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To assess the effect of parenthood on the clinician's empathy and behavior guidance practices among pediatric dentists.A web-based questionnaire was sent to all registered pediatric dentists in the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry through the AAPD mailing list. The questionnaire consisted of three main components, the sociodemographic data of the participants including age, gender, years of clinical experience, marital status, having children and number of children if applicable. The second section was designed to assess the clinician's empathy. The final part contained multiple choice questions of the dentist's past and current behavior guidance technique utilization.A total of 432 responses were received. Parent pediatric dentists demonstrated significantly better compassionate care than non-parent dentists. Female participants showed statistically significantly higher scores in overall empathy, and compassionate care. Furthermore, pediatric dentists report better comfortability with behavior guidance techniques after having children.Parenthood may impact the pediatric dentists' compassionate care; however, it does not seem to have an effect on his/her overall empathy. Moreover, having children may increase the level of comfort in practicing behavior guidance techniques except for Tell, Show, Do.

Introduction: COVID-19 incidence was relatively high among dentists in Iraq, reflecting the high number of cases in the community. Therefore, possible epidemiological features of COVID-19 infection were investigated among dentists in Iraqi Kurdistan Region. Methodology: A cross-sectional study has been conducted among dentists using a structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included demographic and working characteristics, self-reported COVID-19 history, and prevention practices toward SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic. An online questionnaire was developed and spread with a snowball method among dentists. Results: We analyzed the responses of 83 participants (31 women and 52 men, mean age 33.8 ± 6.8 years). They had a mean of 10.6 ± 6.5 years of work experience and 20.2 ± 12.6 hours of weekly working time. In total, 46 (55.4%) of the participants reported COVID-19 infection. Only 29 (34.9%) participants always followed the hygiene rules. The most common personal precautions were mask-wearing (98.8%) and hand hygiene as a part of institutional protective precaution (51.8%). Of the infected dentists, 24 (52.2%) did not know the source of infection. Of the remaining 16 (34.8%) were infected from family and/or friends circle, and five (10.9%) from patients. Eleven of them (23.9%) reported transmitting the infection to at least one person. In the multivariate analyses, working in Sulaymaniyah Province (p = 0.031) and working only in a public hospital (p = 0.029) were significant risk factors for COVID-19 infection. Conclusions: The high risk of COVID-19 infection among dentists in the Iraqi Kurdistan Region relates to their family and friends rather than their occupation.

To determine the association between clinical decision-making approaches and personal and professional background factors.An electronic questionnaire was sent to 550 dentists and dental students all over Saudi Arabia from October 2019 to January 2020. The questionnaire assessed personal and professional background factors in addition to three different clinical scenarios, and each participant was asked to rate the importance of some factors that might affect clinical decision-making on a visual analog scale (VAS). Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was performed to assess the association between the exposure variables (background and professional factors) and the outcome variables, which were the three clinical decision-making approaches (patient-related, clinical-case, and operator-related factors). Regression coefficients (B), 95% CI, and the adjusted R2 of the models were calculated.A total of 420 participants responded to the questionnaire (76.36% response rate). Clinical-case factors had the highest mean scores, while the operator-related factors had the lowest mean scores. Men were significantly less likely than women to consider any factor decisive (P.001). General dentists and specialists other than prosthodontists/restorative dentists assigned significantly lower importance to operator-related factors (P = .003) and clinical-case factors (P = .005). However, there was no statistically significant difference between undergraduate students and prosthodontists/restorative dentists in considering all decisive factors.Clinical-case factors were of greater importance compared to operator- and patient-related factors. General practitioners and specialists other than prosthodontists/restorative dentists gave lower attention to operator-related and clinical-case approaches, while experienced dentists showed greater importance to clinical-case and operator-related factors.

BACKGROUND: The likelihood of infection with SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) in the dental office is considered high. OBJECTIVES: Assessing the impact of the COVID-19 on dental practices and anxiety levels in risk group Brazilian dentists. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed using an online questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed using the IBM SPSS 25.0 software (Pearson’s Chi-square association test, multivariate logistic regression, and Poisson multiple regression), with subsequent calculation of the odds ratio at a 95% confidence interval, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Responses of 578 dentists distributed in all regions of Brazil were collected. Most of the dentists were female, with an average age of 35. Of the participants, 23.4% were part of the increased risk group for COVID-19. The professionals who belonged to the increased risk group had a greater chance of not feeling prepared to perform consultations (OR = 1.67) and were not performing any procedures during the pandemic (OR = 2.03). Belonging to the increased risk group did not influence anxiety levels among the dentists. The factors associated with increased anxiety were being female, being younger, working in the southeastern region of the country, being afraid of contracting COVID-19 while working, and being concerned for one’s professional future. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic has had a negative impact on the professional practice of individuals at risk, but the level of anxiety was like professionals who were not part of the increased risk group for COVID-19.

Although Medicaid expansion aims to eliminate financial barriers to health care for low-income people in the United States, health care accessibility cannot be guaranteed without clinicians who provide health care to Medicaid recipients. This study examined the characteristics of Indiana dentists that are associated with the likelihood of participating in Medicaid after expansion in 2015.This study included Indiana-licensed dentists who renewed their licenses in 2018 and provided supplemental data elements related to demographics, education and training, and professional characteristics. Dentists' Medicaid engagement behavior was categorized on the basis of when claims were submitted from 2014 through 2017. Statistical analyses included the χOverall, 2,037 Indiana-licensed dentists were included in the study. Of these, 802 (39.4%) were continually active in Medicaid during the study period, and 116 (5.7%) became active after expansion. Dentists had a greater likelihood of engaging in Medicaid after expansion if they were female, specialized in oral and maxillofacial surgery, practiced in a group practice, and were located in a rural county.This study shows that dentists with certain demographic and practice characteristics had a greater likelihood of participation in Indiana Medicaid after expansion in 2015. Several findings from this study are consistent with previous research regarding the emerging trends in workforce diversity and show the impact of expansion policies on the dental safety net.This study presents an effective framework for the use of administrative and regulatory data sources for state-level analysis of the Medicaid safety net.

Oral cancer awareness among newly graduated dentists could have a substantial impact in the prevention and early detection of oral cancer.This survey was undertaken to assess the knowledge, opinion, attitudes, and practices on oral cancer among newly graduated dentists in Kuwait.In this cross-sectional study, self-reported questionnaire was distributed to the newly graduated dentists. Of the 310 dentists who participated, 171 (55.2%) were males and 139 (44.8%) were females. The questionnaire included 23- questions on oral cancer knowledge, opinion, attitudes, and practices.The mean age of the dentists was 25.8 ± 2.4 years and their mean years of experience 1.5 ± 1.7 years. Overall, a great majority of dentists (95.8%) recognized tobacco use and alcohol consumption as very important risk factors for oral cancer occurrence. Almost all of participants were aware of the most common form of oral cancer (94.2%). Most of the dentists correctly identified the most common site of oral cancer (93.5%). Majority of the participants recognized the most commonly associated lesions with oral cancer (91.6%). While 37.4% of the dentists agreed that they were adequately trained in oral cancer screening, most (89.7%) believed that patients should have mandatory oral cancer screening at the clinics. Also, majority (95.8%) expressed their willingness to attend continuing education and training courses in cancer screening and prevention. Most of the dentists (81.9%) referred a patient with a suspicious lesion to a specialist.Majority of the dentists were aware and knowledgeable about various aspects of oral cancer. There is a need to emphasize and reinforce the training programs in oral cancer education mainly in prevention and early detection. Continuing education programs and workshops are highly recommended to raise awareness of the dentists on risk factors and diagnosis of oral cancer.

Purpose The majority of suspected malignant changes in the oral mucosa are detected by dentists in private practice. Statements regarding the effectiveness of visual examination of the oral cavity for early detection are not necessarily transferable between different health care systems. Our clinical-epidemiological and methodological aim was thus to conduct a prospective regional study in dental practices under everyday conditions, assess the frequency and type of oral mucosal changes, and evaluate the dental examination methodology. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted, combining a feasibility study of early detection of oral cancer and its documentation with phase I ‘modelling’ to conceptualize complex interventions in health services research. Dentists in private practice continuously recruited patients over 6 months and used two different sheets for the documentation of suspicious lesions. Statistical analysis involved descriptive statistics and tests for differences (Welch test) or association (Chi-squared test). Results Twenty-five dentists (mean age: 50 years, 24% females) participated in this study. Eleven dentists achieved the overall aim of recruiting 200 patients. Around 4200 patients (mean age: 52 years, 57.5% females) participated. The prevalence of suspicious lesions was 8.5%. Conclusion It became apparent that a study in cooperation with dentists in private practice to generate clinical-epidemiological data on the early detection of oral mucosal lesions under everyday conditions can be carried out successfully. Further studies with a corresponding level of evidence should be carried out to be able to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of the early detection measure under everyday practice conditions.

