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The cross-sectional study was carried out in two high schools (one rural and the other one urban) with the aim of assessing the differences in oral health behavior between the two samples of teenagers. Materials and methods: An original questionnaire containing 17 questions was used in the study, which was completed by 251 adolescents aged between 15-17 years. Results: Healthy behaviors were found, such as a high percentage of teenagers who brushed their teeth 2 times a day (71.0% in rural and 75.0% in urban area) and the occasional consumption of carbonated drinks by 65.5% of young people from rural area and 55.5% of those from urban area. Unhealthy behaviors were represented by 51.4% of young people from rural area and 43% from urban area who addressed to the dental office only in case of pain, with the last visit being more than one year ago for 58.0% of rural teenagers and 53.5% of urban teenagers. A percentage of 40.9% of urban adolescents declared using mouthwash, while the highest percentage of rural adolescents (42.9%) did not reported using any additional method. An increased daily consumption of cariogenic products several times a day was reported by approximately the same percentage of urban and rural teenagers (49.4% and 42.1%, respectively). In conclusion, the study results indicate differences between the two social areas, with dental visits only in case of pain, dental anxiety, smoking and the prevalence of untreated caries found in the highest percentage among teenagers from rural areas.

Dental practitioners are at a high risk of occupational infections, but some of them do not comply with infection control practices very well. The aim of the present study was to assess the risk perception of work-related infections and the corresponding preventive measures among dental students in Iasi, Romania. Material and methods: Cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study included 90 subjects aged 22-28 years, attending years 4th, 5th and 6th of the Faculty of Dental Medicine within the “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi. Results: Wearing of personal protective equipment was reported by a percentage between 20% and 88% of the students. Half of the investigated students reported that they always perform hand hygiene after dental procedures The potential risk of transmission of blood-borne pathogens in the dental office was correctly estimated by 23% of students for HBV, 26% for HCV, and 33% for HIV. A percentage of 73% of study participants declared that they received full HBV vaccine, and 60% of students were not sure about what they must do in case of an accident with exposure to blood. Conclusion: The results of the study suggest the need for continuous information and a better awareness of young practitioners on work-related infections and preventive measures in dentistry.

We have lately noticed an increase of illegal drug consumption among young people. This phenomenon is associated to acute and chronic health problems worsened by diverse factors such as the properties of substances, the way of administration, the vulnerability of the individual and the social context in which drugs are used. Drugs affect general health by causing psychiatric disorders, cardiovascular and neurological diseases and, in the case of high quantities, even coma and death. These substances inevitably have effects on the oral cavity from rampant caries, severe xerostomia to periodontal disease, perforation of the nasal septum and palate, and to leukoplakia and oral cancer. From the viewpoint of dental treatment, we must envisage an interdisciplinary approach with the psychiatrist, psychologist and internist. The quality of life of these individuals is impaired due to the impact of these substances not only on their health but also on the psychological side through the appearance of emotional, mental and social disorders represented by marginalization and the lack of integration into society. Among the illicit drugs, alcohol and marijuana are less damaging for health as compared to cocaine and crack cocaine which may result in serious and sometimes lethal diseases.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the Healthcare Associated Infections (HAI) profile according to the patient’s gender in Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery Clinic Iași between 2011 and 2018. Material and methods. A retrospective study on HAI between 2011 and 2018 was initiated at the OMF Clinic Iași . SPSS 24 system was used for the statistical analysis of the data.. Results. 231 cases of HAI were diagnosed in a total of 154 patients.. The HAI recorded incidence was twice higher in men compared to women (0,99% and 0,49%, respectively). 72,2% of female patients were hospitalised for tumour pathology. Women were mainly exposed to urinary and digestive infections, while in men the most frequent HAI were the surgical site infections, respiratory infections and infections associated with therapeutic manoeuvres. The discharge status was 63,0% healed, 2,3% stationary, 22,5% improved for male patients and 44,8% healed, 34,5% improved for females. 3,5% men and 10,3% women died. Male patients attended Intensive Care Unit in a significantly higher proportion compared to female patients (66,1%, respectively, 41,7%). Conclusions. The assessment of the patients’ gender as a risk factor for HAI is necessary for this pathology surveillance, control and prevention.

Aim of the study The purpose of this paper is to review existent literature regarding taurodontism and to highlight the clinical challenges of this pathology in paediatric dentistry. Material and methods Literature was searched for clinical studies and descriptive papers with titles containing the words “taurodontism”, “enlarged pulp chamber”, “bull teeth” “Hertwig epithelial rooth sheath”. Results Taurodontism is a dental developmental disturbanc in which the body is enlarged at the expense of the roots. An enlarged pulp chamber, apical displacement of the pulpal floor and lack of constriction at the cement-enamel junction are the characteristic features. It appears most frequently as an isolated anomaly, but its association with several syndromes and abnormalities has also been reported. Endodontic treatment of taurodontic teeth is stated to be complicated and difficult due to the complexity of the tooth morphology. Conclusions Taurodontic teeth bring a series of challenges to the dental practitioner, from a morphological standpoint, endodontic treatment, periodontal and surgical implications. Literature is scarce regarding protocols for managing teeth with taurodontism, therefore it is in the hand of the clinician to review the best treatment options for those teeth, considering that they are aware of the specific characteristics of the pathology.

