Dentistry Professionals Research Articles

The development of a tool for the assessment of oral health program in a pediatric cancer unit

Abstract Background Oral diseases and associated illnesses interfere with cancer treatment, increase morbidity, prolong hospital stay, and increase costs. Oral care of children with cancer is essential to prevent oral diseases and decrease its symptoms. Standardized oral health and hygiene (OHH) practices must be a priority and incorporated as a routine cancer care quality. To improve OHH, baseline information of practices, processes and institutional support are necessary. Here, we report the steps we followed to develop a tool for evaluating OHH practices, support, and resources available in a pediatric cancer unit. Methods We conformed a working group (WG) integrated by healthcare professionals in pediatric, infectious diseases, oncology, and dentistry acquainted with the care of children with cancer. The steps proposed by the WG included: (1) literature review of published surveys in OHH; (2) interviews with practicing healthcare providers regarding OHH in pediatrics; (3) identification, adoption and adaptation of the Hand Hygiene Self-assessment framework (HHSAF), a survey model based on the multimodal improvement strategy (MMIS); (4) building of OHH tool; (5) validation test of OHH tool; and (6) pilot testing in recruited pediatric hematology and oncology centers. Google form version 0.8. Microsoft office excel 2021 (18.0) was used to build the OHH survey and obtain the WG member responses. The final draft of the survey was approved by WG members. We will evaluate survey validity in the pilot test among members of the PRINCIPAL network, a community of pediatric infectious disease experts and preventionists of Latin America. Results We found few reports on OHH practices in children cancer surveys. The WG met virtually and monthly from March to December 2023 to build the OHH survey. Our final survey version was organized following the model of the HHSAF and integrated into five main sections. These sections had items (Q) that requested answers regarding OHH practices and resources and institutional support (6Q); training and education of patients, families, and healthcare providers (6Q); evaluation and feedback of OHH processes in pediatric oncology unit and OHH practices of patients (6Q); reminders of OHH practices in the workplace (3Q); and hospital leadership support (2Q). The survey was made up of multiple choice and Likert scale questions. Each of the answers had a weight, and if all the items were present, the total was 400 points. Based on the total points obtained, we categorized the quality of the OHH practices of the pediatric oncology unit in inadequate (0-100); basic (101-200), intermediate (201-300), advanced (>300). The survey tool must be answered by an assigned team of the pediatric oncology unit oral health including a family member representative, and it could take less than 15 minutes to complete. Conclusion We developed a 21-item OHH practices survey following the WHO recommendations to use a MMIS model. We found that our newly developed tool was comprehensive and potentially helpful to assess OHH practices and identify success factors in best practices in OHH in pediatric oncology units. Our next step is pilot testing to evaluate our survey tool validity and reliability.

Awareness Regarding Periodontal Health Among Diabetic Patients Visiting A Tertiary Care Centre In Eastern Nepal

Introduction: Diabetes Mellitus and Periodontitis have a bidirectional relationship, each exacerbating the other’s complications. Periodontal disease is considered as the ‘sixth’ complication of diabetes. The adverse relationship between the two diseases is bidirectional. Raising awareness about oral hygiene and treating periodontal issues are essential to mitigate diabetes-related complications and improve overall oral health. Methods: In a descriptive cross-sectional study among a total of 403 diabetic patients visiting out-patient department of Internal Medicine at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, a questionnaire was used to assess awareness of periodontal health among diabetic patients. Results: The results indicated that the general public is less aware of the increased risk of oral diseases in diabetes. Only a minority of the respondents, 127 (31.43%), were aware of the link between poor oral health and the development of disease. 178 (44.05%) believed that diabetic patients are more likely to have swollen/tender gums, and 89 (22.02%) believed that diabetics are more prone to developing fungal infections in their mouth. Furthermore, only 70 (17.32%) of the respondents thought that diabetic patients have gum problems more often if their blood sugar remains high and only 76 (18.81%) believed that gum disease can negatively affect blood sugar control in diabetic patients. Conclusion: These data reveal a lack of knowledge about the oral manifestation of Diabetes Mellitus. Health professionals in dentistry and medicine must collaborate on educational programs to raise awareness about these oral manifestations, aiming to improve oral health and reduce the risk of oral diseases effectively.

Towards Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Surveying Dentists' and Orthodontists' Perspectives on Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders and Therapy.