INTRODUCTION: It is unknown whether certain dentists account for disproportionate shares of dental opioid prescriptions and high-risk prescriptions. Identifying and characterizing such dentists could inform the targeting of initiatives to improve the appropriateness and safety of dental opioid prescribing. METHODS: In May 2021, the authors conducted a cross-sectional analysis using the IQVIA Longitudinal Prescription Database, which reports dispensing from 92% of U.S. pharmacies, and 2 provider databases (IQVIA OneKey, National Plan and Provider Enumeration System). Analyses included opioid prescriptions from dentists dispensed in 2019 to patients aged >12 years. “High-risk” prescriptions were those considered high risk by any of 3 metrics (prescriptions to opioid-naïve patients exceeding a 3-day supply, prescriptions with daily opioid dosage ≥50 morphine milligram equivalents, opioid prescriptions with benzodiazepine overlap). Among all prescriptions and high-risk prescriptions, the authors calculated the proportion accounted for by “high-volume dentists” with prescription counts in the 95th percentile or higher. Using logistic regression, characteristics associated with being a high-volume dentist were identified. RESULTS: In 2019, a total of 141,345 dentists accounted for 10,736,743 opioid prescriptions dispensed to patients aged >12 years; 4,242,634 (39.5%) were high-risk prescriptions. The 7,079 high-volume dentists, a group representing 5.0% of the 141,345 dentists, accounted for 46.9% of all prescriptions and 47.5% of high-risk prescriptions. Male sex, younger age, non-Northeast location, and specialization in oral and maxillofacial surgery were associated with higher risk of being a high-volume dentist. CONCLUSIONS: In 2019, high-volume dentists accounted for almost half of dental opioid prescriptions and high-risk prescriptions. Quality improvement initiatives targeting these dentists may be warranted.

Background. Preformed metal crowns (PMCs), as an effective technique recommended for the enduring restoration of primary molar defects, have not been widely implemented in China as well as that in Western countries. This study is aimed at assessing the knowledge on the clinical use of the PMC technique and its effective factors among dentists in Chengdu, China. Thus, the present study is aimed at providing the best available evidence on clinical decision-making to manage dental caries in children and the overall benefits. Methods. The self-designed questionnaire in this study consisted of two main sections, including the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents and their perception and use of PMCs. The anonymous questionnaire was distributed among 1000 dentists practicing in Chengdu via SO JUMP. Results. The response rate was 45%. Most respondents (69.6%) did not use PMCs. Academic qualification, working specialty, and professional experience were associated with dentists’ use of PMCs. The lack of knowledge about the PMC technique was the main obstacle to the dental practitioners’ use of PMCs (41.7%). The lack of understanding of the rationale behind PMCs was the main reason for parents’ acceptance of PMC restorations (43.6%). Attending continuing education programs was the main approach to learning the PMC restorative technique (59.1%). Conclusions. The clinical use of PMCs was not very popular in Chengdu city. To promote this restorative technique, knowledge and practical training should be incorporated into routine courses of undergraduate dental education.

Postgraduate dental (PGD) primary care training has grown significantly. This study examines the individual, educational, community, and policy factors that predict practice patterns of PGD-trained dentists.Individual dentist records from the 2017 American Dental Association Masterfile, with indicators of Medicaid participation and practice in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), were linked to postdoctoral training, community/practice location, and state policy factors. Generalized logistic models, adjusted for these factors, were used to predict PGD-trained dentists: (1a) serving Medicaid children, (1b) accepting new Medicaid patients, and (2) working in an FQHC.Individual attributes that predicted serving Medicaid children included all race/gender combinations (vs. White females), and foreign-trained dentists and contractors/employees/associates (vs. practice owners). Black women are most likely to work in an FQHC. Residency attributes that predicted serving Medicaid children and working in an FQHC were Health Resources and Services Administration postdoctoral funding and being community based. Dentists practicing in rural or high-poverty communities were more likely to serve Medicaid children and work at FQHCs. States with higher levels of graduate medical education investment, higher Medicaid rates, and more generous adult dental Medicaid benefits increased the likelihood of serving Medicaid children, while states with more expansive adult dental Medicaid benefits increased the likelihood of working in an FQHC.Federal training investment in PGD education combined with Medicaid payment and coverage policies can strongly impact access to dental care for vulnerable populations. Yet, oral health equity cannot be achieved without increasing dentist workforce diversity.

Aim The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and severity of corona‐associated anxiety and mental health disorder among Iranian dentists during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods A study was conducted using online survey from May 2nd to 14th, 2020. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: demographic information, anxiety (18 questions), and general health (GH) (GHQ‐28). Scoring system was based on Likert scale. The questionnaire was registered at Porsline website. Data were analyzed using t test and Pearson's correlation coefficient statistical tests. Results A total of 320 dentists from all over the country fully completed questionnaires. 42.5% of dentist had corona‐associated anxiety and 32.5% out of them had mild severity and no severe anxiety was observed. 62.5% of dentists were nonpsychiatric according to GHQ‐28, 35% had mild disorders in GH, and no one had severe GH disorders. There were significant relationships between gender, marital status, and family history of psychiatric disorders with GH status. There was a significant relationship between history of physical illness with corona‐associated anxiety. There was a significant relationship between history of psychiatric disorders with corona‐associated anxiety and GH status. Conclusion The prevalence of corona‐associated anxiety and mental disorders in dentists was moderate; by holding psychological workshops to maintain and strengthen the morale of dentists during the corona pandemic, along with teaching them the correct way to use personal protective equipment, while maintaining the mental health of dentists, we will help them return to work and provide dental services., There was a significant relationship between history of physical illness with corona‐associated anxiety. The prevalence of corona‐associated anxiety and mental disorders in dentists was moderate.

Background Enhancing empathy in healthcare education is a critical component in the development of a relationship between healthcare professionals and patients that would ensure better patient care; improved patient satisfaction, adherence to treatment, patients’ medication self-efficacy, improved treatment outcomes, and reduced patient anxiety. Unfortunately, however, the decline of empathy among students has been frequently reported. It is especially common when the curriculum transitions to a clinical setting. However, some studies have questioned the significance and frequency of this decline. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the impact of postgraduate clinical training on dental trainees’ empathy from cognitive, behavioral, and patients’ perspective. Methods This study included 64 trainee dentists at Okayama University Hospital and 13 simulated patients (SPs). The trainee dentists carried out initial medical interviews with SPs twice, at the beginning and the end of their clinical training. The trainees completed the Japanese version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy for health professionals just before each medical interview. The SPs evaluated the trainees’ communication using an assessment questionnaire immediately after the medical interviews. The videotaped dialogue from the medical interviews was analyzed using the Roter Interaction Analysis System. Results No significant difference was found in the self-reported empathy score of trainees at the beginning and the end of the clinical training (107.73 [range, 85–134] vs. 108.34 [range, 69–138]; p = 0.643). Considering the results according to gender, male scored 104.06 (range, 88–118) vs. 101.06 (range, 71–122; p = 0.283) and female 109.17 (range, 85–134) vs. 111.20 (range, 69–138; p = 0.170). Similarly, there was no difference in the SPs’ evaluation of trainees’ communication (10.73 vs. 10.38, p = 0.434). Communication behavior in the emotional responsiveness category for trainees in the beginning was significantly higher than that at the end (2.47 vs. 1.14, p = 0.000). Conclusions Overall, a one-year postgraduate dental training program neither reduced nor increased trainee dentists’ empathy levels. Providing regular education support in this area may help trainees foster their empathy.

The present study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of stress and anxiety symptoms among dentists during the COVID-19 pandemic in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. A structured questionnaire was sent electronically to 93,280 dentists with active registration in the Dental Council of São Paulo, Brazil, enquiring about information regarding the first-wave peak period in Brazil. Descriptive analyses of background characteristics, perceptions of preparedness, and psychological impact were calculated. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed, and independent variables that showed p < 0.20 were used in the adjusted logistic regression model to compare the psychological impact on dental professionals. Among the 2113 respondents, female participants had 63% lower chance of reporting anxiety than males. Older dentists had a lower likelihood of reporting anxiety compared to 21–30-year-old dentists (p ≤ 0.05). Dentists working in the public health service were 1.78 times more likely to report anxiety than those who worked in private practice. Finally, dentists in the COVID-19 high-risk group and those with a family or team member with a positive COVID-19 diagnosis were more likely to have anxiety. This study can help dental and other healthcare professionals to better understand the consequences of COVID-19 in terms of mental health.