Young adults represent the age group with the highest ability to understand the need of maintaining good oral health and the highest chance to adopt correct oral hygiene behaviors. Great attention should also be paid to risk factors for oral conditions, especially sugary aliments intake, which creates a suitable environment for developing dental caries. Young adults should be aware about the importance of reducing the frequency of consumption of these aliments. Smoking has negative effects on both general and oral health. It creates and maintains conditions favorable for developing oral diseases. Quitting smoking should be seen as an important recommendation, to ensure good oral health and quality of life. The impairment of oral health is strongly connected with quality of life. To quantify the impact of oral health on quality of life, the OHIP-14 questionnaire is widely used. Regarding the severity of the impact oral conditions have on quality of life, the most accused domains by subjects are physical pain, psychological discomfort and psychological disability. Oral health is directly influenced by caries experience, OHRQoL being lower as the caries prevalence is higher. To quantify the prevalence of dental caries, the DMFT index is one of the most used indicators. It evaluates, on one hand, the caries experience, and on the other hand, the exact number of decayed, missing and filled teeth. OHRQoL is a mandatory toll that helps understand the impact of oral conditions on general health. Both the OHIP-14 questionnaire and the DMFT index, are a real help to quantify the connection between oral conditions, most common of them being dental caries, and their negative effects on general health and on quality of life.

Most dental procedures that use handpieces, turbines, US scalers, airflow, and air abrasion tend to produce aerosols in which the patient’s oral fluids are also entrained, with consequences on the health of the medical staff and other patients. Oral fluids are highly contaminated with microorganisms. The aim of the study was to assess the degree of surface contamination in relation to certain variables of the aerosol-generating dental maneuvers. Material and methods: 2 operators performed 5 simulations of 10 min each for treatments with US scaler, turbine, and contra-angle with spray cooling system. The evaluation of the contaminated surfaces was carried out by measuring the colored surface, in cm, on the paper sheet that was placed on the mannequin, starting from the oral cavity of the mannequin. The measurements were made in all 4 directions (right, left, superior, inferior) to see which part of the operative field is more prone to contamination. Statistical analysis of the collected data was carried out using the SPSS 26.0. Result: Dental turbine operations will produce a significant number of aerosols, the most of them in the form of droplets, spanning regions up to 60 cm. US scaling produced less aerosols than the other activities, with the least contaminated surface. Statistics have proven that the observed differences are different (p=0.000). Conclusions: The surfaces were contaminated by all three aerosol-producing dental procedures at various and equivalent distances. The turbine produced a greater amount of aerosols, especially in the form of droplets, that exceeded the maximum contamination zone with an area of 1m

Decontamination of reusable medical devices is a key element of infection control in private practices. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of the cleaning methods used in the dental office. Material and methods: The instruments taken from the dental office used during the treatment, consisting of manual and rotating endodontic needles and diamond burs were transferred to a container with detergent-disinfectant solution where from the office to the sterilization room. The initial evaluation of the armentarium is done in the sterilization room and the collected data were written in a file. After a period of 15 min. the armentarium was divided into 3 groups of 10 instruments each: group I – hand-cleaned instruments with a wire brush for 2 minutes under running water; – group II – instrument cleaning in the US bath for 15 min.; Group III – instrumentation initially cleaned in the US cleaning bath for 15 min., then manually for 2 min. Results: For the manually cleaned instrument the average value from 67.5 ± 25.85 to 10.36 ± 13.36; in US cleaning technique the average value decrease from 77.85 ± 22.16 to 8.57 ± 12.92 and in the combined cleaning (manual cleaning + US cleaning), the final value recorded being 86.92 ± 10.06, higher than the final average values obtained in the case of the other two groups. Conclusion: The most efficient method of cleaning the instrumentation is represented by the combination of manual cleaning with the US cleaning method (ultrasonic bath). Ultrasonic cleaning has proven to be more efficient than manual instrument cleaning, especially for diamond burs. Endodontic instruments have been cleaned more efficiently with manual cleaning than with US cleaning. It is necessary to carry out training courses to improve the level of knowledge on the need for proper processing of medical instruments to increase the safety of the medical act.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge of resident dentists and new graduates regarding the etiology, clinical diagnosis, and treatment of the main medical emergency conditions. The study included a sample of 152 new graduates and residents in the first, second, and third year of training in Prosthodontics and General Dentistry from the Faculty of Dental Medicine in Iasi, Romania. Their level of knowledge and the attitudes were assessed using a questionnaire with 24 questions, divided into four sections. The differences among groups were identified using the chi-square test (p < 0.05). A high level of knowledge was found among the three groups of subjects for the questions regarding the recognition of clinical signs in hypoglycemic crisis (88–100%), in anaphylactic shock (83.3–94.5%), and the treatment of angina pectoris (76.2–84.2%). In contrast, a low level of knowledge was found for the questions regarding pulse evaluation in the case of an emergency (26.3–35.7%), the parameters of normal breathing (28.9–43%), and the treatment of hypoglycemic crisis (27.8–44.8%). The study indicated that the dentists had a moderate understanding of dental office medical emergencies and preferred practical training over theoretical courses.

