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Humanistic environment, perceptions, and associated variables in predoctoral and allied dental programs: 2022 American Dental Education Association climate study results
No full textObjectives: The objectives were to determine if there are differences in perception of programs’ humanistic environment, and overall climate, and to determine the correlations between a positive overall climate, a humanistic environment, and humanistic leadership in United States and Canadian dental and allied dental programs. Methods: The 2022 American Dental Education Association Climate Survey included 258 US dental and Canadian dental schools and allied dental education programs. The study aimed to measure dental schools and allied dental education programs’ efforts to provide a humanistic and inclusive environment. This article reviewed the findings in relation to the objectives. The significance of explanatory variables was tested using logistic regression in PROG GLIMMIX of SAS. Cramer\u27s Variable was calculated to determine the multicollinearity, indicating strong correlations among independent variables. Results: A total of 258 programs responded to the survey, 238 programs in the United States, and 20 programs in Canada. 66 Dental schools responded, 192 Allied Dental Programs, 49 Dental Assisting programs from the United States, 137 Dental Hygiene (125 United States and 12 Canada), five Dental Laboratory technologies in the United States, and one Dental Therapy in the US allied dental education programs were grouped together (i.e., dental hygiene, dental laboratory tech, dental assisting, and dental therapy). Allied dental respondents were twice as likely to report their educational environment is humanistic, they were satisfied with the overall climate, and their leadership was committed to fostering a humanistic environment (p \u3c 0.01) compared with dental respondents. Participants who identified their program as being humanistic were 9.1 times more likely to be satisfied with the overall climate of their program (p \u3c 0.01). Participants who felt their leadership was committed to fostering a humanistic environment were 4.5 times more likely to be satisfied with the overall climate of their program (p \u3c 0.01). Variables were identified as important to overall climate, humanistic environment, and humanistic leadership, such as a sense of community, training, and leadership\u27s response to events. Conclusion: Leadership that establishes a humanistic climate providing education, training, and support to faculty, students, and staff creates a more positive perception of the overall climate by members of the community. Allied dental programs had a significantly higher perception of an inclusive climate than dental programs
Teledentistry platforms and their application and integration into clinical orthodontic practice
No full textTeleorthodontics has emerged as a transformative tool in delivering modern-day orthodontic treatment. The successful clinical integration of teleorthodontics and its platforms into orthodontic practice requires a careful assessment of several key considerations, including robust data security, compliance with relevant privacy regulations, and adherence to applicable legal and ethical standards. Providers must assess the varying features offered by each platform to choose the most suitable application for both the provider\u27s and office\u27s needs. Teleorthodontics still comes with a few limitations. Technological barriers from patients and providers alike, as well as a lack of standardized protocols and guidelines for the use of teleorthodontics, pose hurdles to the smooth clinical integration. As future research studies and increased clinical applications continue to validate its efficacy, teleorthodontics is poised for growth. This article aims to engage readers with the applications of teleorthodontics and help them make informed decisions for the successful integration of these platforms into clinical practice
Repair of receded gingival tissue through lingual root movement with an overhanging attachment and clear aligners
No full textGingival recession is challenging in orthodontics, especially in patients with preexisting conditions. Clear aligner treatment offers a less invasive option, but root torque control remains complex without specialized mechanics. This case report describes the successful treatment of gingival recession on the mandibular left central incisor through root movement using a clear aligner with an overhanging attachment. An overhanging attachment is a modified clear aligner attachment designed to apply force closer to the center of resistance, enabling greater control over root movement. In this case, the patient experienced reduced gingival recession from 5 to 1 mm after 11 months of treatment with 20 stages of clear aligners. The root of the mandibular left central incisor was repositioned lingually, facilitating tissue repair and improved periodontal health. This approach provided a favorable outcome without the need for surgical intervention. The findings suggest that overhanging attachments on clear aligners can effectively correct gingival recession caused by labially positioned roots. Precise root torque control can promote bone remodeling and soft-tissue recovery, offering a minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgical procedures. Further research is warranted to explore this technique\u27s long-term stability and broader clinical applicability
Results from a five-year clinical assessment of undergraduate-performed direct composite restorations
