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A new cohort, known as ''Generation Z'', is nowadays studying Health Careers. These students were born between 1996 and 2012, and currently at year 2022, have between 18 and 26 years. It is necessary to comprehend their characteristics and behaviors, for a better understanding of how they learn, what do they expect from education and how to improve their academic development and potential. Generation Z is considered as the most diverse, and it requires a closer mentorship from teachers, who must be ready to help students to manage their time and resources efficiently. It is worth mentioning that Gen Z information about their professional performance is still preliminary, because they are currently studying their University programs. Thus, it will be interesting to further analyze the behavior of Generation Z in Dental Education. Abstract Una nueva cohorte generacional, conocida como ''Generación Z'', se encuentra estudiando las Licenciaturas en el área de la Salud. Estos estudiantes nacieron entre los años de 1996 y 2012, y actualmente al año 2022, tienen entre 18 y 26 años. Es necesario comprender sus características y sus conductas, para tener un mejor entendimiento de cómo aprenden, qué esperan de la educación, y cómo se podría mejorar su desarrollo académico y su potencial. La Generación Z es conocida como la más diversa, y requiere de una mentoría cercana por parte de los profesores, quienes deben estar listos para ayudar a los estudiantes a manejar el tiempo y los recursos eficientemente. Es importante mencionar que la información referente al desempeño profesional de la Generación Z es aún preliminar, dado que actualmente están cursando sus programas universitarios. Por tanto, será interesante seguir analizando el comportamiento de la Generación Z en la Educación Odontológica.

The aim of this study was to analyze the self-perceived general health, oral care, stress, academic environment, and harmful habits of Mexican dental students during the COVID-19 quarantine period. This descriptive observational study consisted of a self-perception survey that was sent to dental students undergoing virtual classes. Five sections were analyzed: General Health, Oral Health, Stress, Academic Environment and Habits. For each question, students were asked to rate their perception prior to, and during the contingency, which allowed a comparison to be made between both times for each inquiry. The answers were collected into Microsoft Excel and the statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v.20. A statistically significant difference was observed between the academic years for the variables: “physical exercise” prior to quarantine, “emotional problems” and “work-load” during quarantine, and “academic efficiency” for both times. A trend towards unfavorable perception in relation to general health, academic environment, and harmful habits was observed among dental students during social isolation derived from the pandemic. It is notable that 1st-year students presented a greater impact on all the variables of interest.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) such as maltreatment, abuse, or neglect can disrupt childhood development and increase the risk of health issues, including dental health. Such a vulnerable population frequently may deny dental treatment due to fear of intimate contact in the oral cavity, resulting in a vicious cycle that further leads to detrimental oral health. It is important for dentists, particularly pediatric dentists, to not only understand how to identify potential cases of abuse or maltreatment but also how to treat these patients so that the dental treatment does not become a negative experience. The purpose of this paper is to understand the psychological and physical implications of pediatric patients who have had ACEs and to identify the best methods to manage these patients during the dental treatment.

Supernumerary premolars have received special attention due to their development during adolescence, representing a dental anomaly of number that could be attributed to a “third dentition” of human species. The goal of its treatment is to avoid possible interference in occlusal development, as long as the benefits of supernumerary removal outweigh its risks. This is a case report of the orthodontic and surgical management of a patient that has been in clinical and radiographic follow-up along eight years (since childhood through adolescence) with the emergence of non-syndromic multiple supernumerary premolars, showing an apparent familiar pattern. Los premolares supernumerarios han recibido especial atención por su desarrollo en la adolescencia, representando una anomalía dental de número que puede atribuirse a una “tercera dentición” de la especie humana. El objetivo en su tratamiento es evitar las posibles interferencias en el desarrollo oclusal, siempre y cuando los beneficios de la remoción de los supernumerarios sobrepasen los riesgos. En este artículo se reporta el caso de un manejo ortodóntico – quirúrgico de un paciente que ha estado en control a lo largo de ocho años (desde la niñez hasta la adolescencia) con la aparición de múltiples premolares supernumerarios no asociados a síndrome, mostrando un aparente patrón familiar.