The instruments that evaluate the health-related quality of life are extremely useful in the medical practice and research since they allow the full approach of patient’s general status. They come in the shape of questionnaires whose usage may be carried out either by creating one’s own questionnaire or by translating one from the literature. Regardless of the chosen method, the questionnaire must meet a series of characteristics that may make it easy to understand and use. In the field of dentistry, indicators falling into several categories have been validated: some of them address the population groups of different ages; others address the evaluation of therapeutic needs while others appreciate the impact determined by the specific oral disorders. Out of the multitude of indicators that may be found in the literature, those that are frequently used in population studies stand out due to their superior psychometric characteristics, limited scales and easy codification possibilities. A special category is represented by the indicators for the assessment of oncologic patient’s life quality, and instruments that explore the diverse facets of this disorder are validated such as post-irradiation sequels, complications of the surgical treatment, and the impact on the general health state. Another utility of these instruments refer to the possibility of identification of the oral disorders and the therapeutic needs in persons that cannot come to the dental office, such as the disabled and the institutionalized elderly.

Dental anxiety is a phrase used to describe the fear or stress determined by dental treatments. This narrative review aims to highlight some epidemiologic aspects of the phenomenon while searching medical databases for researches relating to the topic of dental anxiety in adolescents. Adolescence represents a period of transition illustrated by changes both at physical level and behavior and personality levels. Anxiety disorders are frequent at this age and they may affect school performance, the relationships with one’s family and friends. Dental anxiety is associated with certain trigger factors such as needles or sometimes the simple sight of the dental instruments. Although most patients have a low level of dental anxiety, literature mentions the percentage of 11% for the prevalence of severe dental anxiety and 90% for low anxiety. Most studies show that the female patients are more anxious than the male patients. Among the dental procedures, the ones involving oral surgery, including tooth extraction and local anesthesia, remain the most incriminated trigger factors. This paper also presents the most known questionnaires used in current practice that help the dentist identify anxious patients as well as the etiology of this phenomenon.

Decontamination of reusable medical devices is an important component of infection control in clinical settings. The aim: to assess the level of knowledge regarding the cleaning of the instruments among dentists from Iasi, Romania. Material and methods: The study included 52 general dental practitioners from Iasi, Romania. The subjects were chosen at random to complete a questionnaire about instrument cleaning methods in dental practice.Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0. Results: The mean age was 35.75 ± 8.18 years. 65% of the subjects have a university degree.45% of the participants have a work experience of 0-5 years, 40% between 5-10 years and 15% over 10 years of practice. 50% of the respondents consider that the “instrument cleaning” stage is the most important. 40% chose as the answer option “all cleaning options” (manual, US cleaning, washing machine and combined) and the cleaning method frequently used is manual cleaning (60%);58% of respondents think that the most efficient cleaning method is manual cleaning combined with the US. Conclusions: The level of knowledge and attitudes regarding the instrument efficiency of instrument cleaning methods in dental practice is good, with participants with postgraduet education and professional experience between 0-5 years having a better knowledge than participants with university studies and professional experience over 5 years

ABSTRACT The proportion of older people continues to grow worldwide, especially in developing countries. Poor oral health among older people has been seen in a high level of tooth loss, dental caries experience, high prevalence rates of periodontal disease, xerostomia, and oral precancer/cancer. Although all countries face the problem of an aging population, there are differences due to factors such as: health insurance, economic development, social and cultural characteristics. The purpose of this review study is to report disparities in countries in different geographical region. On the other hand, the lack of national epidemiological data on the oral status of this population requires the implementation of epidemiological programmes and strategies towards improved oral health of older people.

The aim of the present study was to assess the compliance with protective gloves in young dental practitioners in Iasi, Romania, in correlation with their knowledge on infection control. Material and methods: Cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study included 70 subjects aged 22-28 years, attending years IV, V and VI of the Faculty of Dental Medicine within the “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi. Results: 83.33% of the respondents reported they wear protective gloves for all patients, regardless of the procedure and 65% of them change gloves after each patient. 55% of the subjects stated they wash their hands both before applying and after removing the gloves. 20% of the students said they had received full vaccination against hepatitis B and 42% of them rated the risk of hepatitis B transmission in the dental office as moderate. Conclusion: Additional training programs targeting young dental practitioners are required for a better implementation of the Universal/Standard Precautions.

The aim of this study was to evaluate epidemiological data on respiratory healthcare-associated infections in Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery Clinic of the “Sfântul Spiridon” Emergency Clinical Hospital in Iași between 2011 and 2018. Material and methods. A retrospective study on respiratory HAI between 2011 and 2018 was initiated at the OMF Clinic Iași . Statistical analysis of the data was performed using the SPSS 24 system. Results. The overall incidence of respiratory infections among the 231 HAI cases was of 15,5 %, 6,9% for bronchopneumonia and 8,7% for tracheobronchitis. Infection incidence was higher for women and patients of 36-65 years group. Conclusions. The assessment of the epidemiologic data and the identification of involved pathogens for respiratory healthcare-associated infections is necessary for their surveillance, control and prevention.

Oral health, as an important part of general health, may negatively influence individuals’ quality of life. In recent decades, many instruments for oral health-related quality of life assessment have been developed. These are usually represented by questionnaires evaluating psychological, physical, material or social aspects and the results allow an analysis of the factors involved or how the individual perceives his own oral health status. A socio-dental evaluation system is also useful in the process of treatment needs assessment and may increase its usefulness in oral healthcare planning.

