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BACKGROUND: Patient education and giving information is a core skill that improves patient adherence and medical outcomes. PURPOSE: To evaluate the impact of a teaching intervention on 3rd-year students' competency in patient education and information giving about asthma medication delivery. METHODS: Students (n=81) completed a 1-hr teaching intervention of didactics followed by role playing of asthma patient education scenarios. Using a standardized patient post intervention, patient education and information-giving skills about spacer/metered dose inhalers were scored overall and on a 12-item checklist and compared to a control group (n=70). Students' knowledge was evaluated using a short answer test. RESULTS: The performance of intervention students on overall patient education, 10 of the 12 checklist items, and the test was significantly higher than controls but did not approach competency. CONCLUSIONS: The 1-hr intervention improved clinical performance and knowledge, but students did not become competent. Future studies should investigate how competence in this and other core patient education skills can be successfully achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The hypothesis for this prospective evaluation is that resorbable plates are equal to the performance of titanium 2-mm plates, regarding healing of the fracture with bone union and restoration of function. To prove this hypothesis, specific end points will be compared with literature norms for titanium 2-mm miniplate rigid fixation. The primary end point variable for this analysis is the union of the fracture and return to normal function. Secondary end point variables included the incidence of complications such as infection, malunion with malocclusion, soft tissue dehiscence, the need for revision surgery, specific technical challenges, operative time, and the learning curve for the surgeon., Patients and Methods: This prospective study consisted of a sequential enrollment of 50 fractures that met the inclusion criteria of having a fracture of the mandibular body, symphysis, angle, or ramus, and required an open reduction and internal fixation for stabilization and repair. The resorbable plates and screws used consisted of an amorphous injection molded copolymer of L-lactide/D-lactide/trimethylene carbonate (Inion CPS system, Tampere, Finland). Data were collated and compared with literature norms for titanium plates and also compared with nonrigid fixation data from a prospective study performed on a similar population in the same institution., Results: Clinical and radiographic evaluation indicated union of all fractures at the eighth follow-up visit. Three sites (6%) noted to have clinical signs of infection were treated immediately upon presentation, with fracture union by 8 weeks. There was no need for revision surgery in this series of patients; 12 screw heads fractured during screw placement and were immediately replaced without significant fracture sequelae., Conclusion: Based on this limited series of patients, the hypothesis formulated for this study was validated.

This article describes the clinical and laboratory procedures for the construction of a surgical stent for prevention of restenosis after the surgical opening of posttraumatic synechia of the posterior part of the nasal cavum.

The use of posteriorly based, lateral lingual flaps for primary oral coverage of alveolar cleft grafts is reported. These flaps offer dependable vascularity, versatility, and viable augmentation of tissue-deficient areas while avoiding the sacrifice of covering tissue from already scarred lips or maxillary surfaces.

An in vivo model has been designed to study the acute response of exposed or unexposed dental pulp to the topical application of various biomaterials. This model permits sequential microscopic observations of the microvascular system of dental pulp before and after application of pulp capping agents, cementing agents, or cavity liners. The use of this experimental model provides useful information related to the tolerability of dental pulp to various biomaterials used in dentistry. Furthermore, this model serves as a useful supplement to more traditional long term methods for evaluating the biocompatability of dental materials.

Different-colored fluorochromes were administered sequentially to guinea pigs and the rate of bone formation measured in their condylectomized control contralateral hemimandibles. The values for labeled bone for condylectomized hemimandibles were lower than for the control contralateral hemimandibles of the same guinea pig. The differences in values of condylectomized and control contralateral sides for DCTC- and total surface area-labeled bone were statistically significant, but were not statistically significant for DCAF- and hematoporphyrin-labeled bone. There was partial regeneration of the condylar process. Although the condylectomized area was nearly normal in shape, its size and proportions were different from those of the contralateral hemimandibles that were not operated on. The greatest differences were noted in the length, height, and the distances measured between the inferior alveolar foramen and the mental foramen and the posterior border of the condyle.