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Introduction: The study investigates whether suspected child abuse/neglect (SCAN) training in dental school has increased dental student SCAN knowledge and, consequently, reporting. Materials and Methods: A 25‐question survey used to assess for SCAN knowledge in 2006 was readministered to a group of dental students at one US dental school in St. Louis, MO, which has integrated SCAN training into its curriculum for at least 3 years, and one dental school in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, which has not integrated SCAN training as a control. Results: Of 16 questions assessing for SCAN knowledge, group US students answered 14 questions correctly and performed better than US students surveyed in 2006. By comparison, group Bulgaria students with no SCAN training answered 15 questions correctly. When asked what their legal responsibilities were concerning SCAN, 96.4% of group US students knew they were required to report, whilst only half of group Bulgaria (48.9%) responded correctly. The results suggest that integrating SCAN training into the curriculum is effective in conveying this important message. However, in a question asking students whether they encountered a child at dental school who they suspected was the victim of child maltreatment and if so, how did they act, there were no indications that students at either school made any reports as the question was either answered "no" or left blank. The number of SCAN cases reported by campus authorities was also zero. Conclusion: The results suggest that classroom training in SCAN is not motivating students to report SCAN at their dental school, despite increased knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the fracture resistance of mandibular premolars restored with mesial-occlusal composites after access with traditional endodontic cavity (TEC) or contracted endodontic cavity (CEC) designs. Materials and Methods: Forty-five virgin single-rooted mandibular premolars were randomly divided into three groups and embedded in acrylic resin moulds. Group I (n = 15) remained untreated. Group II and III were prepared with mesial-occlusal cavities and accessed with TEC or CEC designs. Chambers were irrigated with 5.25% sodium hypochlorite/17% EDTA and dried. After etching and priming with Optibond, access cavities were restored with 3M Filtek. All samples were then fixed in a universal testing machine with the long axis of the roots positioned 45o to a load applied at a crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min until failure. All specimens were visually assessed for failure modes. Fracture force data was statistically analysed by one-way ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc (P = 0.05). Results: The average fracture force for untreated teeth was 609.7 ± 279.1 N; 601.7 ± 307.9 N for mesial-occlusal cavities with TEC; and 600.9 ± 360.3N for teeth with CEC. There was no significant difference in fracture resistance between groups (F (2,42) = 3.299, P = 0.996). There was no signifi- cant difference in fracture resistance between traditional and modified groups (P = 0.994). All three groups had an equal number of "favourable" (repairable) and "unfavourable" failures (7:8), defined as irreparable failures or root fractures below the level of simulated bone. Conclusions: Modifying access outline to a contracted design did not improve fracture resistance of mandibular premolars restored with mesial-occlusal composites. Clinical Significance: A mandibular premolar with minimal caries that has been accessed endodontically with a CEC or TEC design may be restored provisionally with a class II composite with an equal measure of confidence with regard to fracture resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light as electromagnetic radiation is used for the treatment and prevention of many diseases including neurodegenerative brain disorders. In recent years, non-coherent light sources such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and broad-band spectrum lamps have become commonly used due to the same effects as low-level laser therapy. Here, we present the design and development of a specialized system for irradiation of biological tissues that consists of a wet organ bath (WOB) installation for irradiation of the samples and three LED sources (blue, green and yellow) with intensity, power density and direction, which can be experimentally optimized. We prove that this system allows modulation of the contraction of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) under protective conditions and to potentiate their biological functions by activation of neuronal and non-neuronal serotonin controlled pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]