Use of the internet for obtaining relevant information regarding health is a verry common practice nowadays. The most frequent searches regard: diseases, treatments, pharmacies, and medical assistance. Aim of the study: The aim of the current study was to measure the prevalence of using the Internet as a source of oral health information among the adult population of Iasi, assessing the impact of the Internet in changing oral health behaviours and identifying barriers to using the Internet to obtain health information. Material and methods: The study involved questionnaire-based survey on 70 patients from different dental practices in Iasi. Results: The survey showed that all respondents used the internet for oral health information, Facebook being the most common application used by (53.8%) of them, followed by WhatsApp, used by (40.9%) of the respondents. Half of the participants (48.1%) considered communication with oral health professionals as one of the main advantages of using the social network to obtain information about oral health. Regarding the change in behaviour based on online oral health information, approximately (67.1%) of the respondents considered that they changed some of the oral health behaviours based on the information on social media. Conclusions: The use of internet to search for oral health information is increased. Accessibility and ease of use of the internet are the main reasons for obtaining oral health information online.

Dental anxiety and fear are widespread among the population and pose a significant problem in their management. Aim of the study: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dental anxiety and sanogenic habits on the oral health of dental students in Iasi. Material and methods: The study involved questionnaire-based survey and DMFT index evaluation on 100 dental students from years V and VI of the Faculty of Dentistry, U.M.F Iasi. Results: Most participants in this study showed symptoms of anxiety 76.8% (with the highest DAS score = 13-20).There were found higher DAS score of 13.1 for female dental students, compared to 11.9 for male dental students. Conclusions:Dental students showed lower levels of dental anxiety compared to other studies, in this group, women showed a higher degree of anxiety than men. In terms of highetst anxiety levels, this were found for local anesthesia and tooth preparation procedures. However we found that clinical education of dental practice could positively promote the reduction of dental anxiety.

The European health systems have developed starting from two different models, namely the Beveridge model and Bismark model, respectively, each of them having different funding and organization. At its turn, the oral health system, as an integrating part of the national system, shows some characteristics and particularities favorable or not to the patients and professionals in this field. The aim of this paper is to compare the oral health system of different European countries by means of the oral health indicators (DMFT at 12-year-olds, percentage of totally edentate people) and economic indicators (GDP percentage for health, dentists’ annual average wages, and oral health expenses per inhabitant). Moreover, the study lays focus on the distribution of professionals in the selected European countries while comparing the official statistic data in terms of density of dentists, and the ratio between the number of medical technicians and assistants and the number of physicians. The conclusion of the study shows that Romania occupies the last place in terms of GDP funding (0.3 %vs. 0.85% in Germany) and registers the highest value for DMFT index at 12-year-olds (2.4 versus 0.7 in Sweden and the Great Britain). Despite all that, in Romania, the profession of a dentist is considered as sufficiently attractive, the proof being the indicator showing specialists’ density for 100,000 inhabitants, namely 83.5 in Romania, a value that is close to the European Union mean -88/100,000 inhabitants.

The aim of this study was to evaluate epidemiological data on healthcare-associated infections in Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery Clinic of the “Sfântul Spiridon” Emergency Clinical Hospital in Iași between 2011 and 2018. Material and methods. A retrospective study on HAI between 2011 and 2018 was initiated at the Oral and Maxillo-Facial Surgery Clinic of the “Sfântul Spiridon” Emergency Clinical Hospital in Iași. Results. Among 21277 surveyed patients the prevalence of patients with at least one HAI was 0,72%. The types of diagnosed HAI were the surgical site infections (54,11%), respiratory infections (15,58 %), device associated infections (14,29%), digestive tract infections (5,63%), urinary tract infections (5,63%), septicemia (2,16%) and cutaneous infections (1,73%).Conclusions. The assessment of the epidemiologic data, risk factors and trends of healthcare-associated infections are necessary for their surveillance, control and prevention.

The aim of the present study was to determine the dental treatment needs of schoolchildren aged 12 years in Iasi, Romania, and to determine whether there is a socioeconomic disparity in their distribution. Material and methods: the study cross-sectional included 402 schoolchildren aged 12 years. The children were clinically examined and the dental surfaces were scored using Full ICDAS criteria. Parents’ occupation, income and number of members in the family were considered to determine socioeconomic status (SES) of the family. Results: the most frequent treatment need was single-surface filling (2,06±2.18 teeth/subject), followed by multi-surface filling (0.93±0.75 teeth/subject) and endodontic therapy (0.31±0.16 teeth/subject). The treatment needs were much higher in the low SES group than in the high SES group (p < 0.01) and strong inverse correlations were found between SES and dental treatment needs. Conclusion: extensive preventive programs are needed to reduce the level of unmet dental treatment needs of schoolchildren in Iasi.

Oral health is currently based on objective measures such as the presence and severity of dental caries and periodontal disease. In the last years, researchers and dentists have shown increasing interest in a widened array of physical, psychological, and social factors found to influence patients’ oral health. Being a nowadays dentist means valuing health promotion and disease prevention, as well as the use of empathy, deep listening, and appreciation of the patient’s intrinsic motivation and unique psychosocial history. Coaching requires from the dentist to integrate the art of social interaction with the cognitive elements of psychology and the science of dental medicine. In this article we analyze health coaching approach, and how different levels of coaching from student to dentist to patient can influence and improve health communication, encourage effective health-promoting behavior change and improve the lives off all implied.