Dispensing of opioid prescriptions from dentists and surgeons more than 30 days after writing, or delayed dispensing, could be a potential indicator that opioids were used for reasons or during a time frame other than that intended by the prescriber. The prevalence of delayed dispensing is unknown. Whether laws can prevent delayed dispensing by shortening the maximum period between prescription writing and dispensing is also unknown.To estimate the prevalence of delayed dispensing among opioid prescriptions from surgeons and dentists, assess the maximum period US states allow between controlled substance prescription writing and dispensing, and evaluate whether laws shortening this period decrease delayed dispensing of opioid prescriptions from surgeons and dentists.In this cross-sectional analysis, data from the IQVIA Formulary Impact Analyzer (representing 63% of US prescriptions) were used to identify opioid prescriptions from surgeons and dentists dispensed from 2014 through 2019.Among opioid prescriptions dispensed in 2019, the proportion with delayed dispensing was calculated. Using legal databases, the maximum state-allowed period between controlled substance prescription writing and dispensing as of December 2019 was examined. Using a difference-in-differences design and 2014 to 2019 data, changes in delayed dispensing prevalence were evaluated among opioid prescriptions from surgeons and dentists after a Minnesota law was enacted in July 2019 precluding opioid prescription dispensing more than 30 days after writing. Control states allowed dispensing beyond this period.In 2019, the database included 20 858 413 opioid prescriptions from surgeons and dentists for 14 789 984 patients; 8 582 029 (58.0%) were female. The mean (SD) patient age was 47.1 (19.3) years. Of prescriptions included, 194 452 (0.9%) had delayed dispensing. As of December 2019, the maximum period between drug writing and dispensing was 180 days in 18 and 43 states for Schedule II and III drugs, respectively. Compared with control states, Minnesota's law decreased delayed dispensing prevalence by 0.22 percentage points (95% CI, -0.32 to -0.13 percentage points).In this cross-sectional study, 194 452 opioid prescriptions from surgeons and dentists were dispensed more than 30 days after writing. To mitigate any prescription opioid misuse associated with delayed dispensing, policy makers could shorten the maximum period between writing and dispensing of opioid prescriptions from surgeons and dentists.

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.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the knowledge and experience of erosive tooth wear (ETW) among Danish dental practitioners and, based on two cases, explore their treatment decisions.METHODS: We sent a validated questionnaire electronically to all active members of The Danish Dental Association and The Association of Public Health Dentists in Denmark. The questionnaire had two parts; the first focused on scoring, recordkeeping, knowledge and experience of ETW. The second part presented two patients with different severity of erosive lesions to explore the dentists preventive and restorative treatment decisions.RESULTS: We received 442 answers from 4,490 potentially eligible dentists in Denmark (response rate 9.8%). The majority (78%) was female and the median age was 44 years. Nearly all respondents (97%) registered ETW in the charts and 49% recorded "always" or "often" the patients' diet history, most commonly with aid of interviews. The respondents perceived the prevalence of ETW to be higher today than 10-15 years ago and male patients (15-25 years) appeared more affected than females. The majority (82%) thought that they usually found the probable cause of the condition with carbonated beverages being the most common factor. The treatment included dietary guidance, soft tooth brushing with non-abrasive fluoride toothpaste, topical fluoride applications and direct composite restorations.CONCLUSION: The majority of Danish dentists taking part of this survey had adopted a minimally invasive approach for the management of erosive tooth wear in young adults. There was however room for improvements in diagnosis, scoring and case documentation.

Oral lesions are usually the first sign of HIV infection. The present study aimed to determine the level of the knowledge of dentists on the dental care needs of People Living with HIV (PLWH). This cross-sectional study was conducted between February and May 2021, in the Brazilian state of Pará, during which a total of 51 dentists received an anonymous digital form (Google® Forms Platform) composed of four blocks of discursive, dichotomous, and multiple-choice questions. The questions referred to various aspects of the dental care needs of PLWH, together with data on the professional activities of the dentists. After signing the term of informed consent, the dentists were divided into six subgroups according to the time (in years) since completing their bachelor’s degree in dentistry. The data were presented as descriptive statistics and percentages, and then analyzed using the Kappa test. Most (70.6%; 36 of 51) of the dentists were female, the mean age of the dentists was 32.5 years, and a majority (80.2%) were based in the city of Belem; the mean time since graduation was 8.5 years, with 22 (43.1%) having more than 5 years of professional experience, and 31 (60.8%) having graduated from a private dental college. Just over half (51%) of the 51 dentists had completed graduate courses, and the most common dental specialty was orthodontics (19.6%). Most (74.5%) of the dentists work in the private sector, 38 (74.5%) claimed to have already provided oral care to PLWH, and 43 (84.3%) had access to specialist content on the oral care needs of PLWH. In terms of the knowledge of the dentists with regard to the oral care needs of PLWH, four of the ten diagnostic questions obtained more inadequate answers than expected, whereas the final two questions (11–45.1% and 12–31.4%) demonstrated that many of the dentists adopt unnecessary modifications in their oral care protocol for PLWH, due to a fear of contamination. Overall, our results demonstrate a frequent lack of knowledge, especially with regard to the oral healthcare needs of PLWH, which may account for many of the stigmas that persist in the dental care of this vulnerable group.

Oral cancer (OC) is one of the global diseases that is the eighth rank among different others. Early intervention therapy had a positive impact on increasing the prognosis and the survival rate up to 5 years. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dentists about OC in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).It was a cross-sectional analytical survey conducted in the primary oral health care centers in DR. Congo from February to April 2021. Only dentists working at any of the primary oral health care centers, public or private was included. Data were collected by using a survey of a 33-item questionnaire. The practice level, knowledge, risk factors, diagnosis for OC, attitude, and opinions of the dentists were recorded and evaluated. The SPSS 20 was used for data analysis and P 0.05 was considered significant.Out of 162 dentists recorded, 65.4% were male and 34.6% were females. Half of the dentists (50.6%) had more than 5-15 years of practical experience, and 81.5% of the participants were general practice dentists. A majority of dentists were not familiar with the proper physical oral examination steps (80.2%). The practice level of the dentists was highly poor. The knowledge level about clinical features and diagnostic procedures (frequent anatomical region, common type of OC, associated factor with OC, frequent stage diagnosis of OC, and condition associated with OC) was very low. The dentists' gender was associated with a poor level of practice (P = 0.009). However, the age experience of work was associated with the high knowledge of the clinical presentation of oral cancer (P = 0.040).The dentists in DRC have obvious problems in the knowledge of OC diagnosis. More continued education and training programs for dentists would serve to address the knowledge deficits and practice shortcomings about oral cancer screening, prevention, and early detection.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to examine the typical personality traits of dentists and to discuss critically their influence on the necessary characteristics for a good dentist-patient relationship. METHODS Two groups were invited via e-mail to participate the study in 2015-2020. One group consisted of German dentists (DENT N=580). The other group was formed by German speaking psychotherapists from Germany, Austria and Switzerland (DACH N=1.027). The Personality Styles and Disorder Inventory was used in its short form (PSDI-S) via online survey. The normalization sample (NORM N=3.392) of the PSDI-S was used to compare the results with a normative sample. RESULTS Dentists differed in 10 out of 14 personality styles from the normalization sample (NORM), and in 13 out of 14 personality styles compared with the psychotherapists (DACH). Female dentists differed in 7 out of 14 personality styles to their male colleagues. CONCLUSIONS The most significant differences in personality styles were willful (PN), spontaneous (BL), reserved (SZ), ambitious (NA), optimistic (RH) and conscientious (ZW), which seem to be necessary for a good dentist-patient relationship and dental procedures. The expression of personality styles is most likely to influence the choice, delivery and cost as well as patient perception of treatment. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Dentist's personality has an important impact on the interpersonal, which influences the dentist-patient relationship and its therapeutic outcome.

Appropriate antibiotic prescription contributes to reducing bacterial resistance; therefore, it is critical to provide training regarding this challenge. The objective of this study was to develop a virtual learning environment for antibiotic prescription and to determine its impact on dentists’ awareness, attitudes, and intention to practice. First, the learning content on multimedia resources was developed and distributed into three challenges that participants had to overcome. Then, a quasi-experimental study was performed in which the virtual learning environment was implemented on dentists from seven Colombian cities. The median of correct answers and the levels of awareness, attitudes, and intention to practice were compared before, immediately after, and 6-months post-intervention. Wilcoxon signed-rank and McNemar’s tests were used to determine the differences. A total of 206 participants who finished the virtual learning environment activities exhibited a favorable and statistically significant impact on the median of correct answers of awareness (p < 0.001), attitudes (p < 0.001), and intention to practice (p = 0.042). A significant increase occurred in the number of participants with a high level of awareness (p < 0.001) and a non-significant increase in participants with high levels of attitudes (p = 0.230) and intention to practice (p = 0.286). At 6 months, the positive effect on the median of correct answers on awareness and intention to practice persisted (p < 0.001); however, this was not evident for attitudes (p = 0.105). Moreover, there was a significant decrease in the number of participants who showed low levels of awareness (p = 0.019) and a slight increase in those with high levels of the same component (p = 0.161). The use of a virtual learning environment designed for dentists contributed to a rapid improvement in awareness and intention to practice antibiotic prescription; however, their attitudes and information retention need reinforcement.