No full textResin based dental composites offer significant benefits with regard to the minimally invasive management of dental caries. However, over a period of time such restorations may become susceptible to failure with secondary caries and marginal deterioration being common causes. A retrospective clinical study was conducted at the IMU University Oral Health Centre to assess the quality of direct resin composite restorations placed by dental undergraduates as judged by the modified United States Public Health Service (USPHS), criteria. This study aimed to evaluate the quality and the causes of the failure of direct resin composite restorations in permanent teeth placed by dental undergraduate students using modified USPHS criteria to assess failure. A total of 76 restorations were evaluated in this study. Descriptive statistics were collected, and the Chi-square test (p \u3c 0.05) was used to determine statistically significant differences. A total of 42.1% of the composite resin restorations in the study were considered satisfactory. Of the restorations regarded as failures, the causes were colour mismatch (39.4%), followed by marginal discolouration (21%) and then restoration fracture (14.5%). The operator’s year of study (p = 0.039) and the number of restoration surfaces (p = 0.039) showed statistically significant associations with the quality of the restorations. Composite resin restorations performed by dental undergraduates exhibited high failure rates, which were primarily attributed to colour mismatches, marginal dis-colourations, or fractures of the restoration
Descriptive Report of Injuries Sustained by Secondary School Baseball Players Categorized by Community-Level Socioeconomic Status
No full textContext: Baseball is a popular sport in the United States, with widespread play among secondary school student-athletes. Baseball-related injuries may vary based on community-level socioeconomic status of schools. Objective: To describe the injuries sustained by secondary school baseball players from schools categorized by communitylevel socioeconomic status. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Data (2014-2015 through 2018-2019 academic years) were obtained from the National Athletic Treatment, Injury and Outcomes Network Surveillance Program. Patients or Other Participants: Secondary school baseball athletes. Main Outcome Measure(s): Frequencies and percentages of injuries, injury rates (IRs), and competition or practice IR ratios were reported by the community-level socioeconomic status (ie, affluent, average wealth, disadvantaged wealth) where each school is located. Results: The National Athletic Treatment, Injury and Outcomes Network Surveillance Program captured 320 baseball injuries across 140 619 total athlete-exposures (AEs), for an overall IR of 2.4/1000 AEs. Of those, 52% occurred among athletes in 24 schools situated in affluent communities, 15.6% occurred in 12 schools from average-wealth communities, and 32.5% occurred in 12 schools located in disadvantaged-wealth communities. The largest IR was schools located in disadvantaged-wealth communities (3.3/1000 AE), followed by affluent (2.3/1000 AE) and average-wealth (1.4/1000 AE) communities. On average, schools from affluent and disadvantaged-wealth communities had higher IRs during competition than during practice (affluent: IR ratio = 1.5, 95% confidence interval = 1.11, 2.05; disadvantaged: IR ratio = 1.6, 95% confidence interval = 1.12, 2.41). Frequencies of many injury characteristics were consistent in schools across community-level socioeconomic status with contact, sprain or strain, and non-time-loss ranking highest in terms of injury mechanism, diagnosis, and time loss, respectively. Shoulder or clavicle was the most frequent body part injured in schools in average and disadvantaged-wealth communities, and the ankle was most frequently injured in schools in affluent communities. Conclusions: Baseball athletes playing in schools located in disadvantaged-wealth communities had the largest overall IR, followed by schools in affluent and average-wealth communities. Across most injury characteristics, a consistent trend emerged regardless of community-level socioeconomic status, with the highest baseball IRs resulting from contact mechanisms, diagnosed as sprains or strains, and classified as non-time-loss injuries. While many injury patterns are consistent across socioeconomic communities, examining injuries through the lens of community levels of disadvantage provides insight into subtle differences that could inform targeted prevention strategies or resource needs
The sun-safe golf course: Assessing sun protection measures and educational resources at Michigan golf courses
No full textInulin Protects Caco-2 Cells Against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction
No full textLipopolysaccharide (LPS), a component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria, triggers inflammatory responses in intestinal epithelial cells. This activation leads to the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines which disrupt cellular homeostasis. LPS also impairs the integrity of the intestinal epithelial barrier by downregulating tight junction proteins, resulting in increased intestinal permeability. This compromised barrier function can allow further translocation of luminal antigens, perpetuating inflammation and contributing to gut-related disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and metabolic endotoxemia. This study investigated the therapeutic effects of inulin, a prebiotic dietary fiber, in attenuating LPS-induced intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction. Caco-2 cells were treated with 100 ng/mL of LPS for 12 h, resulting in increased gene expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-18) and a significant downregulation of tight junction proteins claudin-1 and claudin-2, while occludin gene expression remained unaffected. Pretreatment with 2% inulin for 24 h before LPS exposure prevented the downregulation of claudin-1 and claudin-2 and significantly upregulated occludin gene expression. These molecular findings were supported by functional assays using transwell systems. LPS treatment increased paracellular permeability of the Caco-2 monolayer, indicating barrier dysfunction, while inulin pretreatment mitigated this effect. These results demonstrate that inulin can modulate tight junction protein expression and maintain gut barrier integrity under inflammatory conditions
