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Background: Given the importance of communication skills education in medical sciences and the need for an appropriate curriculum for clinical education, this study aimed to design and implement a clinical communication skills curriculum for third-year dental students at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences.Method: This action research study included 60 third-year dental students. The educational program was developed based on the Communication Skills Training-3 Elements Model and Instructional Development Institute (IDI) model. Interactive student-centered teaching methods were designed by including team-based teaching, group discussion, action-based interactive lectures, role-playing, and multimedia application strategies. The course was delivered over 18 sessions, each 90 minutes long, by communication skills and dentistry professors, as a workshop-based course worth 1 credit in the fifth semester of the general dentistry program. The students were evaluated regarding their knowledge and skills at the end of the course.Results: Most of the expected communication skills, including starting the session and establishing a connection, gathering data, considering the patient's perspective, providing information, mutual agreement, and ending the session were at a good level after the implementation of this program. Female students performed better than their male counterparts in various communication aspects, although statistically significant differences were only observed for the skills of providing information, mutual agreement, and ending the session (P=0.032).Conclusion: Using this clinical communication skills course for dental students can be beneficial, and with further studies in this field and examining its effectiveness in more dental schools, it can be presented to other dental schools as well.

Objective: This study investigated the effect of casein phosphopeptide‑amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP‑ACP) on the shear bond strength (SBS) of a universal adhesive in self-etch mode to demineralized dentin.Methods: Seventy-five dentin specimens were randomly divided into five groups (n=15) as follows: Group 1, intact dentin; Group 2, demineralized dentin receiving no remineralization agent; and Groups 3-5, demineralized dentin receiving CPP-ACP for 30, 90, and 180 seconds, respectively. All groups were bonded by Adper Single Bond Universal adhesive in self-etch mode. After 24 hours, the SBS test was conducted, and failure modes were recorded. The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, Tukey post-hoc test, and chi-square test at the significance level of P

Abstract Background Dentin hypersensitivity, often occurring after dental treatments or from erosive lesions, is a prevalent patient complaint. This study introduces a paste combining 8% L-arginine, calcium carbonate, and potassium nitrate to evaluate its impact on dentinal tubules occlusion, dentin permeability, and tooth sensitivity. Methods Dentin surfaces from 24 third molars (thickness: 2 mm) were divided into two groups of 12. One received the experimental paste, while the other received a placebo without desensitizer. Permeability and sealing ability were assessed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dentin permeability measurement. The pastes’ effects on hypersensitivity were then examined in a triple-blind, randomized parallel-armed clinical trial with 16 eligible patients. Sensitivity to cold, touch, and spontaneous stimuli was recorded using the VAS scale at various intervals post-treatment. Statistical analysis was conducted using Shapiro-Wilk, Mann-Whitney U, Friedman, and Wilcoxon tests (α = 0.05). Results The permeability test demonstrated a significant reduction in dentin permeability in the experimental group (P = 0.002) compared to the control (P = 0.178). SEM images revealed most dentinal tubules in the intervention samples to be occluded. Clinically, both groups showed a significant decrease in the three types of evaluated sensitivity throughout the study. However, no significant difference in sensitivities between the two groups was observed, with the exception of cold sensitivity at three months post-treatment (P = 0.054). Conclusion The innovative desensitizing paste featuring 8% L-arginine, calcium carbonate, and potassium nitrate effectively occluded dentinal tubules and reduced dentin permeability. It mitigated immediate and prolonged dentin hypersensitivity to various stimuli, supporting its potential role in managing dentin hypersensitivity. Trial registration http://irct.ir : IRCT20220829055822N1, September 9th, 2022.

Nudge theory proposes using subtle interventions to encourage individuals to make better decisions. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Nudge theory in plaque control and assess caries experience among third-grade primary schoolchildren with refugee and immigrant backgrounds in Mashhad, Iran. Moreover, Afghan and Iranian schoolchildren were compared to assess differences in oral health outcomes. A quasi-experimental field trial was conducted in three public primary schools, comprising 309 participants approximately 9 years old. Interventions were randomly assigned to three schools: School I Messages based on Social Norms (MSN), School II Messages based on Fear of Negative Outcome (MFNO), and School III control group (C). MSN and MFNO received customized motivational video clips at baseline, while C only received Oral hygiene instruction (OHI). All participants received OHI, a brush, and toothpaste. Baseline plaque index (PI) and caries experience in primary and permanent dentition (dmft/DMFT) were recorded. PI was reassessed at two weeks, two months, and six months post-intervention. All data were subjected to statistical analysis. The mean PI decreased significantly in all three groups at the two-week follow-up (p < 0.01). The PI improvements declined over a six-month follow-up period in all groups, and the mean PI difference after six months compared to the pre-intervention was significant only in MSN and MFNO (p < 0.01), while C reverted almost to the pre-study level. Schoolchildren with at least one filled tooth or Iranian nationality showed a greater PI reduction (p < 0.01, p = 0.05). The overall mean ± SD dmft and DMFT were 4.24 ± 2.11 and 1.70 ± 1.24, respectively. Among all the examined participants, 32 (10.40%) individuals were caries-free. The mean dmft was statistically significantly higher in Afghan children than in Iranians (p = 0.01). MSN was more effective on PI reduction in the short term, while MFNO was more long-lasting. Using the Nudge theory via visual aids was more effective in motivating children to perform better oral self-care than solely traditional OHI.

Introduction: Dental sensitivity is one of the most prevalent clinical consequences among patients who receive in-office bleaching therapy. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) to an in-office bleaching gel on tooth whitening and sensitivity after the treatment. Methods: The right and left maxillary lateral incisors of 34 patients were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. In the control side, a bleaching gel containing 37.5% hydrogen peroxide was used, whereas in the intervention side, a combination of the same bleaching gel with 1% SHMP was applied for 30 minutes. Tooth sensitivity to cold, tactile sensitivity, and spontaneous sensitivity was measured before the treatment, and immediately, 24 hours, one week, and one month after therapy. Color changes were measured objectively by a spectrophotometer using the total variation in color (ΔE), and subjectively by a Vita Classical Shade Guide (ΔSGU). Results: Immediately after bleaching, cold and tactile sensitivity was higher in the control group compared with the intervention group, but there was no significant difference between groups in any of the sensitivity parameters at different measurement intervals (P>0.05). Spontaneous and tactile sensitivity decreased significantly in both groups over one month (P0.05). Conclusion: The addition of SHMP to the bleaching gel could not reduce sensitivity to cold, as well as tactile and spontaneous sensitivity; however, it showed no adverse effect on the bleaching effectiveness. (J Dent Mater Tech 2023;12(1): 1-9)

Peripheral ameloblastoma (PA) is a rare subtype of ameloblastoma that occurs in soft tissue. It most commonly affects the mandible and is more common in males. It most commonly occurs in the sixth decade of life. This case report represented a 19-year-old girl with a 10-mm lesion on the lingual gingiva of the mandible. The surface was papillary and no pain or bleeding was noted. Histopathologic examination revealed neoplastic proliferation of odontogenic epithelial cells nested in a connective tissue context. Unlike many other PA cases, these nests appeared to originate from the basal cell layer of the epithelium. Cone-beam computed tomography and orthopantomogram did not reveal severe bone involvement and aggression. The patient is planned to be followed-up for 10 years. The prognosis of patients with PA is generally good, but cases of lesion recurrence have been reported. Due to the rarity of PA, further studies are needed on its development and treatment outcome.