Additionally, temporary registration gives overseas-qualified dentists the opportunity to practise dentistry under supervision for up to five years. However, these routes are difficult and it could take a few years before a dentist is registered. These dentists have the academic route as well, but similar to the registration route, it is not easy and very competitive and expensive. Brexit and COVID-19 had their impact on the journey of these dentists and altered their plans to pursue their career in the UK. To sum up, the current system could probably be modified to be more in line with that of neighbouring countries. To my colleagues who have graduated from the UK or EU and are registered with the General Dental Council, please be aware that it is not an easy journey, requires a lot of money and time, and is an incredibly stressful time.
Topics: COVID-19; Dentists; European Union; Humans; SARS-CoV-2; United Kingdom
PubMed: 33893423
DOI: 10.1038/s41415-021-2835-0 -
Clinical Infectious Diseases : An... Sep 2022
Topics: Brain Abscess; Case-Control Studies; Dentists; Humans
PubMed: 34967903
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciab1063 -
JAMA Network Open Jul 2022Evaluating the availability of dentists to provide dental care services to children is important for identifying interventions for improving access.
IMPORTANCE
Evaluating the availability of dentists to provide dental care services to children is important for identifying interventions for improving access.
OBJECTIVE
To assess dental care availability for children in the US by public insurance participation, rural-urban setting, and dentist taxonomy (general, pediatric, or specialized).
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This cross-sectional study analyzed the availability of dentists from matching 3 data sets: the 2020 National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, the 2019-2020 State Board of Dentistry information acquired from each state, and the 2019 InsureKidsNow.org database. Data on active dentists in most states (including the District of Columbia [combined hereinafter with states] and excluding Hawaii and Washington) were included in the analysis. The study was conducted from January 2019 to March 2022.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The number and percentage of dentists participating in public insurance programs (Medicaid and/or Children's Health Insurance Program [CHIP]) were aggregated at the dental office and stratified by the rurality of their practice and taxonomy. State-level comparisons were derived between this study and reports from the Health Policy Institute of the American Dental Association, along with maps and summary statistics disseminated through a data portal and state reports.
RESULTS
Among 204 279 active dentists, participation in public insurance varied widely across states, especially for the states that manage the Medicaid and CHIP programs separately. Participation rates in Medicaid and CHIP varied substantially from those of the Health Policy Institute of the American Dental Association. Participation in Medicaid and CHIP was lowest among urban dentists (Medicaid, 26%; CHIP, 29%) and highest among rural dentists (Medicaid, 39%; CHIP, 40%), while urban dentists accounted for most of the dentist population (urban, 84%; rural, 5%). Similarly, participation in Medicaid and CHIP was substantially lower among general dentists (Medicaid, 28%; CHIP, 29%) vs pediatric dentists (57% in both programs), while each state's dentist population consisted of notably more general (84%) than pediatric (3%) dentists. Nearly half of the states revealed wide variations in Medicaid and CHIP participation between counties, ranging from no participation (21 states) to full participation (22 states).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
The findings of this study suggest that disparities in the availability of dentists for pediatric dental care are extensive, particularly for Medicaid- and CHIP-insured children, those living in rural communities, and those receiving specialized care. Lack of dentist availability for Medicaid- and CHIP-insured children appears to deter access to receiving dental care.
Topics: Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dentists; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Insurance; Medicaid; United States
PubMed: 35816300
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.21444 -
The Journal of Clinical Pediatric... Apr 2021To develop, validate, and apply an instrument for assessing the children's perception regarding pediatric dentist's appearance, based upon the influence of age, gender,...
OBJECTIVE
To develop, validate, and apply an instrument for assessing the children's perception regarding pediatric dentist's appearance, based upon the influence of age, gender, previous dental experience, and anxiety.
STUDY DESIGN
Images and a nine-item questionnaire were developed. The acceptability, convergent-construct validity, and reliability based on reproducibility and internal consistency were evaluated. The validated instrument was applied in a cross-sectional study, with children (n=120) aged 7-12 years asked to evaluate images of pediatric dentists wearing different dental attire (A:all-white (control); B:printed coat and cap, colorful face mask; C:printed coat, cap and face mask; and D:white coat and cap, printed face mask). Children's age, gender, and previous dental experiences were collected with the guardians. The Children's Fear Survey Schedule-Dental Subscale assessed children's anxiety. Descriptive and inferential statistics were carried out (p<0.05).
