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Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and senses of coherence (SoC) can be affected by the use of tobacco. Hence, the aim of the present study was to explore the association between HRQOL and SoC among health professionals working in primary health centers (PHCs) consuming Tobacco. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study where sampling technique used was systematic stratified random sampling. Jaipur District has 37 PHCs retrieved from site of NRHM Rajasthan. A close-ended questionnaire was prepared to conduct the interview. Results: Majority of study participants (57; 37.01%) were of 36–40 years of age. Males respondents (86; 55.85%) consuming tobacco were more in number than female respondents. Majority of study subjects (91; 59.09%) consumed smoked kind of tobacco, in which most contributed were nurses (49; 62.82%). On applying a linear regression model, it was determined that all subscale of SF-36 was significantly (P ≤ 0.000) associated with SoC. Conclusion: From above, it was concluded that there was a strong association between HRQOL and SoC among health professionals working in primary health centers consuming tobacco.

Context: Oral hygiene practices and factors affecting oral health service utilization among the children of 10–16 years of age play a vital role in achieving comprehensive dental care. Aims: This study was done to assess oral hygiene practices, creating oral hygiene awareness, and to analyze the overt hurdles in getting basic and timely dental care among children. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey conducted among 200 schoolchildren aged 11–14 years using a pretested, semistructured questionnaire, and clinical examination was done to assess dental caries. Convenience sampling method was used, and the sample size for the study was equal to the total number of participants. The logistic regression analysis along with odds ratios with 95% confidence interval and P < 0.05 was also reported. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis of dental caries prevalence. Results: Around 70% of the study participants had the habit of brushing their teeth once daily, whereas only 30% of them used to brush their teeth twice daily. The prevalence of dental caries shows an upward trend with increasing age from 11 to 14 years. Cost of dental treatment, transportation, and dental taboos followed by fear of dental treatment are the major constraints for the students in accessing dental treatment. Conclusion: School-based tooth brushing and oral health education programs should be regularly organized to promote healthy tooth brushing practices. The cost-effective and timely transportation services along with proper oral health education in alleviating fear of dental treatment and dental taboos should be provided to these children for enhancing the utilization of dental services.

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a common chronic metabolic disorder which affects millions of people. At present, India has the highest incidence of diabetes worldwide. Several oral lesions and conditions are associated with diabetes. However, there is a lack of consensus among researchers regarding the relationship between DM and dental caries. Hence, the present study was carried out to assess the dental caries prevalence among type II diabetic and nondiabetic adults attending a hospital in Ahmedabad city. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted. One hundred and twenty diabetics individuals attending the diabetic Outpatient Department (OPD) and age and sex-matched 120 nondiabetic individuals from general OPD were included in the study. The data were gathered through semi-close-ended questionnaire and clinical examination. Dental caries was assessed by using the World Health Organization's 2013 proforma. Data was analyzed by applying Student's independent t-test or one-way analysis of variance. Results: Dental caries prevalence among the diabetic group was 73.33% and 33.33% among the nondiabetic group. Dental caries prevalence and mean dental caries was significantly higher among uncontrolled diabetic individuals than that among controlled diabetic individuals. Duration of the disease and dental caries prevalence did not show any significant difference. Conclusion: Dental caries prevalence was significantly high among diabetic individuals compared with nondiabetic individuals. Close collaboration between the patients, healthcare units, and oral health professionals could be a way of improving diabetic patients' general and oral health.

Aim: To assess the impact of dental fear on different domains of oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among school going and non-school going children in the Indian scenario. Materials and Methods: The study sample consisted of 279 school children and 257 non-school going children thus making a total sample of 536 children. The sampling frame comprised of 12-15-year-old children attending two upper primary public schools and non-school going children working at shops or not working in Udaipur city, India. Information on dental fear and OHRQoL was obtained by personal interviews by a single trained and calibrated examiner through a structured questionnaire. Intercooled STATA version 9.2 was employed to perform statistical analysis. The level of significance was set at 5%. Results: Mean dental fear scores among school going (35.41 [11.79]) and non-school going (47.59 [3.80]) children revealed that dental fear was significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) higher among non-school going than among school going children. In school going children, the likelihood of having poor oral symptoms, functional limitation and poorer social and emotional well being were significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) lesser as compared with non-school going children. Conclusions: Fear has a significant impact on different domains of OHRQoL, except emotional well being, among non-school going children.

ObjectiveTo assess General Dental Practitioners’ (GDPs) in India willingness to participate in disaster management and their previous training pertaining to disaster management, and to assess GDP objective knowledge, attitude, and behavior regarding disaster management.Materials and MethodsThis study was a cross-sectional survey conducted on all GDPs of Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India. Willingness to participate, perceived knowledge, perceived effectiveness, objective knowledge, attitude, and behavior regarding disaster management were assessed through questionnaire method. Information also was collected regarding age, gender, religion, and residence.ResultsA total of 142 out of 180 GDPs participated in the study, representing a response rate of 79%. A majority (85%) of respondents were willing to participate in disaster management. Mean score for knowledge was 12.21%, for attitude was 33.56%, for behavior was 14.50%, and for perceived effectiveness was 9.08%. Significant correlations were observed between qualification and perceived effectiveness (P=.003), and between attitude and years of practice (P=.04). Willingness to participate in disaster management and age showed significant association (P=.000).ConclusionsHigh willingness and attitude to participate in disaster management was observed among respondents. Low knowledge and behavior scores were observed among GDPs.ChhabraKG,RajeshG,ChhabraC,BinnalA,SharmaA,PachoriY.Disaster management and General Dental Practitioners in India: an overlooked resource.Prehosp Disaster Med.2015;30(6):569–573.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and awareness of the dental students regarding human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and HIV testing in routine dental practice. Materials and Methods: It is a cross-sectional survey, in which 267 students from 3rd year, 4th year, and interns of B.D.S at AMC Dental College and Hospital participated voluntarily. A close-ended questionnaire with multiple-choice questions was designed for this survey. Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis using SPSS version 20 software. Results: In this study, we found that >90% of the participants have overall adequate knowledge about HIV/AIDS, there were inadequacies in terms of testing, treatment, and therapy. The participants showed positive attitude toward people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs), but the results also indicate that the dental students are not well equipped to treat HIV/AIDS patients though sympathetic. One of the key findings is that >80% of students are in favor of using rapid HIV testing in clinical setup as screening test. Conclusion: Dental students must be made aware of and should understand the importance of treating HIV/AIDS patients. This can be achieved by proper modeling and making the students more sensitized toward PLWHAs as well as introduction of routine HIV testing kits at dental setups.