OBJECTIVES The professions of physician and dentist are associated with multiple health risks. The aim of this study was to identify the medical conditions that caused limitation or suspension of the professional license of Polish physicians and dentists, and to assess their return to professional activities. METHODS We analyzed documentation of Regional Medical Registers concerning the procedure for suspending medical licences or limiting certain medical activities, and decisions of Regional Medical Councils in 1990-2014. RESULTS The data on 65 decisions suspending the professional license, 8 decisions limiting the license and 1 revoking the right to practice have been obtained from 8 Councils. The most frequent cause of limiting or suspending the professional license was drug and alcohol dependence (54.1%). There was no correlation between the underlying medical condition and gender or profession (physician/dentist). Among doctors aged 42-57 and 58-67 whose licence had been suspended or limited, more than 60% suffered from substance use disorder (SUD). In the group of doctors aged 41 and younger, no such case was found. Among doctors older than 67, addiction was the cause of 37.5% of decisions suspending or limiting the professional license. In no case the medical condition causing limitation or suspension of the licence was an occupational disease. SUD was more frequent in surgical than nonsurgical specialties (76.5% vs. 46.9%, p < 0.05). The doctors suffering from addictions were more likely to return to their practice (57.5%) than those suffering from other illnesses (20.5%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The most common medical ground for limiting or suspending the professional licence was substance abuse. Number of decisions suspending or limiting the licence is relatively small and indicates a need for more efficient procedures for identification of doctors and dentists incapable of practicing due to health problems and assessment of the capacity to practice in the case of individuals who do not undertake treatment themselves and therefore are unable to assure sufficient quality of care to their patients. Moreover, although few decisions were issued, there is a need for an active addiction prevention, particularly among surgical specialists.

This study aimed to assess the perception of dentists on the complications associated with prosthodontic treatments with acrylic dentures and overdentures in partially or complete edentulous patients. The study analyzed the complications of acrylic dentures and overdentures using a questionnaire with 24 open or closed questions, with single or multiple answers. The participants were 63 dentists, mostly women (77.8%), aged between 30 and 39 years old (52.4%), more than half of them with a clinical experience of less than 15 years. The main complications encountered were: lesions of the oral mucosa (52.4%), lack of maintenance (44.4%) or stability of dentures (39.7%), fracture of acrylic bases (14.3%), and detachment of attachment systems (44.4%). The complete maxillary acrylic dentures fractured most often (38.1%), frequently on the midline (58.7%), the main causes being accidental fall, masticatory stress, or lack of stability of the dentures. The most common intervention to correct the complications of dentures was the repair of fractured acrylic bases (33.3%). The study exposed that dentists are aware of the possible complications of acrylic dentures, which they correlate with the peculiarities of oral structures, but also with some deficiencies of prosthodontic restorations, materials and technologies. Maxillary acrylic dentures, overdentures, and partial acrylic dentures have a high risk and fracture rate, but the use of new technologies and materials can reduce the complications rate of acrylic dentures and overdentures.

Background. Working conditions, job satisfaction, and their overall impact on a dentist’s job satisfaction are critical for future employment and retaining of dentists. Objectives. This study is aimed at determining the factors influencing the job satisfaction level among dentists. It is also aimed at evaluating how personal (age, gender) and professional (type, type of qualification, and year of practice) characteristics influence overall job satisfaction. Methods. For data collection, a structured self-administered questionnaire was used, in which one part collected information on personal characteristics. At the same time, the other contained a questionnaire related to job satisfaction. The German validated version of the questionnaire had a 10-point Warr-Cook-Wall (WCW) scale developed by Warr et al. in 1979. Each item was rated on a 5-point Likert scale, with 5 representing excessive satisfaction and 1 representing extreme dissatisfaction. Results. The results revealed that dentists in Saudi Arabia have a higher satisfaction level with “colleagues and fellow workers” (26.5%). The relation between the years of practice was highly significant. However, they were dissatisfied with their “income” (22.6%), and when compared with concerning age, gender, profession, and their practice years, this finding was highly significant. Conclusion. A higher percentage of satisfaction was seen with the “fellow and colleague’s workers” dimension. At the same time, “income” was the aspect with which the dentists showed extreme dissatisfaction.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the factors associated with the search by Brazilian and Portuguese dentists for oral health information on social networks during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 597 Brazilian and Portuguese dentists answered an online questionnaire between January 17 and 31, 2021. Respondents were asked about sociodemographic data, weight and height, hours of sleep per night, screen time for work and leisure, and where they sought information about general and/or oral health for themselves and for their loved ones and information about COVID-19. Descriptive statistics and binary regression were used for the statistical analysis. Most participants were Brazilian (62.8%) and 451 (75.5%) were female. Mean age was 42.1 years (± 12.5 years). For every lost hour of sleep, the chances of participants frequently or always searching for information about self-perceived oral health problems on lay websites increased by 1.33 times. For every additional hour spent on social networks or on the Internet, the likelihood of participants frequently searching for self-perceived oral health problems on lay websites increased by 17% (OR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.06–1.30). Individuals who searched the Internet for information about COVID-19 symptoms before consulting their doctors were 3.85 times more likely (95% CI: 2.22–6.67) to frequently or always search for information about self-perceived oral health problems on lay websites. Dentists used lay websites to search for general and oral health knowledge during the COVID-19 pandemic, and shorter sleep duration favored screen use.

Made available in DSpace on 2019-10-06T17:10:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-01-01 Statement of problem: Multidisciplinary treatment needs a common goal, and dentists should understand the esthetic perception of laypeople and the other specialists involved. Such information is sparse. Purpose: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to compare the influence of gingival display on perceived smile esthetics among restorative dentists, orthodontists, prosthodontists, periodontists, and laypeople. Material and methods: Photographs of the smiles of 2 volunteers (1 female and 1 male)were manipulated on a computer to produce gingival exposure of 1, 3, and 5 mm and central incisor coverage of 3 and 5 mm. The images were evaluated by using a 100-mm visual analog scale by 155 raters divided into 5 groups (restorative dentists, orthodontists, prosthodontists, periodontists, and laypeople). Results: The dental specialists, mainly orthodontists and periodontists, were more sensitive about alterations in gingival display than the laypeople. For the female smile, higher mean scores were attributed to 1 mm of gingival exposure by all groups of raters. For the male smile, 3 mm of central incisor coverage received higher mean scores, except for the laypeople, who considered gingival display of 1 mm to be more attractive. For both smiles, 5 mm of gingival display was judged to be the least attractive. Conclusions: Considering the differences in opinion between dental specialists and laypeople and the acceptable variations in gingival display, the preferences of patients should be considered in the diagnosis and treatment decision-making process. Department of Orthodontics University Ceuma (UniCeuma) Doctoral student University Ceuma (UniCeuma) Department of Epidemiology University Ceuma (UniCeuma) Department of Orthodontics Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) Department of Denstistry University Ceuma (UniCeuma) Department of Orthodontics State University of São Paulo (UNESP) Department of Orthodontics State University of São Paulo (UNESP)

Aim: To assess the gender-based parities and disparities at work place experienced by female dentists of Vadodara, India. Materials and Methods: In-depth face-to-face qualitative semi-structured interviews in English were conducted among 12 female dentists of Vadodara. Female dentists working with one/more male colleague or auxiliary were selected through purposive sampling. Interviews were conducted as per Kvale's principles and recorded using a digital voice recorder. Transcribed data was analyzed using Giorgi's phenomenological analysis. Results: The recurring themes identified were: (a) Striking work–family balance (b) Dependence on male authority for instating work discipline (c) Male dentists' hostility to “woman in power” concept (d) Male dentists' superiority in technical skills (e) privileges for women dentists. Conclusions: There is a need to improve the work environment of women dentists. Social support, sensitivity among male colleagues, and generous institutional policies will enable increased contribution from women to the profession.