The cross-sectional study was conducted in 2019 on a sample of 112 students at the Faculty of Dental Medicine of Iasi, Romania, with the aim to assess the stress level perceived by the students in the 3rd, 4th and 5th year of study. Material and methods: For this study I used my own questionnaire adapted after the Dental Environmental Stress scale. Results: 68% of the students mentioned the lack of free time, 65% said the curriculum is too vast and the timetable is too tight, and 63% did not have a positive opinion about university’s rules and regulations. There are statistically significant differences in terms of gender distribution, in the sense that female students are more stressed than male students, and the 3rd year students considered, by comparison to the students in the 4th and 5th years of study, that the biggest source of stress is determined by their academic performance and the difficulty to acquire practical skills. Only 24% of the whole sample did not complain about any physical or psychological problems caused by stress. In conclusion, the results of the study should trigger a change of the academic curriculum through the reduction of the number of classes for certain subjects which do not have specialized practical training and reconsideration of the rigid regulations of the university.

The interest in clinical epidemiology has increased considerably lately, and the application of epidemiological methods in the clinical activity is an aspect that takes into account the medical staff, as well as hospital managers and political makers. Assessment of a population health status requires the use of descriptive epidemiological studies, which allow evaluation of the prevalence of a disease, or of analytical studies, which are more complex and allow evaluation of the causal relationship between the disease and the risk factors. Moreover, clinical trials, the only experimental epidemiological studies, when well conducted and structured, can lead to the emergence of new drugs, dental materials or curative interventions, more efficient and possibly at reasonable costs.

Anxiety is frequently associated to dental care and the identification of anxious patients is highly important for the correct and safe therapeutic management of them. The aim of this study is the identification the level of dental anxiety of a group of patients addressing the dental care office within the Faculty of Dental Medicine of Iasi. Material and method: The cross-sectional study was carried out in 2019 on a sample of 53 patients aged between 18 and 64. To appreciate the anxiety level and the causes of this phenomenon, we used a specially designed questionnaire: Dental Anxiety Assessment Questionnaire. The data were statistically processed by SPSS.17 software for Windows. Results: Most patients, namely 52.8% consider that before their dental treatment they face a state of anxiety, 49% say they have a moderate anxiety level and only 15% consider themselves as severely anxious. The most frequent cause of this dental phobia correlates either with a traumatizing dental experience in the past (43.3%), or with their contact with a dentist lacking empathy (28.3%). Among the dental maneuvers, dental extraction is considered as the one inducing the highest stress level, while the fear of injection and pain represents the main reasons for dental anxiety. Conclusions: This study highlights the characteristics of dental anxiety in adult patients and identifies a common clinical picture of the anxious patient. The purpose of our study is also to inform the medical community about the frequency of this phenomenon and thus to prevent the negative situations that might appear during the specialized treatment of these subjects.

Oral health in adolescents and adults has improved in recent decades, even if there were socio-economic inequalities between groups. Aim: to determine the association between caries experience and social and behavioral factors in young adults and adults in Iasi, Romania. Material and method: The cross-sectional study was carried out during 10 months in 2018 on a batch of students from the Iasi university center and adults who accessed the dental services within the Adult Stomatology Ambulatory, “Sf. Spiridon” Iasi. The necessary data were obtained through a questionnaire. The data on caries experience were collected through the clinical examination. Statistical analysis of the collected data was performed using the computer program SPSS 20.0.for Windows. Results: The prevalence of dental caries in young adults was 96.3%. There were statistically significant differences between the prevalence of dental caries by sex (p 0.05). The visit to the dentist and the reasons for these visits, the frequency of dental brushing, the consumption of sweets between meals and smoking are strongly associated with the socio-economic level in young adults. Conclusions: Increased prevalence of dental caries as well as increased values of DMFT are associated with socio-economic factors. Low level of education was a strong distal social determinant of caries experience, which affected dental health status via a pathway mediated by behavioural factors.

This paper aims to highlight the burnout syndrome among dentists, this phenomenon that affects between 22.2% and 55% of dentists, according to the data in the specialized literature. Besides the physical phenomena expressed by chronic fatigue, the syndrome determines and disturbs the behaviors with consequences like: absenteeism, alcohol and drug abuse, low performance. Psychological consequences include anxiety, depression, fatigue, dissatisfaction towards one’s own life. Pathological symptoms are heart diseases, cerebral strokes, digestive diseases such as gastric and duodenal ulcer, headaches and diverse infections. The most frequent risk factor incriminated is the overload at the workplace, followed by others, like: emotional factors, time since qualification, educational status and experience. Prevention of this phenomenon includes better time management, relaxation, maintaining an emotional balance and a mental well-being.

Hands have been identified as the main source of germ transmission during medical care. Every person involved in patient care, medical or otherwise, should be able to accurately perform hand hygiene at the right time. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the level of knowledge about hand hygiene practices among Iasi medical students. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out using a questionnaire based on a set of 25 questions to evaluate the hand hygiene knowledge practiced between general medical students of V and VI years of study who practice in hospitals in Iasi. Results: 98 medical students of V and VI year from UMPh Grigore T.Popa from Iasi were de study participants. The mean age was 23.2 years ± 1.26 years. More than half of the participants were female. 60.3% believed that the main sources of infection is the patient exposure to colonized surfaces (beds, chairs, tables, floor) and air circulation in the hospital( 22.1%). 72.5% agreed that hand rubbing is faster for cleaning than hand washing. 80.2% agreed that hand rubbing does not cause skin drying more than hand washing. 68.1% knew that hand rubbing was more effective against germs than hand washing and 78.6% of participants were aware that washing and rubbing of hands is not recommended to be performed in that sequence. Conclusions: it is necessary to improve the level of knowledge and attitudes regarding hand hygiene throughinternships and workshops, organizing annual seminars and putting them into practice for the assessment of clinical skills.

