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Background: Tele‐dentistry can be useful for dental caries screening of children, especially in lower‐middle‐income countries (LMICs). Aim: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of mobile phone photographs taken by a community health worker (CHW) for caries detection in Iran. Design: Children aged 6–12 years were visually examined by a paediatric dentist. Following dental examinations, intraoral photographs were taken by a trained CHW. Two remote dentists assessed intraoral photographs for dental caries. Diagnostic accuracy of tele‐dentistry for caries detection was evaluated. In addition, the questionnaire about oral health and parents' views towards tele‐dentistry was prepared. Results: One hundred thirty‐one children aged 8.74 ± 1.62 years participated. The caries prevalence was 30% for the whole dentition. Tele‐dentistry demonstrated high accuracy, with a sensitivity exceeding 80% and specificity exceeding 90%. The inter‐rater reliability for remote dentists' assessments to the gold standard dental examination ranged from substantial to almost perfect (kappa: 75%–93%). Additionally, 80% of parents whose children participated in this study had positive views towards tele‐dentistry. Conclusion: Tele‐dentistry was shown to be an alternative approach to clinical examinations for caries detection among school children. Employing non‐dental care professionals in tele‐dentistry has been emerged as a reliable and cost‐effective approach, especially in LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to measure and compare the magnitude of income-related inequalities for oral and general health outcomes in Canada. METHODS: Data for this study were from the 2007/09 Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). The sample size consisted of 3,413 Canadians aged 18-79 (1,601 men and 1,812 women). Oral health indicators were the total number of decayed and missing teeth. General health was measured as obesity and high blood pressure. Socio-economic status was measured as equivalized household income. We used the concentration index (CI) to quantify income-related inequalities in these outcomes. Values for the concentration index range from -1 to +1 with negative (or positive) concentration indices showing that the outcome is more concentrated among the less well off (or among the better off). All statistical analyses were weight-adjusted for the complex survey design and standardized for age. RESULTS: The concentration indices for oral health outcomes (decayed teeth = -0.25, missing teeth = -0.15) were greater than for general health outcomes (obesity = -0.05, high blood pressure = -0.04). The concentration indices for oral health outcomes, in contrast to general health outcomes, were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: There were income-related inequalities for oral health outcomes with the disease concentrated more among the poor. Inequalities in oral health were greater than inequalities in general health. The variation in the funding of oral health care and general health care is likely to explain the differences in the magnitude of income-related inequalities for oral and general health. KEY WORDS: Socioeconomic factors; oral health; income; obesity; blood pressure OBJECTIF : Mesurer et comparer l'ampleur des inegalites liees au revenu pour ce qui est des resultats de sante buccodentaire et de sante generale au Canada. METHODE : Les donnees de l'etude proviennent de l'Enquete canadienne sur les mesures de la sante (ECMS) de 2007-2009. L'echantillon englobait 3 413 Canadiens de 18 a 79 ans (1 601 hommes et 1 812 femmes). Les indicateurs de la sante buccodentaire etaient le nombre total de dents cariees et manquantes. La sante generale a ete mesuree selon l'obesite et l'hypertension arterielle. Le statut socioeconomique a ete mesure selon le revenu equivalent des menages. Nous avons utilise l'indice de concentration (IC) pour chiffrer les inegalites liees au revenu dans les resultats obtenus. La valeur de l'indice de concentration variait de -1 a +1, les indices negatifs (ou positifs) montrant que le resultat etait plus concentre dans les populations plus demunies (ou plus aisees). Les analyses statistiques ont ete ponderees en fonction de la complexite de l'enquete et standardisees selon l'age. RESULTATS : Les indices de concentration des resultats de sante buccodentaire (dents cariees = -0,25, dents manquantes = -0,15) etaient superieurs a ceux des resultats de sante generale (obesite = -0,05, hypertension arterielle = -0,04). Les indices de concentration des resultats de sante buccodentaire, contrairement aux resultats de sante generale, etaient statistiquement significatifs. CONCLUSION : Il y avait des inegalites liees au revenu pour les resultats de sante buccodentaire, la maladie etant davantage concentree chez les pauvres. Les inegalites de sante buccodentaire etaient plus prononcees que les inegalites de sante generale. L'ecart entre le financement des soins de sante buccodentaires et les soins de sante generaux explique probablement les differences dans l'ampleur des inegalites liees au revenu pour ce qui est de la sante buccodentaire et de la sante generale. MOTS CLES : facteurs socioeconomiques; sante buccodentaire; revenu; obesite; pression arterielle La traduction du resume se trouve a la fin de l'article. Can j Public Health 2013;104(7):e466-e471., Oral health constitutes an important part of general health. The US Surgeon General's report on oral health asserts that oral health is a critical component of health and must be [...]