Introduction. Hall’s technique preformed metal crown (HTPMC) has been used widely by pediatric dentists in developed countries as a new approach for managing decayed primary molars without local anesthesia, caries removal, and tooth preparation. Currently, inadequate information is available regarding the implementation of this technique (HTPMC) in Malaysia. This study is aimed at evaluating the implementation of HTPMC by Malaysia’s pediatric dentists and identify the co-occurrence frequencies of the HTPMC implementation with the respondents’ demographic profile. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based research was conducted among 65 pediatric dentists in Malaysia. Online questionnaires were distributed to the pediatric dentists employed at public hospitals (MOH) and universities in Malaysia. Result. It was found that over half of the respondents (65.6%) employed HTPMC. The analysis of the co-occurrence network frequency revealed that a high frequency of female pediatric dentists who were within the age group of 31-40 years old had fulfilled their postgraduation overseas and was employed in the university mainly applied HTPMC. Conclusion. The application of HTPMC among respondent pediatric dentists in Malaysia was high. However, most respondents considered HTPMC a treatment option only to manage carious primary molar rather than a treatment of choice.

Background and Objectives: Due to the specific working conditions dental professionals represent a group of high risk of infection and COVID-19 pandemic in many ways have influenced their working environment. The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of COVID-19 pandemic on working conditions of dentists in Poland and Turkey. Materials and Methods: The study was an anonymous online questionnaire conducted among thedentists in two countries: Poland and Turkey. The survey consisted of general questions, COVID-19 pandemic infection and working history as well as working conditions before and during pandemic. Chi-square test, Fisher’s Exact test, Fisher Freeman Halton test and Continuity (Yates) Correction were used to compare qualitative data. Results: The study was conducted with a total of 400 participants, 162 (40.5%) men and 238 (59.5%) women, aged between 23 and 67. The mean age of the participants was 42.39 ± 9.99 years. Positive COVID-19 test results among dentists in Poland were found to be significantly higher than in Turkey. Time of dental procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic in Poland and Turkey was significantly increased. The usage of N95/FFP2 or N99/FFP3 masks and surgical gowns during COVID-19 pandemic compared to pre-COVID-19 periods was clearly higher (p &lt, 0.05). Reusable full-face and half-face elastomeric respirators are increasingly used in Turkey. During the COVID-19 pandemic a 25% decrease in dentists’ income in Poland (81%) was significantly high than in Turkey (47.5%). Conclusions: COVID-19 pandemic has influenced working conditions of dentists. Many dentists got infected during the pandemic, dental procedures’ time has increased, and protective equipment usage has become higher. Further studies analyzing the working conditions of dentists during COVID-19 pandemic should be conducted for better planning of future decisions taken by governments and authorities.

Background The coronavirus infection that emerged in China in the last few months of 2019 has now spread globally. Italy registered its first case in the second half of February, and in a short time period, it became the top country in Europe in terms of the number of infected people and the first in the world in terms of deaths. The medical and scientific community has been called upon to manage the emergency and to take measures. Dentists also need to take new precautions during their clinical activity to protect themselves, coworkers and patients from the risks of contagion and to avoid further spread of infection. Methods Following the data published in the international literature as well as the guidelines and directives constantly updated by the WHO and by the national health authorities, a questionnaire to be completed anonymously was submitted online to Italian dentists using social tools and online professional platforms. The collected data were processed statistically, providing descriptive data and analysis of correlations of the most significant parameters using the Pearson’s χ2, the Likelihood-Ratio χ2, Cramér’s V, Fisher’s exact test, Goodman and Kruskal’s γ, and Kendall’s τb (p Results A total of 535 dentists from Italy participated in the survey. A good level of scientific knowledge about coronavirus and the extra precautionary measures needed to limit the spread was related to the age of respondents and their sex. Coming from areas with higher concentrations of cases affected knowledge, level of attention and perception of risk related to dental activity. Conclusions At the moment, there are no therapies or vaccines to contain the infection with the new coronavirus that is causing many infections, many of which are fatal, worldwide. Dentists are one of the categories at highest risk of encountering diseases and infections because they work in close proximity with patients, and in their procedures, there is always contact with aerosols with high bacterial and viral potential. Therefore, during this COVID-19 emergency, it is important that dentists are properly informed and take the appropriate precautionary measures.

Background Photographs can help non-dental professional caregivers to identify problems when inspecting the mouth of care-dependent older individuals. This study evaluated whether the assessment of oral health-related conditions presented in photographs differed between dentists and non-dental professional caregivers. Materials and methods One-hundred-and-seventy-nine photographs were taken from long-term care facility residents and from patients at the Department of Dentistry of a University Hospital. The following oral health aspects were depicted: denture hygiene, oral hygiene, teeth, gums, tongue and palate/lips/cheeks. Collection continued until for each oral health aspect a pool of photographs was available that showed conditions from perfect health and hygiene to severe problems. A segmented Visual Analogue Scale was applied to assess the conditions presented in the photographs. Each photograph was assessed by each participant of this study. The benchmark was established by three dentists with academic-clinical expertise in gerodontology, special needs dentistry and periodontology. For each photograph, they provided a collective score after reaching consensus. Photographs were assessed individually by 32 general dentists and by 164 non-dental professional caregivers. Linear mixed effects models and generalized linear mixed effects models were fitted and mean squared errors were computed to quantify differences between both groups. Results For the different oral health aspects, absolute distances from the benchmark scores were 1.13 (95%CI:1.03–1.23) to 1.51 (95%CI:1.39–1.65) times higher for the caregivers than for the dentists. The odds to overestimate the condition were higher for the caregivers than the dentists for oral hygiene (OR = 0.72, 95%CI = 0.62–0.84) and teeth (OR = 0.74; 95%CI = 0.61–0.88). The odds to underestimate the condition were higher for the caregivers than the dentists for gums (OR = 1.39; 95%CI:1.22–1.59) and palate/lips/cheeks (OR = 1.22; 95%CI = 1.07–1.40). Over all assessments, the variance in caregiver scores was 1.9 (95%CI:1.62–2.23) times higher than that for the dentists. Conclusion Small but significant differences were found between dentists and non-dental professional caregivers assessing oral health-related conditions presented in photographs. When photographs are used to aid non-dental professional caregivers with the oral health assessment, these visualizations should be complemented with comments to facilitate accurate interpretation. ispartof: Bmc Oral Health vol:20 issue:1 ispartof: location:England status: published

Use of chemicals, most often classified for intrinsic hazards, is rather common among dentists. To date, no data have been recorded in the European Union (EU) on dentists’ awareness regarding the safe use of chemicals. In the EU regulatory framework, two Regulations with wide applications, namely Regulations (EC) 1907/2006 (REACH) and 1272/2008 (CLP), have been introduced to protect human health and the environment and clearly communicate hazards posed by chemicals to workers and consumers. The aim of this study was to assess the extent of comprehension of hazard communication of chemicals among Greek dentists. For this, a closed-ended, anonymous and validated questionnaire was initially distributed to a total of 300 Greek dentists, both professionals and university students, over a period of 4 months. The collected data from 240 final responders were subjected to statistical analysis (frequencies, percentages, chi-square (χ2) and significance ( p < 0.05)). The vast majority (90%) of the interviewed dentists are not aware of the CLP. Main sources of information regarding chemical hazard and safe use was the supplier through direct communication (90%), while some dentists also consulted the product labels (39%) and the material safety data sheets (54%). Regarding hazard communication, the perceived information from the pictograms is confusing to the vast majority of the dentists (86%), especially for systemic hazards (carcinogenicity and/or reproductive toxicity). In addition, 88% of the professional dentists have not noticed any changes in the labelling of chemical products, which also shows the low input of labels to hazard communication. On the other hand, 90% of the responders always utilize personal protective equipment (PPE), although it is not clear whether this PPE is adequate. In conclusion, rising awareness campaigns are needed, in collaboration with universities and dental care professional associations, to inform dentists about the safe use of chemicals not only to ensure protection of their own health but also to contribute to environmental sustainability.

Introduction. The most common nondental orofacial pain conditions are temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). TMD basic examination and clinical management are included in a curriculum of each dentistry programme taught in Poland, but it is not clear how the dentists cope with diagnosis and possible treatment in their routine dental practices. The objective of the present study was to assess a level of self-perceived knowledge of TMD amongst dentists in Poland. Materials and methods. The participants, of whom all studied and graduated from a Polish university, were randomly selected from dental offices in Krakow (Poland). The selected dentists were administered an anonymous questionnaire, which contained questions measuring self-assessment of knowledge of TMD diagnosis and therapy and assessing knowledge of ethology and TMD symptoms. Results. Only 6.5% of the participants identified their TMD knowledge as very good, 32.3% assessed it as good, 39.3% thought it was sufficient, 20.4% as insufficient, and 1.49% considered it as poor. 9.4% of all participants have attempted to diagnose and treat TMD patients very often, 26.4% declared performing it often, 45.8% rarely, and 18.4% had never made such an attempt. There was a significant relationship between the dentists’ knowledge and their attempts at diagnosing and treating TMD patients (p<0.05). Conclusion. The level of TMD knowledge amongst the Polish dentists is still insufficient. Raising its level would considerably help the dentists to refer their patients to right specialists for a diagnosis and TMD treatment and/or interdisciplinary management of TMD patients.