RESULTS
The instrument showed excellent acceptability, construct validity with moderate and strong correlations (>0.40), satisfactory reproducibility (ICC >0.70), and internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient >0.70). Considering only the attire, the children's perceptions were more positive with the use of attire C and D (p<0.05). Intergroup analysis of all the variables did not identify a statistically significant difference (p>0.05). In the intragroup analysis, compared to attire A: younger children have higher perception scores to attire D; girls, children with previous experience and without anxiety favored attire C and D; and children without previous experience showed no difference in comparison to A but did between B and C (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
The C and D attires promoted a more positive perception of the appearance of a pediatric dentist when compared to A; however, age, gender, previous dental experience, and anxiety did not influence the perception scores.
Topics: Child; Clothing; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dental Anxiety; Dentists; Female; Humans; Perception; Reproducibility of Results; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 33951165
DOI: 10.17796/1053-4625-45.2.4 -
Journal (Canadian Dental Association) Mar 2023Hypertension is a serious chronic illness that affects more than a third of the world's population. The high prevalence of hypertension coupled with its lack of initial...
Hypertension is a serious chronic illness that affects more than a third of the world's population. The high prevalence of hypertension coupled with its lack of initial clinical symptoms can make managing a hypertensive patient in a dental setting difficult. The dentist's role in managing hypertensive patients encompasses more than simple treatment modifications. Because of the frequency of dental checkups, dentists play an integral role in the detection of elevated blood pressure and appropriate subsequent referral. As such, it is imperative that dentists are aware of risk factors associated with hypertension to council patients early. In addition, antihypertensive medications pose a risk in dental treatment. Such drugs may produce various oral presentations and interact negatively with drugs commonly prescribed by the dentist. It is critical to recognize these changes and avoid possible interactions. Furthermore, dental treatment can often induce fear and anxiety resulting in an increase in blood pressure; this can further complicate management of patients with pre-existing hypertension. As research and recommendations are constantly changing, dentists must stay informed on how to appropriately administer care. This article is intended to provide the dental team with clear guidelines on the overall management of a hypertensive patient in a dental clinic.
Topics: Humans; Hypertension; Antihypertensive Agents; Blood Pressure; Anxiety; Vital Signs; Dentists
PubMed: 37098279
DOI: No ID Found -
Community Dental Health Dec 2011Very little is known about dentist-patient communicative behaviours in actual practice. This study evaluated dentist and patient perceptions of dentist-patient... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
OBJECTIVES
Very little is known about dentist-patient communicative behaviours in actual practice. This study evaluated dentist and patient perceptions of dentist-patient communication and patient outcome.
PARTICIPANTS
The subjects were 171 dentist-patient pairs in Kitakyushu, Japan.
RESEARCH DESIGN
Dentists and patients answered the same questionnaire items using the same response categories to evaluate dentist-patient communication. Based on the scores of patient and dentist perceptions with respect to dentist-patient communication, patient-dentist pairs were categorised into one of 3 groups. Data analyses used one-way ANOVA, multiple linear regression analysis, and multiple logistic regression analysis.
RESULTS
We found that, with respect to dentist-patient communication, patients in the 'patient better' group (i.e., the patient's evaluation was more positive than the dentist's evaluation) were more likely to have a positive outcome (e.g., 'improvement of health and fear,' 'satisfaction with care') than those in the other two groups. Patients in the 'doctor better' group (i.e., the dentist's evaluation was the more positive) were more likely to have a negative outcome than those in the other two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
A positive patient outcome is more likely when the patient's evaluation is better than a dentist's evaluation with respect to dentist-patient communicative behaviours. The method based on patient and dentist perceptions with respect to dentist-patient communication might be effective in evaluating dentist-patient communication.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Attitude of Health Personnel; Attitude to Health; Child; Communication; Comprehension; Dental Anxiety; Dentist-Patient Relations; Dentists; Female; Humans; Japan; Male; Middle Aged; Patient Compliance; Patient Satisfaction; Patients; Young Adult
PubMed: 22320065
DOI: No ID Found