Objectives: To assess the magnitude of, and changes in, absolute and relative oral health inequality in Canada and the United States, from the 1970s till the first decade of the new millennium. Methods: Data were obtained from four national surveys; two Canadian (NCNS 1970–1972 and CHMS 2007–2009) and two American (HANES 1971–1974 and NHANES 2007–2008). The slope and relative index of inequality were used to measure absolute and relative inequality, respectively. Percentage change in inequality was also calculated. Results: Relative inequality for untreated decay increased by 91% in Canada and 189% in the United States, while for filled teeth it declined by 63% in Canada and 16% in the United States. Relative inequality in edentulism rose by 200% and 78% in Canada and United States, respectively. Absolute inequality declined in both countries. Conclusions: There was persistent absolute and relative inequality in Canada and the United States. An increase in relative inequality for adverse outcomes suggests that improvements in oral health were occurring primarily among the rich, while reductions in relative inequality for filled teeth indicate higher utilization of restorative services among the poor. These results point to the necessity of tackling the sociopolitical determinants of health to mitigate oral health inequality in Canada and the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Nationally representative clinical data on the oral health needs of Canadians has not been available since the 1970s. The purpose of this study was to determine the normative treatment needs of a nationally representative sample of Canadians and describe how these needs were distributed. Methods A secondary analysis of data collected through the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS) was undertaken. Sampling and bootstrap weights were applied to make the data nationally representative. Descriptive frequencies were used to examine the sample characteristics and to examine the treatment type(s) needed by the population. Bivariate logistic regressions were used to see if any characteristics were predictive of having an unmet dental treatment need, and of having specific treatment needs. Lastly, multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the strongest predictors of having an unmet dental treatment need. Results Most of the population had no treatment needs and of the 34.2% who did, most needed restorative (20.4%) and preventive (13.7%) care. The strongest predictors of need were having poor oral health, reporting a self-perceived need for treatment and visiting the dentist infrequently. Conclusions It is estimated that roughly 12 million Canadians have at least one unmet dental treatment need. Policymakers now have information by which to assess if programs match the dental treatment needs of Canadians and of particular subgroups experiencing excess risk.

Objectives: Oral health inequalities impose a substantial burden on society and the healthcare system across Canadian provinces. Monitoring these inequalities is crucial for informing public health policy and action towards reducing inequalities; however, trends within Canada have not been explored. The objectives of this study are as follows: (a) to assess trends in income‐related inequalities in oral health in Ontario, Canada's most populous province, from 2003 to 2014, and (b) to determine whether the magnitude of such inequalities differ by age and sex. Methods: Data representative of the Ontario population aged 12 years and older were sourced from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) cycles 2003 (n = 36,182), 2007/08 (n = 36,430) and 2013/14 (n = 41,258). Income‐related inequalities in poor self‐reported oral health (SROH) were measured using the Slope Index of Inequality (SII) and Relative Index of Inequality (RII) and compared across surveys. All analyses were sample‐weighted and performed with STATA 15. Results: The prevalence of poor SROH was stable across the CCHS cycles, ranging from 14.1% (2003 cycle) to 14.8% (2013/14 cycle). SII estimates did not change (18.7‐19.0), while variation in RII estimates was observed over time (2003 = 3.85; 2007/08 = 4.47; 2013/14 = 4.02); differences were not statistically significant. SII and RII were lowest among 12‐ to 19‐year‐olds and gradually higher among 20‐ to 64‐year‐olds. RII was slightly higher among females in all survey years. Conclusion: Absolute and relative income‐related inequalities in SROH have persisted in Ontario over time and are more severe among middle‐aged adults. Therefore, oral health inequalities in Ontario require attention from key stakeholders, including governments, regulators and health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) questionnaire measures oral health-related