The relationship between dentists and dental supply representatives is not as well known as that between physicians and pharmaceutical sales representatives.To estimate the magnitude, associated factors and characteristics of the interaction between dentists and dental supply representatives in Saudi Arabia.A cross-sectional survey was conducted among dentists working in major governmental and private hospitals in different regions of Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all participants, either in electronic or paper format, depending on the proximity of the participants. A total of 672 participants completed the survey (response rate, 67.2%).Approximately 68% of participants reported an interaction with dental supply representatives. Saudi dentists had a lower interaction with dental supply representatives than non-Saudi dentists (65.1% vs 73.1%). Dentists working in private hospitals had more interactions with dental supply representatives than those working in public hospitals (78.1% vs 63.2%). Compared to residents and interns, dental consultants and specialists had more interactions with dental supply representatives. Dentists who had a prior history of working abroad showed more interactions with dental supply representatives than those with no such history (75.9% vs 63.7%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the following characteristics were independently associated with greater dentist-dental supply representatives interaction: male sex, older age, living in the eastern region, unsure about income satisfaction, certain job titles (such as specialists), and certain specialties.Dentists have a high number of interactions with dental supply representatives in Saudi Arabia. Most of the issues identified are common to those seen in other parts of the world.حجم التعاملات بين أطباء الأسنان وممثلي شركات مستلزمات طب الأسنان في المملكة العربية السعودية ومحددات هذه التعاملات.فهد العصيمي، عبد العزيز البكر.الخلفية : العلاقة بين أطباء الأسنان وممثلي شركات مستلزمات طب الأسنان ليست معروفة تماماً مثل العلاقة بين الأطباء البشريين وممثلي مبيعات المستحضرات الدوائية.هدفت الدراسة إلى تقدير حجم التعامل بين أطباء الأسنان وممثلي شركات مستلزمات طب الأسنان في المملكة العربية السعودية، وتحديد العوامل المرتبطة بهذا التعامل وخصائصه.أُجري مسح مقطعي بين أطباء الأسنان العاملين في كبرى المستشفيات الحكومية والخاصة في مناطق مختلفة من المملكة العربية السعودية. ووزِّع على جميع المشاركين في المسح استبيان يملؤه المستجيبون بأنفسهم، وكان الاستبيان إما إلكترونياً أو ورقياً حسب قرب المشاركين. وأكمل الاستبيان ما مجموعه 672 مشاركاً (وبلغ معدل الاستجابة 67.2٪).أبلغ ما يقرب من 68٪ من المشاركين عن تعاملهم مع ممثلي شركات مستلزمات طب الأسنان. وكان تعامل أطباء الأسنان السعوديين مع ممثلي شركات مستلزمات طب الأسنان أقل من تعامل أطباء الأسنان غير السعوديين معهم (65.1٪ مقابل 73.1٪). وارتفع تعامل أطباء الأسنان العاملين في المستشفيات الخاصة مع ممثلي شركات مستلزمات طب الأسنان عن تعامل نظرائهم العاملين في المستشفيات الحكومية (78.1 مقابل 63.2٪). وكان تعامل استشاريي وأخصائيي طب الأسنان مع ممثلي شركات مستلزمات طب الأسنان أعلى من تعامل الأطباء المقيمين وأطباء الامتياز معهم. وأظهر الأطباء الذين عملوا بالخارج في وقت سابق تعاملات أكثر مع ممثلي شركات مستلزمات طب الأسنان مقارنة بالأطباء الذين لم يسبق لهم العمل خارج البلاد (75.9٪ مقابل 63.7). وأظهر تحليل الانحدار اللوجستي المتعدد المتغيرات أن الخصائص التالية ارتبطت بشكل مستقل بتعامل أكبر بين أطباء الأسنان وممثلي شركات مستلزمات طب الأسنان: الذكور، وكبار السن، والعيش في المنطقة الشرقية، وعدم التأكد من الرضا عن الدخل، ومسميات وظيفية بعينها (مثل أخصائيين)، وبعض التخصصات.يتعامل أطباء الأسنان بكثرة مع ممثلي شركات مستلزمات طب الأسنان في المملكة العربية السعودية. وتتشابه معظم المشكلات التي حددها المسح مع تلك التي نراها في أجزاء أخرى من العالم.Ampleur et déterminants des interactions entre dentistes et représentants dentaires en Arabie saoudite.Les liens entre les dentistes et les représentants dentaires sont moins bien connus que ceux que l’on observe entre les médecins et les représentants commerciaux des sociétés pharmaceutiques.Évaluer l’ampleur, les facteurs associés et les caractéristiques des interactions entre les dentistes et les représentants dentaires en Arabie saoudite.Une étude transversale a été menée auprès des dentistes travaillant dans les grands hôpitaux publics et privés de différentes régions d’Arabie saoudite. Un auto-questionnaire a été distribué à l’ensemble des participants, sous format électronique ou papier, en fonction de la proximité de ces derniers. Au total, 672 participants ont répondu à ce questionnaire (taux de réponse de 67,2 %).Près de 68 % des participants ont déclaré avoir des interactions avec les représentants dentaires. Les dentistes saoudiens faisaient état d’un niveau d’interactions moindre avec ces représentants que leurs confrères non saoudiens (65,1 % contre 73,1 %). Les dentistes travaillant dans des hôpitaux privés avaient plus d’interactions avec les représentants dentaires que leurs confrères en poste dans les hôpitaux publics (78,1 % contre 63,2 %). Les dentistes consultants et les spécialistes faisaient état de davantage d’interactions avec les représentants dentaires que les dentistes résidents et internes. Les dentistes qui, au cours de leur carrière, avaient travaillé à l’étranger avaient plus d’interactions avec les représentants dentaires que leurs confrères n’ayant pas eu ce parcours professionnel (75,9 % contre 63,7 %). L’analyse de régression logistique multivariée a montré que les caractéristiques suivantes étaient associées de manière indépendante à de plus grandes interactions entre les dentistes et les représentants dentaires : sexe masculin, âge plus avancé, résidant dans la Région orientale, incertitude quant à la satisfaction du revenu, certains postes (de spécialistes par exemple) et certaines spécialités.En Arabie saoudite, les dentistes entretiennent un nombre élevé d’interactions avec les représentants dentaires. La plupart des problèmes identifiés sont communs à ceux observés dans d’autres régions du monde.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE Dental professionals are more prone to get exposed to various occupational health problems. The aim is to assess various dental occupational hazards and safety measures among dentists of Odisha, India. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study was conducted among 572 dental professionals of both genders. A self-administered questionnaire which comprises name, age, gender, number of years of experience, type of occupational hazard, awareness of occupational hazards, safety measures practiced, and working hours per week was given to dental professionals and the responses were recorded. RESULTS 545 (95.2%) dentists were responded out of 572 participants. Age group 20-40 years had 55 males and 24 females, 40-60 years had 154 males and 84 females, and >60 years had 116 males and 60 females. 220 dentists had 10-15 years of experience, 190 had 5-10 years, 60 had 20 years. The difference was significant (p < 0.05). The most common occupational hazard was musculoskeletal disorders seen in 480 (88%), stress in 273 (50%); maximum occupational hazard (52%) was noticed in dentists with

Purpose Work ability can be measured by the work ability index (WAI), and work-related questions measuring productivity loss in terms of quality and quantity of work. Dentists have high occupational risk of musculoskeletal pain and the exposure of ergonomic strain is already high during dental education. The aim was to evaluate work ability and productivity among dentists, and to identify gender differences and associations with sleep, stress, and reported frequent pain. Methods The study population comprised 187 dentists (123 women and 64 men) who had been working as dentists between 5 and 12 years. Participants completed a questionnaire regarding sleep, stress, presence of pain at different sites, work ability assessed by WAI, and productivity in terms of quality and quantity of work. Results Poor sleep quality and high level of stress were reported by 31% and 48.1% of participants, respectively, with no gender differences and no association with age. The prevalence of frequent pain ranged 6.4–46.5% with shoulders being the most prevalent site. Thirty-three percent reported reduced work ability. Poor sleep, high amount of stress, and multi-site pain were associated with decreased work ability. Conclusions A high prevalence of pain was shown among dentists. Decreased work ability in terms of productivity loss was associated with poor sleep quality, high amount of stress, and multi-site pain. Preventive actions at the workplace should promote good musculoskeletal health, and measures taken, both individual and organizational, to minimize the risk of high, persistent stress and work-related pain.