Children with malocclusion, combined with orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs), show increased risk of developing orthodontic problems and needs later in life. Speech-language therapists typically provide orofacial myofunctional therapy (OMT) after referral by dentists, orthodontists or ENT specialists. Interdisciplinary treatment is often advisable to prevent relapse after orthodontic treatment. OMDs and OMT are often found to be controversial topics by dentistry professionals. This study aimed to investigate self-reported knowledge and attitudes of Flemish dentists and orthodontists towards OMDs and OMT. A survey containing 32 items on demographics, self-reported knowledge of OMDs and OMT, attitudes towards OMDs, OMT, and its use in clinical practice, and referral behaviour was filled out by 48 general dentists (48/79, 61%) and 31 orthodontists (31/79, 39%). The impact of specialization, degree of experience and educational programme was also evaluated. Fifty-six percent of all participants (44/79) reported insufficient to non-existent knowledge of OMT. Nevertheless, the general attitude towards the use of OMT was neutral (47%, 37/79) to (very) positive (48%, 38/79). Although they found correct, evidence-based knowledge on OMDs and OMT important, the majority indicated their formal training did not provide adequate information on OMDs (52%, 41/79) and OMT (62%, 49/79). Specialization showed significant effects, as orthodontists reported themselves knowledgeable on this topic significantly more often than general dentists (p < 0.001), and generally reported a more positive stance towards OMT (p = 0.022). Dentists and orthodontists indicated a general interest in the topic of OMDs and OMT, alongside an overall lack of information provided by formal education. Current findings suggest the necessity of re-evaluating current curricula on OMDs and OMT.

Perceptions of Dental Professionalism - An update

Introduction Professionalism is a crucial skill that every dentist must possess in the dental profession. However, the question arises of how dental educators can teach and evaluate professionalism to their postgraduate dental students. Therefore, a study was conducted to define the concept of dental professionalism, which can serve as a foundation for teaching and evaluating professionalism in the dental profession. Material & Methods Through a comprehensive literature review, the researcher identified approximately 35 different components. To refine the identified components further, the researcher conducted focused group discussions with diverse people, including academicians, private practitioners, postgraduate students, and patients. These discussions and validation by experts resulted in the identification of four significant domains with 20 constructs. Results The analysis has yielded four distinct domains encompassing a wide range of considerations. The first group, Societal, pertains to issues that affect society. The second group, Professional, relates to matters that impact one's professional life, such as career goals and workplace conduct. The third category, Ethical, involves questions of morality and ethical behavior. Finally, the fourth type, Personal, encompasses concerns that are unique to an individual, such as personal growth and well-being. Conclusions Professionalism may be defined as "the unification of several core competencies of an individual to be ethical in both personal and professional life and believes in promoting and providing benefits to society.” The model seeks to provide a framework that may be employed to establish an effective educational and assessment regimen. By offering a lucid understanding of the essential elements that define professionalism in dentistry, the model can assist dental professionals in enhancing their skills and competencies, enabling them to provide high-quality patient care. Key Words Dental, Education, Postgraduates, Professionalism

Concordance of judgement: A tool to foster the development of professionalism in dentistry.

Developing professionalism notably involves learning how to make professional judgements in ambiguous situations. The Concordance of Judgement Test (CJT) is a learning tool that was proposed to develop professionalism competencies, but it was never performed in dentistry or used with a synchronous methodology. The present study evaluated the feasibility of the use of CJT in the context of dental education, to foster professionalism and stimulate reflexivity and discussion. After different steps of optimization, a questionnaire presenting 12 vignettes was submitted to 33 Canadian students. Second, after an additional optimization, a questionnaire of 7 vignettes was submitted to 87 French students. An immediate educational feedback was proposed after each vignette to promote reflexivity and discussions during the experience. The overall experience of the students was reported as good, thanks to the feedback of real-life situations. This promoted reflexivity and stimulated discussion between students and educators regarding professionalism issues. The students considered CJT as a relevant and well-adapted tool, and reported positive feelings regarding the inter-university aspect of the activity. The mean score of the panel members was close to 80/100 and the mean score of the students was 5 to 10 points lower, which is in agreement with docimological performance. The results suggested that the use of CJT in a synchronous way was a feasible and relevant tool to motivate the students to improve their professionalism, and to stimulate their reflexivity and discussion. The students reported positive experience with CJT, and we believe that this tool can be integrated in the dental curriculum.

Perception of dental students and faculty regarding the practice of professionalism in dentistry using the Professionalism Mini Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX).