Expansion Pattern of Miniscrew Assisted Rapid Maxillary Expansion (MARPE) After Midpalatal Suture Separation: Clustering-Based Classification
No full textObjectives: This study aimed to establish a clustering-based classification model for skeletal expansion outcomes after miniscrew-assisted rapid maxillary expansion (MARPE) and evaluate its clinical implications. Material and Methods: The study samples comprised 61 patients with transverse discrepancy who underwent maxillary skeletal expansion using MSE I. Cone-beam computed tomography images before (T0) and after (T1) expansion were analysed with nine measurements assessing transverse changes in the maxilla, molars and appliance. Gaussian mixture model clustering, random forest models and decision trees identified expansion patterns and key classifiers, establishing a classification system. Two- and one-way analyses of variance compared intergroup characteristics. Results: The clustering-based classification model identified four distinct clusters of skeletal expansion patterns, establishing two key classifiers: expansion efficiency (good/poor) and parallelism (parallel/V-shaped). Poor responders had an older age and showed significantly lower efficiency, more V-shaped tendencies, greater activation loss and longer intervals until interincisal diastema than good responders (p \u3c 0.001). V-shaped responders exhibited less efficiency, reduced posterior expansion and increased miniscrew slippering (p \u3c 0.001). Twenty days until interincisal diastema can be used to monitor expansion efficiency. Age is a useful predictor of efficiency, except during the ambiguous period of 16.81–20.14 years (17.91–19.88 for males, 16.95–18.94 for females) and for outliers. Conclusion: This study introduces a concrete classification system for MARPE outcomes, emphasising the role of expansion efficiency and parallelism in optimising clinical results. These four identified phenotypes provide a data-driven validation of the existing concepts of expansion patterns and their implications for treatment
Surface Assessment of a Novel Acid-Etching Solution on CAD/CAM Dental Ceramics
No full textBackground: This study investigated a new multi-acid-etching formulation for zirconia ceramics, containing hydrochloric, hydrofluoric, nitric, orthophosphoric, and sulfuric acids. The solution was tested on polycrystalline (5Y-TZP zirconia), lithium disilicate, hybrid ceramic, and feldspathic porcelain to assess compatibility, etching selectivity, and surface conditioning. Methods: Two-hundred-and-forty CAD/CAM specimens were etched for 20 s, 60 s, 30 min, or 1 h, and their surface roughness and etching patterns ware evaluated using 3D optical profilometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: A positive correlation was observed between etching time and surface roughness (Ra values). The most pronounced changes were observed in lithium disilicate and feldspathic porcelain, with Ra values increasing from 0.733 ± 0.082 µm (Group 5) to 1.295 ± 0.123 µm (Group 8), and from 0.902 ± 0.102 µm (Group 13) to 1.480 ± 0.096 µm (Group 16), respectively. Zirconia increased from 0.181 ± 0.043 µm (Group 1) to 0.371 ± 0.074 µm (Group 4), and the hybrid ceramic from 0.053 ± 0.008 µm (Group 9) to 0.099 ± 0.016 µm (Group 12). Two-way ANOVA revealed significant effects of material and etching time, as well as a significant interaction between the two factors (p \u3c 0.001). SEM observation revealed non-selective etching pattern for the lithium disilicate groups, indicating a risk of over-etching. Conclusions: The tested etching solution increased surface roughness, especially for the lithium disilicate and feldspathic porcelain specimens. In zirconia, one-hour etching improved surface characteristics with minimal observable damage. However, additional studies are necessary to validate the mechanical stability and bond effectives of this approach
Key factors for successful eruption of the mandibular third molar after extraction of the mandibular second molar
No full textObjective: Extraction of the mandibular second molar (L7) and substitution by the mandibular third molar (L8) is an effective treatment option. This study aimed to evaluate spontaneously erupted L8 occlusion after L7 extraction, and identify the influencing factors. Methods: This study assessed 46 L8 from 28 patients using dental study models, panoramic radiographs, and lateral cephalograms obtained during L7 extraction (T1) and completion of L8 eruption (T2). At T2, samples were categorized as acceptable (A-group) or unacceptable (U-group) based on the American Board of Orthodontics index. L8 angulation and position, retromolar space, distance between the Xi point and mandibular first molar (L6), and Nolla stage were compared between the groups to identify the predictive factors for successful eruption. Results: At T2, 58.7% of L8 exhibited acceptable occlusion. Age at T1 was significantly higher in the U-group than that in the A-group. Angles ∠6-MnP and ∠8-MnP differed significantly between the groups at T2. Xi-L6 distance was considerably longer in the A-group than that in the U-group at T1 and T2. Younger age at extraction and Xi-L6 distance at T1 affected the acceptable occlusion. Conclusions: Younger age at L7 extraction and adequate eruption space (Xi-L6 distance) appear to be the key factors for achieving acceptable L8 occlusion