At the individual level, behavior, education, knowledge and attitudes influence the quality of oral hygiene, diet hygiene, fluoride application, salivary flow. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of dental hygiene by chemical means in a group of students of the Dental Faculty from Iasi. Material and Method The study included 28 student subjects in the terminal year of the Faculty of Dental Medicine in Iasi. The data were recorded by clinical examination. Oral Hygiene Index (OHI) and Quigley-Hein, O’Leary, API (Aproximal Plaque Index) bacterial plaque pointers, one month after Listerine® oral rinses, and 2 months after mouthwash Oral B Pro Expert Multi-Protection (Oral B). Oral rinsing was performed as indicated by the manufacturer. The evidence of the bacterial plaque was performed with tablets of bacterial plaque disclosing. In conclusion, Listerine mounthrinse has been shown to be more effective in reducing bacterial plaque accumulation, proven by reducing OHI oral hygiene values by 0.246 and bacterial plaque scores by 8.57% compared to Oral B Pro Expert mouthwash which improved the OHI index only 0.093 and the index value of the board by 2.32%.

The aim of this study was to perform quantitative and qualitative assessment of salivary secretion within a group of young adults. Materials and methods: the study included 130 patients aged 19-22 years, attending the Faculty of Dental Medicine at the U.M.Ph. “Grigore T. Popa” in Iasi. The subjects were clinically examined for the DMFT, CPITN and API indices assessment, as well as for stimulated salivary flow rate and saliva buffer capacity. Results: 34% of the subjects had a medium oral hygiene. The mean DMFT index was 9.46. 60% of the subjects had supra/subgingival calculus. 92.31% of the subjects had a normal salivary secretion rate and 77% of them had a normal saliva buffer capacity. Correlations were found between the clinical indicators of oral health status and the salivary parameters. Conclusion: detecting host-related risk factors may be one of the basic elements in the control and prediction of dental caries.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the knowledge of the students attending the Faculty of Dental Medicine in Iasi regarding the HIV/AIDS infection. Material and method: The cross-sectional study included 124 students from the 4th and 6th years who filled in a specially designed questionnaire consisting of 20 questions on two aspects: the first one refers to HIV transmission pathways and the risk of transmission in the dental office, and the second one refers to the oral lesions associated with this disease. The results demonstrate that some of the issues are correctly assimilated by the students of both years of study, as more than 80% of them marked the correct answer (concerning blood, sexual, maternal-fetal transmission routes, as well as the association between fungal infections, Kaposi’s sarcoma and AIDS). However, there were questions with a very low correct response rate (below 50%), concerning the transmission via the saliva or via the contact of infected blood with the nasal, oral or ophthalmic mucosa, as well as the herpetic and cytomegalovirus-associated infections as oral lesions manifest in the HIV infected patient. Surprisingly, only 29.5% of the interviewed subjects knew the post-exposure prophylaxis method. In conclusion, the study underlines the need of introducing new programs and lectures on this topic, with an accent on the practical aspects specific to the dental office activity.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of training and compliance with administrative and clinical infection prevention recommendations in the dental settings in Iasi. Material and methods. A questionnaire based study was initiated including 93 dentists in Iasi. Results. 91,5% of the dentists wish to be trained in infection control, and 78,7% consider important the presence of a coordinator in this domain. In no dental office the compliance to Standard Precautions is evaluated by planned activities. 78,4% of the subjects are immunized against Hepatitis B . The sterilization equipment’s maintenance is performed and documented in 87,2% of the settings. In 80,5% of them the necessary supplies for hand hygiene are easily accessible. 74,7% of the dentists wear the full protective equipment. Written policies and procedures for the cleaning and disinfection of reusable instruments and environmental surfaces are available in 78,2% , respectively 21,3% of the dental offices. In all dental settings a chemical indicator is used for the sterilisation monitoring. Conclusions. The investigation findings highlighted the need for continuous dental staff training by an infection control coordinator based on assessing compliance with recommended policies and practices.

Aim of the study. The aim of this study was to assess dentists’ knowledge in preventing infection transmission, after having participated in professional training courses. Material and methods: 127 dentists from Iasi, Romania, aged 25-65 years, were investigated using a 14 item questionnaire with simple / multiple responses. Results: 66.5% of the investigated dentists were familiar with the elements included in the concept of preventing the infection transmission in the dental office. 90% of the subjects knew the complete post-exposure protocol for accidental contamination with infected blood, but only 36.8% of those surveyed knew the substances used for high-level disinfection. Conclusion: The main methods and techniques for the prevention of infection transmission in dental medicine are known by most of the investigated practitioners, but further training programs are required in the area to increase the level of knowledge.

Health-related quality of life studies are important because they can express benefits or damage to health care. The tools for measuring the quality of life at the individual level are described in the form of questionnaires. If a foreign questionnaire is used, it is mandatory to test the psychometric properties: fidelity and validity. The OHIP 14 questionnaire made by Slade and Spencer in English is used to assess the quality of life correlated with oral health in adult population. Before being used in Romanian, it was tested on a group of 928 subjects in Iasi County, following the WHO methodology. The results of the study have shown that both, fidelity and validity, have obtained high values, so that the questionnaire can be used as a measure of quality of life related with oral health.