Background During the first-wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, dentists were considered at high-risk of infection. In France, to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2, a nationwide lockdown was enforced, during which dentists suspended their routine clinical activities, working solely on dental emergencies. This measure has had an indisputable mitigating effect on the pandemic. To continue protecting dentists after suspension of nationwide lockdown, implementation of preventive measures was recommended, including adequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and room aeration between patients. No study has explored whether implementation of such preventive measures since the end of the first-wave has had an impact on the contamination of dentists. Methods An online survey was conducted within a French dentist population between July and September 2020. To explore risk factors associated with COVID-19, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results The results showed that COVID-19 prevalence among the 3497 respondents was 3.6%. Wearing surgical masks during non-aerosol generating procedures was a risk factor of COVID-19, whereas reducing the number of patients was a protective factor. Conclusions Considering the similar COVID-19 prevalence between dentists and the general population, such data suggest that dentists are not overexposed in their work environment when adequate preventive measures are applied. Impact Dentists should wear specific PPE (FFP2, FFP3 or (K)N95 masks) including during non-aerosol generating procedures and reduce the number of patients to allow proper implementation of disinfection and aeration procedures. Considering the similarities between COVID-19 and other viral respiratory infections, such preventive measures may also be of interest to limit emerging variants spread as well as seasonal viral outbreaks.

Background: In general, the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) in dentistry is high, and dental assistants (DA) are even more affected than dentists (D). Furthermore, differentiations between the fields of dental specialization (e.g., general dentistry, endodontology, oral and maxillofacial surgery, or orthodontics) are rare. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the ergonomic risk of the aforementioned four fields of dental specialization for D and DA on the one hand, and to compare the ergonomic risk of D and DA within each individual field of dental specialization. Methods: In total, 60 dentists (33 male/27 female) and 60 dental assistants (11 male/49 female) volunteered in this study. The sample was composed of 15 dentists and 15 dental assistants from each of the dental field, in order to represent the fields of dental specialization. In a laboratory setting, all tasks were recorded using an inertial motion capture system. The kinematic data were applied to an automated version of the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA). Results: The results revealed significantly reduced ergonomic risks in endodontology and orthodontics compared to oral and maxillofacial surgery and general dentistry in DAs, while orthodontics showed a significantly reduced ergonomic risk compared to general dentistry in Ds. Further differences between the fields of dental specialization were found in the right wrist, right lower arm, and left lower arm in DAs and in the neck, right wrist, right lower arm, and left wrist in Ds. The differences between Ds and DAs within a specialist discipline were rather small. Discussion: Independent of whether one works as a D or DA, the percentage of time spent working in higher risk scores is reduced in endodontologists, and especially in orthodontics, compared to general dentists or oral and maxillofacial surgeons. In order to counteract the development of WMSD, early intervention should be made. Consequently, ergonomic training or strength training is recommended.

Objectives This questionnaire-based validation study investigated if the dental examination of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder is viewed by dentists with key expertise in paediatric dentistry as a challenge or a threat in terms of transactional stress theory. The Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM) was used for this purpose and it‘s feasibility and validity was examined as a first part of a multi-stage process for validation in dentistry with a sample of German dentists. It has hardly been investigated how the treatment of children and adolescents with a disorder from the autism spectrum is perceived by dentists. Methods An online-based survey (39 questions) plus the SAM as an add-on as well as a preceding short story of imagination on the topic (appointment for a dental check-up in a special school) were developed. Via e-mail members of the German Society of Paediatric Dentistry (DGKiZ) received a link which enabled interested members to participate. The majority of the members of the DGKiZ have additional qualifications in the treatment of children and adolescents and further training in the area of special needs care in dentistry. The data analysis was based on the SAM and its subscales. Results Out of the 1.725 members of DGKiZ 92 participants (11 male, 81 female) fully completed the questionnaire and the SAM. All in all the dentists rated their own psychological and physical stress in course of treating children and adolescents with a disorder from the autism spectrum between less and partly stressful. Although the structure of the SAM could not be fully mapped by means of a factor analysis, the different ratings "challenge" or "threat" could be comprehensibly evaluated after reading the story. The participants rated the situation from the story in general as challenging but not as threatening. Intercorrelations between the subscales of the SAM (e.g threat and centrality) of r = .56 showed that the scales are not clearly independent of one another. According to the transactional stress model, the SAM bases on, stress (perceived stressfulness) arises from appraisal processes (e.g. threat, controllable-by-self) that bring about a comparison between the requirements for the described situation and one’s own possibilities in terms of a person-environment-fit. In the hierarchical regression a variance of R2 = .48 could be explained with all six subscales (appraisal processes) to predict perceived stressfulness of the SAM within a sample of dentists. Conclusions Due to the response rate the results of the SAM are not representative for all German dentists, but it offers an insight into topics of special needs dentistry in Germany that have not yet been examined. Overall, the feasibility and validity of the SAM in the context of mapping cognitive appraisal processes and stress could be confirmed. Taking into account the result that the treatment of children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder is seen as a challenge, it is concluded that there is a need to improve the education of dental students and graduated dentists in Germany in the field of special needs dentistry.

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.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.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.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.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) among dentists in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study also explored the causes of occupational stress among the participating dentists. MATERIALS & METHODS: The participants included a conveniently selected sample of dentists (N = 126; Males = 65; Females = 61). The participants’ anthropometric measurements/blood sample analysis were carried out and they completed a self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis included demographics, gender/age wise comparison using SPSS (p 0.05) were observed for cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL. However, significant difference (p = 0.00) was found for the fasting glucose level (Males = 5.69±1.49; Females = 4.94±0.42). Overall mean scoring (3.00±1.11) for the stress showed that the participants fall into the average/moderate level of stress category (Males = 3.16±1.02; Females = 2.83±1.08). Almost two third (68.26%) of the participant’s responded that they were under some kind of stress. CONCLUSIONS: MS was found to be less frequent among the dentists working in the city of Riyadh. Overall, the dentists were under moderate level of occupational stress, with male dentists being more prone to work related stress.

Objective. This web-based survey, as a tool of teledentistry, is aimed at assessing the level of knowledge, attitudes, and awareness regarding MRONJ among dental professionals in Northern Cyprus. Methods. An online self-administered questionnaire about MRONJ was sent to all dentists in Northern Cyprus through Google Forms. The first part of the questionnaire consists of demographic and professional information, and the second part included questions about knowledge and awareness questions about MRONJ. The SPSS software was used for statistical data analysis. A Chi-square test was performed to compare between the groups. The significance level was set at p < 0.05 . Results. A total of 112 dentists participated in this survey. The participants showed an insufficient level of knowledge regarding MRONJ, as only 56.6% of the participants stated that they had general knowledge about MRONJ. Regarding the practical questions of the survey, the participants showed poor knowledge about implant and tooth extraction procedures while a patient is using antiresorptive or antiangiogenic drugs, particularly the usage of oral antiresorptive or antiangiogenic drugs for less than 3 years. Participants showed adequate knowledge in terms of usage area of medications and administration of them. Conclusion. Teledentistry can be used as a supportive tool for dentists in diagnosing MRONJ. Similar to previous studies, the knowledge and awareness of MRONJ of dentists in Northern Cyprus were found to be inadequate. There is a significant need to provide more professional information as part of undergraduate programs so that the next generation of dentists can practice more confidently.