quality of life and is widely used for assessing subjective oral health status. The objective of the present study was to describe the translation and validation of the shortened 14-item OHIP for native Persian (Farsi) speakers living in Iran.Materials and Methods: The authors translated the OHIP-14 into Persian (OHIP-14-P), followed by back-translation into English, after which the Persian version was revised and modified. They administered the questionnaire to native Persian-speaking clients at a university-based dental clinic in Tehran, Iran (n = 240, 123 females and 117 males, mean age 39, range 18 to 76). They examined the convergent validity and discriminative validity of OHIP by analysing their association with various self-reported health outcomes. They evaluated the test–retest reliability by administering the instrument to 37 patients a second time. They analysed the internal consistency and reliability using a intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Cronbach's reliability coefficient, respectively.Results: The associations between scores of OHIP-14-P and its subscales with self-reported general (r(s) [Spearman's rank correlation coefficient] range 0.38 to 0.52) and oral health (r(s) range 0.25 to 0.45) confirmed convergent validity. Discriminative validity was confirmed through the significant relationship between OHIP-14-P scores with both the experience of pain and satisfaction with oral health (P < 0.001). The instrument's test–retest reliability (ICCs: 0.75 to 0.88) and internal consistency (Cronbach's α: 0.45 to 0.73 and Cronbach's α if subscale deleted: 0.88 to 0.85) were satisfactory.Conclusions: The Persian version of OHIP-14 was found to be a valid and reliable measure, and appropriate to be used among native Persian speakers visiting a dental clinic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Objective: To examine whether malocclusion and past orthodontic treatment are associated with satisfaction with dental appearance among Canadian adults., Methods: Using data from the 2007-09 Canadian Health Measures Survey, this cross-sectional study analyzed information from 2184 respondents (1005 men and 1179 women) aged 20-59 years. The outcome variable was satisfaction with dental appearance. Ordinal logistic regression was used to investigate the relation between satisfaction with dental appearance and 2 independent variables: malocclusion and past orthodontic treatment., Results: Of the participants, 70% were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the appearance of their teeth. The prevalence of malocclusion and past orthodontic treatment was 25% and 20%, respectively. Controlling for the effect of covariates, malocclusion had a significant negative effect on satisfaction with dental appearance (p = 0.02), but past orthodontic treatment did not (p = 0.36). Satisfaction with dental appearance was greater among those in the higher-income group, never smokers, those with better self-rated health, those with no anterior decayed teeth, and those with no anterior filled teeth., Conclusion: Past orthodontic treatment was not linked to satisfaction with dental appearance in this sample of Canadian adults. Public health programs and clinicians should focus on addressing esthetic problems by restoring inadequate anterior teeth fillings, restoring anterior tooth decay, and implementing smoking cessation programs before considering orthodontic treatment.

Objective: To describe the prevalence of oral pain in Canada and to identify its covariates., Methods: Data were derived from the 2007-2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey. Data were analyzed for a total of 5284 respondents (2558 males, 2726 females) aged 6-79 years. The outcome variable was self-reported pain in the mouth in the past 12 months. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to investigate the relationship between oral pain and 4 sets of covariates: socio-demographic factors, dental service utilization, oral health behaviours and clinical oral health., Results: Oral pain in the past 12 months was reported by 11.7% of respondents. Oral pain was slightly, but not significantly, more prevalent among females than males (13.6% vs. 10.0%). The lowest and highest prevalence of oral pain were reported by children and young adults, respectively. Multivariate analyses suggested that oral pain was significantly more prevalent among adolescents and adults, those in the lowest income groups, those who avoided a dental professional because of the cost and those with untreated decayed teeth., Conclusion: Canadians with financial barriers to accessing dental care and those with untreated dental decay were at risk of having dental pain. These findings have important implications for the provision of dental care in Canada.