In literature there are very many studies highlighting the correlation between oral health and diverse social factors, including lifestyle, social and cultural environment, health organization and care as well as the health policy. The educational level may represent an important risk factor for health in the context in which it is associated to poverty and to a hostile physical environment. In the context of oral health, a low education level also associated to the footprint characteristic to the cultural level of a person may determine their lack of interest towards the prevention of oral disorders, the practicing of an inadequate oral hygiene and the adoption of a vicious lifestyle. In this context, the health promoting programmes must rely on viable strategies that may eliminate not only financial barriers but also the ones preventing the equal access of the disfavored population to education and health.

Background and Objectives: Dentists play a very important part in the early identification of oral cancer lesions. This aspect of dental practice depends on the knowledge acquired during the faculty years. The aim of this study was to assess dental students’ and residents’ levels of awareness in terms of oral cancer. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at the Faculty of Dental Medicine within the “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi, on a sample of 197 students in the fourth and the fifth years and first year residents in general dentistry. To assess their knowledge, a questionnaire was created containing 22 questions about the risk factors for oral cancer, with a focus on HPV infection. Results: Most participants correctly identified smoking, alcohol, and the HPV infection as risk factors and leukoplakia and erythroplasia as potentially malignant lesions. At the opposite site, aspects considered as unsatisfactory focused on the palpation of lymphatic nodules, a procedure largely carried out by 41.6% of the fourth year students, the counseling only of the patients at risk performed by 59.7% of residents, the lack of knowledge about the prevention of oral cancer through anti-HPV immunization found in 39.7% of the fifth year students. Other incorrect answers focused on other types of suspicious lesions, such as actinic cheilitis, as well as certain areas in the oral cavity subject to the frequent onset of oral cancer, such as buccal mucosa. Conclusions: Although the fifth year students and residents have better knowledge than the fourth year students, the gaps in terms of knowledge and practice encountered in all three categories of participants require a reevaluation of the academic curriculum and the focus on the building of the skills necessary for the correct screening of oral cancer.

Background and Objectives: Infection control practices in dentistry should be continuously evaluated. The aim of the present study was to assess the knowledge of dental students from Iași, Romania about infection control in the dental office. Materials and Methods: Dental students and resident dentists attending the “Grigore T. Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iași were randomly selected in accordance with ethical guidelines, and a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based online study was conducted. The questionnaire included 21 items about infection control in dentistry. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed, and the chi-square test was used for data comparison, with a cutoff point of 0.05 for statistical significance. Results: The study sample included 150 subjects (75.3% female and 24.7% male) with a mean age of 25.71 ± 4.54 years. Mode of infection transmission was known by 74% of the subjects, and 76% were aware of standard precautions, with significant differences by the year of study (p = 0.012, r = 0.002). A percentage of 20% of subjects knew the means of transmission of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) (p = 0.032, r = 0.166). Most of the subjects were not vaccinated against HBV (p = 0.002, r = −0.274). Notions of high-level disinfection and sterilization were confused by 19.5% of the subjects. Only 22% of the subjects knew the correct processing of handpieces (p = 0.048, r = −0.071). The sources of information were diverse for 64.66% of the respondents, while 31.33% of them used courses and seminars only. Conclusions: There is a need for improvement in the level of knowledge on infection control for both dental students and residents.

Background and Objectives: The basis of any infection control program is hand hygiene (HH). The aim of this study was to investigate knowledge of HH among medical students. Materials and Methods: Students were randomly selected from two Romanian universities and a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted between January and May 2021. The answers regarding demographic data and knowledge concerning the methods, the time and the antiseptics used for HH were collected. The selection of the study group was made according to selection criteria in accordance with ethical issues. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed, and a chi-square test was used for data comparison, with a cut-off point of 0.05 for statistical significance. Results: The results indicated that the attitude of the students towards the practice of HH improved significantly. Most students believe that simple HH can control infections. Significant differences were found by the year of study in terms of the hand surfaces included and recommended duration (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, the study shows that most respondents have sufficient knowledge on HH, meaning that a higher compliance is required to control infections. The indicated reasons of non-compliance with HH are emergencies and other priorities.

The aim of this study is to assess the dentists compliance to hands hygiene procedure in order to decrease the incidence of health care associated infections. Material and methods. It was initiated a questionnaire based study including 279 dentists aged between 26 and 62 years in Iasi, Romania. The data were analyzed using the SPSS.15.0 system and Chi square test (p

The loss of teeth in the young adult population is closely correlated with the oral health status, oral health behaviors and socio-economic level. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of edentation among young adults in Iasi, Romania. Materials and methods: The study included a total of 285 students of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, „Grigore T.Popa” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iași, aged between 22 and 26 years. The EGOHID System was used in order to evaluate the oral health status. The data were analyzed by gender, socio-economic level and oral health behaviors using SPSS 15.0 (p

The dental technicians are exposed to a potential risk for infection transmission during the professional activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of dental technicians towards the methods used to prevent infection transmission in the dental laboratories in Iaşi. Methods: A questionnaire-based study was initiated involving 68 technicians aged between 24 and 49 years. The 14 questions were related to infection control attitudes and implemented specific measures. Data were analyzed using SPSS 14 system and Chi-Square test (p

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are common among dental practitioners. The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of MSD among dental students as well as the level of knowledge and attitudes about the principles of ergonomics. Material and Methods: The study was conducted among the 2nd and 6th year students of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, UMPh Gr.T.Popa University of Iasi. The questionnaire covered four main sections: the first section on demographic data collection, the second section assessed the work environment and work characteristics, the third section addressed ergonomics, while the fourth section assessed the prevalence of MSD based on body regions. Data analysis was performed with SPSS 14.0 Results: The response rate was 87% .72% of female subjects and 20% of male subjects reported MSD symptoms. 50% of students work with an assistant. They reported few symptoms of MSD at the elbow and forearm level. 70% of students have the ability to take over the instrument without making unnecessary movement. The number of clinical weekly workouts was significantly correlated with the discomfort experienced in the hands and fingers but also with the pain in the lumbar region. Conclusions: The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders is higher in end-year students. The causes of these illnesses are the low level of knowledge about the ergonomic principles that need to be applied to improve medical activity and the reduction of the risk of installing muscle fatigue but also the lack of auxiliary staff to help the student achieve the treatments.