To study the sociodemographic and work-related factors that affect the level of burnout syndrome in Spanish dentists through an observational epidemiological study.An online survey answered by 1298 Spanish dentists was used to record their gender, age, work environment, number of practices in which they work, whether they work alone or not, whether they own or co-own the practice, years of experience, working hours per week, and their answers to the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-HSS). A univariate analysis was carried out to study the relationship between the work-related and sociodemographic factors examined for each of the three dimensions of burnout: Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalisation (DP) and Personal Accomplishment (PA). Subsequently, multivariate logistic regression models were fitted.The percentage of dentists with signs of burnout classified as "Emotional Exhaustion" was higher: for women (64.4%) than men (56.7%) (p=0.005); for those working in a rural setting (70.1%) than for those working in an urban setting (59.9%) (p=0.009); for non-owners (65.6%) in comparison to owners (58.3%) (p =0.008); and for those who always or frequently work alone (63.7%), compared to dentists who never or rarely work alone (59.9%) (p=0.007). A high level of burnout was experienced by 9.8% of dentists.In the population studied, environment, age and working hours per week have a significant impact upon EE, while ownership of the practice, years of experience, and working hours per week significantly affect DP. Working alone brings with it a high risk of suffering from a low sense of PA.Burnout syndrome is more likely to affect young dentists who do not own a practice and work long hours each week.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the work environment and expertise/specialty degree of dentists on their behavior, awareness, and attitudes regarding cross-infection control during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design: The study population consisted of Turkish dentists who work in private clinics, public clinics and university hospitals. The demographic information of the participants, their awareness of the COVID-19 acute respiratory disease, and clinical measures taken against cross-infection were evaluated with an online survey. Between the 10th and 20th of November 2020, 2,400 surveys were e-mailed to dentists. Results: A total 454 professionals answered the survey. According to the results, 29.3% of the participants performed only urgent care during the pandemic period, whereas 59.9% of them performed both urgent and routine treatments. Among the responding dentists, 90.6% stated that they were worried about aerosol-generating dental procedures, but there was no differences between genders (p = 0.119). Most participants, especially specialists (p = 0.160), applied strict cross-infection control methods during the COVID-19 pandemic (77.2%). These dentists used personal protective equipment (PPE) at rates that varied between 75.5% and 98.4%. Nonetheless, the rate of PPE use was different between genders and degrees of expertise: women used PPE more frequently than men (p = 0.025), and specialists used PPE more often than the other dentists (p = 0.04). Finally, there was a weak positive correlation between the level of PPE use and expertise (r = 0.121; p = 0.010). Conclusions: Despite the overall knowledge of the participants regarding COVID-19 symptoms, transmission routes, and the guidelines needed to prevent the virus from spreading, the dental specialists followed infection control methods more strictly. Even though the participants were concerned about dental practices that create microbial aerosols during the pandemic period, they continued their clinical routines using high PPE levels and taking extra clinical precautions to avoid cross-infection.

Oral health care settings carry a potentially high risk of causing cross-infection between dentists and patients and among dental staff members due to close contact and use of aerosol-generating procedures. The authors aimed to estimate COVID-19 incidence rates among Canadian dentists over a 6-month period.The authors conducted a prospective cohort study of 644 licensed dentists across Canada from July 29, 2020, through February 12, 2021. An online questionnaire, adapted from the World Health Organization's Unity Studies protocols for assessment of COVID-19 risk among health care workers, was used to collect data on self-reported severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infections every 4 weeks. A bayesian Poisson model was used to estimate the incidence rate and corresponding 95% credible intervals (CIs).Median age of participants was 47 years; most participants were women (56.4%) and general practitioners (90.8%). Median follow-up time was 188 days. Six participants reported COVID-19 infections during the study period, giving an incidence rate of 5.10 per 100,000 person-days (95% CI, 1.86 to 9.91 per 100,000 person-days). The incidence proportion was estimated to be 1,084 per 100,000 dentists (95% CI, 438 to 2,011 per 100,000 dentists) and 1,864 per 100,000 people (95% CI, 1,859 to 1,868 per 100,000 people) in the Canadian population during the same period.The low infection rate observed among Canadian dentists from July 29, 2020, through February 12, 2021, should be reassuring to the dental and general community.Although the infection rates were low among Canadian dentists, it is important to continue to collect disease surveillance data.

To investigate, among Ontario dentists, (1) self-reported barriers to access to sedation and general anesthesia (GA) services and (2) their current use of sedation and GA.Of Ontario dentists practising, 3001 were randomly selected to complete a 16-question survey by mail or online in 2011. Mixed analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by independent-sample t tests or 1-way ANOVA evaluated the relation between dentists' views and demographic variables including sex, clinical experience and size of primary practice.Of the participants (n = 1076; 37.9% response rate), 69.7% were male, 84.4% were general practitioners, mean time in practice was 20.6 years (0.5-42 years) and 42.2% were in cities of over 500 000 people. Most dentists (60.2%) provided anesthesia services, although 38.2% indicated lack of training and the belief that there is no patient demand (25.3%) as reasons not to use anesthesia in their offices. Nitrous oxide was used 17.5% of the time for all dental procedures except implants. Barriers to referral of patients for anesthesia services included high costs associated with sedation/GA (72.2%) and patient fear of anesthesia (33.5%).This study identified a perceived lack of patient demand, lack of dentist training, high costs of sedation/GA and patient fear of sedation/GA as primary barriers to use of sedation/GA in Ontario dental practices. The use of various anesthesia modalities is diverse, with 60.2% of dentists providing sedation/GA.

The literature contains little information on several non-clinical factors such as the association between graduate residency programs and the application of minimally invasive dentistry, or on dentists' clinical decision-making processes for replacing restorations for esthetic reasons. This study evaluated whether non-clinical subjective factors influence the treatment decisions made by Brazilian dentists regarding technical and esthetic matters. Dentists were invited to participate in a cross-sectional survey by answering an electronic questionnaire containing clinical cases, regarding what treatment they would select for: T1 - a molar tooth with significant crown destruction and spontaneous pain, and T2 - premolar teeth with extensive amalgam restorations and no carious lesion or associated complaint. The survey also included questions about subjective variants (sociodemographic and professional). Chi Square test and Fischer's Exact test were used toanalyzetheanswers to T1, and one-factor analysis of variance and post-hoc Tamhane were applied to T2. The significance level was set at 5% for all analyses. A total 302 professionals participated in the study. For T1, it was found that clinical decision-making was influenced by the Brazilian region of clinical practice (p=0.005). For T2, a significant association was found between increased loss of patient tooth tissues and whether the professional had completed a residency program in Operative Dentistry (p=0.035), worked in a private practice (p=0.033), or if most of his/her patients belonged to a high estimated socioeconomic level (household income above $4350) (p=0.002). In conclusion, the clinical decision-making of Brazilian dentists varies according to professional profile, mainly with relation to the replacement of restorations due to esthetic concerns.Vários fatores não clínicos, como a associação entre programas de especialização e a aplicação da odontologia minimamente invasiva, ainda são escassos na literatura. Outro aspecto relevante é a tomada de decisão clínica do dentista quanto à substituição de restaurações em função da aparência estética. Este estudo avaliou se fatores subjetivos não clínicos influenciam na tomada de decisão clínica de dentistas brasileiros com base em questões técnicas e estéticas. Foi realizado um estudo transversal com um questionário eletrônico contendo casos clínicos que foram apresentados a uma lista de profissionais. No questionário, interrogou-se o tratamento proposto para um dente molar com destruição coronária significativa e dor espontânea (T1). Também foi questionado o tratamento proposto para dentes prémolares com extensas restaurações de amálgama e sem lesão cariosa ou queixas associadas (T2). Em seguida, foram questionadas as variantessubjetivas(sociodemográfica eprofissional). Na análise de T1, foram utilizados os testes Qui Quadrado e Exato de Fischer. Em T2, foi aplicada a análise de variância de um fator e post-hoc Tamhane. Para todas as análises, o nível de significância foi estabelecido em 5%. Um total de 302 profissionais participaram deste estudo. A tomada de decisão clínica para T1 foi influenciada pela região brasileira de prática clínica (p = 0,005). Em T2, realizar especialização em Dentística Operatória (p = 0,035), trabalhar em consultório particular (p = 0,033) e a maioria dos pacientes apresentar nível socioeconômico estimado elevado (renda familiar acima de R$10.000,00) (p = 0,002) aumentou significativamente a perda de tecidos dentários. Em conclusão, a tomada de decisão clínica dos dentistas brasileiros varia de acordo com o perfil dos profissionais, principalmente no que se refere à substituição de restaurações por questões estéticas.

Aim: To assess the association between Individual deprivation measure with dental anxiety and socioeconomic status among patients visiting dentists in Chennai city, Tamil Nadu. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 patients aged 18-70 years who visited a private dental institution. Data on socio-demographics and detailed history about dental visits were obtained. Dental anxiety was measured using Corah Dental Anxiety Scale along with Individual deprivation measure questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS package 20. Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA were used for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 50 patients were enrolled in the study, 38% belonged to 31-40 years of age, 56% were male, 16% postponed dental visit due to dental anxiety, 54% belonged to upper middle class and 64% of the subjects had moderate anxiety. In all, 71.9% of the subjects with moderate anxiety were not deprived and 88.9% of upper middle class subjects were not deprived. Significant association was found between socioeconomic status and dental anxiety with Individual deprivation measure with a P < 0.05. Increasing socioeconomic status was associated with more deprivation and dental anxiety was higher among less deprived patients. Conclusion: Individual deprivation measure was associated with dental anxiety. Less deprived and higher socioeconomic class population had a significant higher dental anxiety.