Professionalism is one of the fundamental traits which includes behaviors, commitments, standards, and goals that helps define a profession. This study aimed to assess the attitude of dental students and graduates regarding the practice of professionalism in dentistry using the Professionalism Mini Evaluation Exercise (P-MEX) questionnaire. This cross-sectional study was conducted amongst the dental undergraduates, lecturers and postgraduate faculty. Views regarding professionalism were assessed using the P-MEX. The 24-questions based survey form is comprised of questions related to doctor and patient relationship skills, reflective abilities, time management, and lastly, interprofessional relationship expertise. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 23. Descriptive statistics were done using mean and SD, whilst associations between responses were assessed using Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests. P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. From a total of 201 participants, 95 (47.3%) were males and 106 (52.7%) were females. Statistically significant association was seen between time management, reflective skills, and interpersonal skills with gender, as well as the domains of P-MEX and years of education. The use of P-MEX provides a valid confirmation for the assessment and awareness of professionalism amongst the dental faculty and students. Females demonstrated higher traits of professionalism as compared to males. The findings from the current study identify that students and faculty members had sufficient awareness regarding professionalism and the practice of professionalism was routinely followed.

The blurred lines of professionalism in dentistry

AbstractIntroduction Literature surrounding the definition, portrayal and teaching of professionalism in dentistry is widespread. However, there has been substantially less focus on the boundaries of professionalism and what constitutes unprofessional or a lapse in professionalism.Aims What about a dentist's conduct calls their professionalism into question? In exploring this, we shed light on where the boundary between professional and unprofessional conduct is blurred.Methods Drawing on data from a larger study, we conducted a thematic analysis on a series of statements surrounding professionalism and 772 open-text online survey responses from dental professionals and the public.Results Professionalism in dentistry and the circumstances where it is brought into question appears to centre around patient trust. Blurriness occurs when we consider how trust is established. Two lines of argument were constructed: patients' trust in the professionalism of their dentist is founded on any behaviour bearing a direct influence on clinical care or that challenges the law; and patients' trust also extends to aspects that reveal the inherent character of the dentist and that can threaten their integrity.Conclusion We recommend an approach to professionalism that mirrors a dentist's approach to clinical practice: learned and tailored interactions, and judgement and reflection.

Development of a security protocol in the dental service of the Instituto Penal Professor Olavo de Oliveira II – IPPOO II

Dental surgeons (DC) in Brazil work in the private or public sector, but little is known about their work inside prisons. In the scientific literature, there is a lot of research on the oral health conditions of the prison population, but little has been said about how DCs should act inside prisons. Therefore, the aim of this work is to build a safety protocol for health professionals within penal establishments. Research was carried out in the available literature on the technical standards of the Penitentiary Administration Secretariats of the states of Minas Gerais and Paraná and, at the same time, a security protocol was proposed for the Instituto Penal Professor Olavo Oliveira II (IPPOII), in Ceará. The basic guidelines of the protocol were: presence of the Penitentiary Police Officer (PP) inside the office; the detainee's hands together and fingers must be intertwined; the patient must always maintain an ergonomic head position and dentistry professionals must know the risk profile by type of crime or whether they are leaders of criminal factions. Therefore, this work suggests the use of a security protocol for security professionals working at IPPO II.

ORAL MANIFESTATIONS AND INJURIES RELATED TO COVID-19: AN EXPERIENCE REPORT ON THE ROLE OF HOSPITAL DENTISTRY

SARS-COV-2 is transmitted among human beings by saliva droplets that come in direct contact with the oral cavity, nose, and eyes. Since the mouth is one of the anatomical sites primarily contaminated, oral manifestations have also been reported beyond the serious consequences inherent to progressive respiratory failure. This study aimed to identify oral manifestations possibly related to the infection by COVID-19 in hospitalized patients. A prospective study was carried out with patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in the period between March and June 2021, admitted to the Moderate COVID-19 Care Unit of the Hans Dieter Schmidt Regional Hospital, by applying a form and performing a clinical exam of the oral cavity. Out of all patients (n=45), 33.3% reported both olfactory (anosmia) and taste dysfunction (dysgeusia), with an average duration of 5.9 ±3.0 days. Regarding other oral manifestations evaluated, two patients reported dry and burning mouth and one patient reported a change in taste associated with plaque-like changes in the tongue. No patients presented ulcers or other lesions in the oral cavity. Olfactory and taste dysfunction were symptoms recognized of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, the association with other oral manifestations is still controversy. Unfortunately, dentistry professionals are still not part of most teams in the hospital environment, mostly because of the lack of prioritization of dental care. Working with a multidisciplinary team may avoid possible systemic complications due to poor dental care.