The aim of the present study was to assess the oral and food hygiene habits of school children in Iasi in order to establish the necessary preventive measures. Material and methods: The study was cross-sectional and included 533 children aged between 7 and 12 years in Iasi. For the assessment of food hygiene habits, a questionnaire was used to record food consumption over a 4-day period. For oral hygiene assessment, the Silness-Löe bacterial plaque index was used. Results: the highest percentage of the children (43.71%) declared a moderate consumption of carbohydrates. Most of the investigated subjects (61.16%) declared a high frequency of sugar consumption. 45.59% of the children in the study had a less good oral hygiene. Conclusion: The results of the study highlight the need for effective oral health education, addressed not only to children but also to parents and teachers.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the caries risk of schoolchildren in Iasi, Romania, using the cariogram program. Material and methods: the study was cross sectional, clinical and microbiological, and included 533 children aged 7 to 12 years, with various levels of socioeconomic status. Assessment of caries risk factors followed the protocol of the cariogram. Clinical and bacteriological assessments and questionnaires were used. Results: 35.81% of the children presented a high caries risk, and 36.78% – moderate caries risk. Caries risk decreased with increasing age and socioeconomic status. The DMFS index of 12-year-old children with high caries risk was 8.44 times higher than the DMFS index of children with low caries risk. Conclusion: The results of the study highlight the need for complex school-based caries preventive programs

The aim of this study was to evaluate the dental status in 6 years old school children in Iași in correlation with behavioral factors and socio-economic status. Material and method. A longitudinal epidemiological study was initiated within the project “Evaluation of oral health and education for oral health in 6 and 12 year-old school-children in Iași, Romania” including 592 school children aged 6 from 21 schools in Iași. For oral health assessment EGOHID system was used. Results. The values for dmft /dmfs were 3,64 and 6,85 respectively. The prevalence of dental caries was 78,6% for d1-6mf and 67,9% for d3-6mf. The values for decayed teeth and surfaces was significantly higher than those for filled teeth and surfaces. A positive correlations between dmft index and the socio-economic level and between dmft index and sugar intake were established. 57,9% of subjects eat sweets between meals. More than half of children (56.3%) brush their teeth twice a day and 15% of them cleen their teeth occasionaly.Conclusions. Intensive preventive efforts by risk factors control are needed in order to decrease the high found prevalence of dental caries.

The study aims at evaluating the satisfaction of the students at the Faculty of Dental Medicine in Iasi regarding their medical career. Material and methods: The study was carried out in 2016 by means of a questionnaire made up of 10 questions that was distributed to 115 students in the 5th and 6th year of study. Results: The reasons for choosing this career were first of all of economic and professional nature such as its independence and stability followed by the vocational aspects mentioned mainly by the female students. The options for professional accomplishment after graduation vary from the enrolling for the residency exam for 37.5% of students, the immediate beginning of the private activity for 36.5% to the migration abroad chosen by 26.1% of the study respondents. Conclusions: 69.6% of students declare they are satisfied by the educational process and the academic curriculum; however 80% of them consider that the number of practical activity hours should be increased to obtain the skills and abilities necessary for professional accomplishment. The satisfaction related to the student life was appreciated only by half of them, namely 51.3%. Key words: dental students, career satisfaction, career plans

The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge of students from the Faculty of Dentistry in Iasi, Romania, on these ethical issues: doctor-patient relationship, mistakes and errors in the dental practice, ethical low. Material and methods: The study was conducted in 2014 on a sample of 124 students who completed a questionnaire specially designed for this purpose. Results: 90% of the students agreed with the ethical principles relating to autonomy and privacy of patients' data and 93% of them agreed with the patient's reporting of intra-operative complications. The responses to the questions that refer to violent patient and those infected with HIV demonstrate that there is no unity in resolving these controversial issues: only 62% of students agree with treating HIV-infected patients, and 14% of students agree with treating violent patients. Conclusions: The vast majority of those surveyed were interested in continuing the implementation of teaching methods for the emphasize of ethical principles in dental practice.

Aim of the study The aim of this study was to evaluate the dynamic evolution of oral health of schoolchildren in Iasi, depending on their socioeconomic status, under the impact of the National Prevention Program. Material and methods 600 schoolchildren aged 6-12 years were evaluated yearly, between 2003-2007, for oral health status and preventive treatments. Results At study beginning, DMFT index presented the highest values in children with low socioeconomic status, while sealants prevalence and number of sealed surfaces had the lowest values. At the end of study, although DMFT index still presented the highest values in children with low socioeconomic status, differences from indices of children with medium and high socioeconomic status were significantly reduced, and sealants prevalence and number of sealed surfaces had the highest values.. Conclusions Implementation of the National Prevention Program allowed to reduce the differences in oral health status of schoolchildren with different socio-economic levels.