It is common that pediatric maxillofacial fractures develop after a traumatism. The lower calcification of pediatric bones allows them to be flexed in response to external forces, producing greenstick fractures. Many injuries that require surgical management in adults, could be conservatively managed in children due to anatomical, physiological and psychological factors. This is a case report of a six-year-old boy that presented a greenstick fracture of the mandibular body due to a vehicle accident. At clinical examination, it was observed an increase in mandibular left angle volume and intraoral lacerations. Radiographic exams confirmed an incomplete fracture line without displacement next to the permanent mandibular left first molar. The management was conservative: analgesic and anti-inflammatory therapy, soft diet, physical activities restriction and compliance with oral hygiene. The longitudinal follow-up during a year showed a good prognosis in mandible growth and development.

Congenital hypothyroidism is a metabolic disorder that requires special health care interventions. It has influence in overall growth and oral conditions in pediatric patients, and also can affect child cooperation during dental treatment because this metabolic condition is the most common preventable cause of mental retardation. The aim of this paper is to report the dental treatment of a child with congenital hypothyroidism who is four years and five months old, with many facial and oral characteristics of the metabolic condition, including severe early childhood caries and malocclusion. At first, it was observed a lack of cooperation of the patient with speech and learning impairment, but with the help of the Pedagogy team at the Pediatric Dental Clinic Playroom, he developed confidence and diminished anxiety every appointment. We present the follow-up during 15 months, where we could observe favorable outcomes in oral health and compliance of the child. El hipotiroidismo congénito es una alteración metabólica que representa una necesidad especial en salud. Tiene influencia en el crecimiento general y las condiciones orales de los pacientes pediátricos, así como también puede afectar en el grado de cooperación del niño durante la consulta porque esta condición metabólica es la causa prevenible más común de retraso mental. El propósito de este artículo es reportar el tratamiento odontológico de un niño con hipotiroidismo congénito de cuatro años y cinco meses de edad, con varias características de la condición metabólica, incluyendo caries de la infancia temprana severa y maloclusión. Al principio se observó una falta de cooperación por parte del paciente, con dificultades para el habla y el aprendizaje, pero con la ayuda del equipo pedagógico de la Sala Lúdica, el niño desarrolló confianza con disminución de la ansiedad en cada cita. Presentamos un seguimiento a lo largo de 15 meses, donde hemos observado resultados favorables en la salud oral y en el comportamiento del paciente.

ANTECEDENTES: La parálisis cerebral infantil es un trastorno del neurodesarrollo motriz, con múltiples factores etiológicos y carácter heterogéneo de manifestaciones clínicas; en general, afecta el movimiento, la postura, el balance, el crecimiento y desarrollo infantiles. La perspectiva actual la define como una diversidad funcional motora, donde un equipo multidisciplinario de especialistas debe fomentar el potencial individual y la mejor calidad de vida para los niños con este trastorno. La Odontopediatría, por tanto, es una especialidad que ofrece excelentes intervenciones que contribuyen al sano desarrollo de los niños con parálisis cerebral.OBJETIVO: Proponer estrategias de Odontología pediátrica para fomentar la atención óptima de los pacientes con parálisis cerebral, definir su condición médica y social para que el equipo de atención multidisciplinaria la conozca.CONCLUSIÓN: La instrucción y el mantenimiento óptimo de la salud bucodental son decisivos para el bienestar y fomento del crecimiento-desarrollo de niños con parálisis cerebral, que los beneficia a ellos y a sus familias. En el campo de la Odontología pediátrica prevalece el deber de permanecer informados y contar con una actitud participativa para aportar más en la meta de mejorar la calidad de vida de los pacientes con necesidades especiales.