Perceptions of volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic among medical and dental professionals in Saudi Arabia.

Volunteering can be defined as any action where time is freely donated to help another individual, organization, or cause. During pandemics, volunteers in the healthcare industry are essential. There were different perspectives on volunteering around the world. This study evaluated Saudi Arabia's clinical medical and dentistry students' attitudes and perspectives on volunteering during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A descriptive cross-sectional study of medical and dental students completing the clinical experience in Saudi Arabia. A web-based survey gathered data, and SPSS, Chi-square, and Fisher's exact tests were used for analysis. The majority of participants had positive attitudes and perceptions of volunteering during COVID-19 on most items. A total of 93.80% said they would volunteer given the opportunity, and 86.25% would respond to governmental calls during health crises. However, 62.26% would volunteer only if compensated, 66.58% needed parental approval before volunteering, and 74.93% had fears about infecting family members. Nearly all items were not significantly different by specialty (medicine/dentistry), gender, nationality, region, or education level. Medical and dentistry professionals had good attitudes about volunteering during health disasters, especially when provided proper protection and training. The majority of participants were likely to respond to governmental calls if needed. Future studies should investigate compensation methods and types.

The hypoglossus nerve (XII cranial nerve pair): anatomical considerations and complications after injuries – a literature review

The hypoglossal nerve (XII cranial nerve) is the tongue’s motor supply. The hypoglossal nerve trajectory can be separated into two main parts: intracranial and extracranial. Objective: Considering the rarity of hypoglossus nerve injury, and that when it occurs it results in clinical implications that should be known by the Medical and Dentistry professionals, the aim of this study was to carry out a literature review on the anatomy of the hypoglossal nerve and possible causes of injuries and ways to treat this type of complication. Material and methods: A literature review was carried out in the international Pubmed database. The literature review included 19 articles from 1965 to 2021. The keywords used were: “hypoglossus nerve”, “injury”. Of the 19 articles, 10 were used for this literature review. Among the 9 articles that were discarded, 5 did not address the objective of this work and 4 did not present the available text. All types of articles were considered (1 literature review, 6 case reports and 3 original articles). Conclusion: The knowledge of the hypoglossal nerve anatomy is for surgical interventions, partial resections, and tongue reconstructions. The causes listed in the present literature review are intubation, the covid-19, procedures performed in the carotid area and occipital condyle fracture. In relation to treatment approaches, no specific protocol has been invented until now.

Readiness of Health Care Professionals in Singapore to Teach Online and Their Technology-Related Teaching Needs: Quantitative Cross-sectional Pilot Study.

With the increasing acceptance of face-to-face classes transitioning to web-based learning due to COVID-19, there is an increasing need to have educators trained and equipped to teach online. The ability to teach in-person may not necessarily mean that one is ready teach in a web-based environment. The objective of our study was to investigate the readiness of health care professionals in Singapore to teach online and their technology-related teaching needs. This was a quantitative cross-sectional pilot study conducted among health care administrative staff and professionals in medicine, nursing, allied health, and dentistry. Participants were recruited via an open invitation email to all staff members of Singapore's largest group of health care institutions. Data were collected using a web-based questionnaire. Differences in the readiness of the professionals to teach online were analyzed using analysis of variance, and a 1-sided independent sample t test was performed to analyze the differences between respondents younger than 40 years and those older than 41 years. A total of 169 responses was analyzed. Full-time academic faculty members scored the highest for readiness to teach online (2.97), followed by nursing professionals (2.91), medicine professionals (2.88), administrative staff members (2.83), and allied health professionals (2.76). However, there was no statistically significant difference (P=.77) among all the respondents in their readiness to teach online. There was an agreement among all professionals in their need for software tools to teach; in particular, there was a significant difference in the software needs among the professionals for streaming videos (P=.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the readiness to teach online between those younger than 40 years and those older than 41 years (P=.48). Our study shows that there are still some gaps in terms of readiness to teach online among health care professionals. Our findings can be used by policy makers and faculty developers to identify opportunities for development among their educators so that they are ready to teach online with the appropriate software tools.

