Search

Most people who attend general dental practice receive oral hygiene advice (OHA), yet 66% of people have visible plaque and 25% don’t clean their teeth twice a day, suggesting OHA given by dental professionals is not effective at improving oral hygiene or bringing about behavioural change. There is little research on patient experiences of receiving OHA and patient non-compliance. To capture patient experiences of OHA received from dental professionals, exploring reasons for non-compliance. A cross-sectional questionnaire was completed by adults who attended a general dental practice within the last 3 years. An online convenience sample was recruited. Descriptive statistics and chi-squared analysis of quantitative data and content analysis of qualitative data framed with COM-B theory of behaviour change. Ethical approval was given by University of Bristol Faculty of Health Science Research Ethics Committee (FREC) (Ref: 112764). 382 responses were collected between 30 October 2020 and 31 March 2021. OHA was received by 178 (50.9%) who saw a dentist, and 91 (77.1%) who saw DH/DT (p

Background: Delivery of oral hygiene advice (OHA) and supporting behaviour change are fundamental skills for dental professionals (DPs). Limited research into how DPs are taught to deliver OHA at undergraduate level and reports that behavioural sciences are not fully integrated into dental curricula indicate that DPs are not equipped with skills required to improve the oral health of their patients.Objectives: To capture a snapshot of UK dental and dental hygiene and therapy (DH/DT) students on teaching on delivery of OHA and behavioural sciences.Methods: A cross-sectional self-reported online questionnaire completed by dental and DH/DT students recruited through the British Society of Periodontology Undergraduate Society. Approved by University of Bristol Faculty of Health Science Research Ethics Committee.Results: Between 22 May and 31 August 2020, 30 out of 42 society members responded to the survey, giving a response rate of 71.4%. Responses were from 20 dental students from 13 schools, and 10 DH/DT from 9 schools. Variation in the method and amount of teaching was seen between and within schools. The median number of hours of theory and practical teaching related OHA delivery was higher for final year DH/DT (17 and 14.5 hours, respectively) compared to final year dental students (7.5 and 7 hours). There was high variability in awareness of and teaching received on behavioural models among students between schools and student groups. 55% of dental students had been taught how to implement behaviour change, compared to 90% of DH/DT.Conclusion: There is high variability of teaching of delivering OHA and behaviour change in UK dental schools. Students can have different experiences of teaching at the same school. DH/DT receive more hours of teaching on delivering OHA compared to dental students. Students receive more theory than practical teaching, and desire more teaching on practical implementation of behaviour change.

AimsThe survey's aim was to establish which universities and other educational organisations deliver postgraduate and specialist training in Periodontology in the 31 countries who are members of the European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) and to obtain details of how these programmes are organised, funded, regulated and evaluated.MethodsA questionnaire and covering letter were emailed to all national periodontal societies. The questions were on the name of country, official recognition, training programmes, entry to specialist training, specialist training assessment and recognition after completion of training. ResultsTwenty nine (93%) of national periodontal societies responded. Key findings included: Periodontology was reported as being recognised at a national level in 17 countries, there was a three year full-time programme in 12 countries, no fees were charged for specialist training in 10 countries, in 14 countries trainees received annual salaries, end of training (summative) assessments varied from country to country, 12 countries reported that they had a requirement for specialists in Periodontology to complete continuing education to maintain registration as specialists.ConclusionsThis survey has established which universities and other educational organisations deliver postgraduate and specialist training in Periodontology and how these programmes are organised, funded, regulated and evaluated. To provide uniformly high quality periodontal care for patients in all European countries, further harmonisation of postgraduate and specialty training in Periodontology would be advantageous.

Objectives: To determine whether a microneedle patch combined with 5% topical lidocaine reduces dental injection pain more than a patch without microneedles combined with 5% topical lidocaine.Methods: This proof of principle randomised, two-treatment, double-blind, crossover split-unit design study in 16 healthy participants investigated levels of perceived pain from 3 increasing pain provoking challenges, when topical 5% lidocaine dental gel was applied to the oral mucosa with a microneedle patch and a patch with no microneedles, prior to infiltration with local anaesthesia on 2 visits. Pain was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and 4-point verbal rating scale (VRS).Results: 15 participants completed the study. Mean pain scores, lower at buccal sites, increased in both groups across challenges 1-3: Test palatal 5.1, 11.9, 26.8; buccal 0.7, 2.8, 18.3; Control palatal 12.3, 18.7, 39.5; buccal 4.0, 6.9, 30.6. The microneedle patch plus lidocaine significantly lowered VAS pain scores at both sites for all challenges, the biggest mean difference seen palatally after challenge 3 (12.7, pConclusions: Prior oral application of a microneedle patch combined with 5% topical lidocaine gel reduced the pain experienced from dental infiltration. Microneedle patch use in the dental setting offers the prospect of improving degree and depth of anaesthesia from topically applied anaesthetic gel, without itself causing any pain.Clinical Significance: Dental injections are associated with fear and anxiety. Application of a microneedle patch, combined with topical anaesthetic, to the oral mucosa prior to delivery of the injection reduces the pain from this dental procedure. This novel technique may allay patients’ apprehension of local anaesthesia and improve quality of life outcomes.

Objectives: To compare a calcium silicate and sodium phosphate toothpaste (CSSP) with a fluoride negative control toothpaste for dentine hypersensitivity (DH) pain reduction after 14, 28 and 29 days. Methods: This was a double blind, parallel study in 247 healthy adults with DH (Schiff score >2, tactile 10-20g) in 2 teeth in different quadrants of the mouth. After acclimatisation, participants were randomised to CSSP or control toothpaste. After measuring baseline sensitivity products were applied twice-daily by toothbrushing, and once daily massaging into the sensitive teeth. Sensitivity was assessed following airblast (Schiff and VAS) and tactile (Yeaple probe) stimuli at baseline, 14 and 28 days, and at 29 days, 12 hours after last product application. Participants completed a quality of life questionnaire at each study visit up to day 28. Results: After 14, 28 and 29 days the CSSP group had significantly lower Schiff, lower VAS and higher Yeaple probe scores compared to control (VAS at 14 days, p