Certainty and systematicity of practice-derived evidence matter for its relative importance in professional decision-making: Survey results on the role of proven experience in Swedish medicine, nursing, OT, dentistry, and dental hygiene.

High-quality healthcare decisions need to balance input from science and clinical practice. When two sources of evidence - such as scientific and practice-derived evidence - are compared, integrated, or need to stand-in for one another, they need to be comparable on similar dimensions. Since 1891, Swedish physicians have been operating under a legal requirement to base their healthcare decisions on science and "proven experience" (approximately clinical expertise), and today all healthcare personnel in Sweden fall under this legal requirement. We investigated the dynamics between these two kinds of evidence with respect to importance, systematicity, and certainty by studying Swedish healthcare professionals. Survey to professionals; document studies of political discourse. In this study, a survey was sent to simple random samples of Swedish professionals in medicine, nursing, occupational therapy, dentistry, and dental hygiene, asking about the roles of science and proven experience in medical decision making. Outcome measures were how important, certain, and systematic science and proven experience are for successful medical decision making. The sampling frame was each profession's most recent occupational registry accessed by the Swedish federal statistical agency. 3500 surveys were distributed. 1626 surveys were returned. 26 participants were removed prior to analysis (exclusion criteria: more than one profession indicated, missing certificate, and mistake in stratum). The final sample consisted of 295 physicians, 300 nurses, 365 occupational therapists, 339 dentists, and 301 hygienists. 162 responses in questions used as variables in the analyses were either uninterpretable or empty; those were replaced with the modal response for a given participant's profession on a given question. In the study, proven experience's perceived importance for clinical decision making is positively correlated with its certainty and systematicity, and an increased certainty and systematicity is positively correlated with a diminished difference in importance between science and proven experience for almost all professions surveyed in this study. Proven experience has an evidentiary role in clinical decision making, and this role depends in part on its certainty and systematicity. Notably, this makes the EBM-based perspective that practice-derived knowledge is primarily of implementation value less plausible.

A Survey on the Use of Artificial Intelligence by Clinicians in Dentistry and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Background: Applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine and dentistry have been on the rise in recent years. In dental radiology, deep learning approaches have improved diagnostics, outperforming clinicians in accuracy and efficiency. This study aimed to provide information on clinicians’ knowledge and perceptions regarding AI. Methods: A 21-item questionnaire was used to study the views of dentistry professionals on AI use in clinical practice. Results: In total, 302 questionnaires were answered and assessed. Most of the respondents rated their knowledge of AI as average (37.1%), below average (22.2%) or very poor (23.2%). The participants were largely convinced that AI would improve and bring about uniformity in diagnostics (mean Likert ± standard deviation 3.7 ± 1.27). Among the most serious concerns were the responsibility for machine errors (3.7 ± 1.3), data security or privacy issues (3.5 ± 1.24) and the divestment of healthcare to large technology companies (3.5 ± 1.28). Conclusions: Within the limitations of this study, insights into the acceptance and use of AI in dentistry are revealed for the first time.

Sources of occupational stress amongst dentistry academics.

Dentistry professionals may experience significantly higher occupational stress than other health professionals and dentistry academics may have specific work content and context sources of stress. The aim of this study is to identify common sources of occupational stress, and how these are associated with wellbeing, in dentistry academics. A cross-sectional online survey with staff in Dentistry departments in Australia and New Zealand. Assessment included 23 items from five general domains of occupational stress from the NIOSH-Generic Job Stress Questionnaire, a 23-item list of sources of stress and the 22-item Psychological General Well-Being Index. Analyses used descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. A total of 107 respondents (average age 50 ± 11.7 years, 56.8% men) completed the survey. Leading sources of occupational stress were job future, time pressure at work, work overload, and administration demands. A multiple linear regression model significantly predicted wellbeing, F(8,77)=13.141, p =.000, adj.R2 =.53, but there were no significant associations for any of the specific sources of stress. The combination of time pressure, workload and responsibility, job dissatisfaction, low social support, and uncertain job future was inversely associated with wellbeing amongst these dentistry academics. Future studies should consider the development and evaluation of interventions to address these concerns.

Professionalism in dentistry: deconstructing common terminology

BackgroundThere is a social expectation that dentists demonstrate professionalism. Although the General Dental Council puts it at the heart of their regulatory agenda, there is not yet consensus on the meaning and implications of the term.ObjectiveTo explore practising dentists’ understanding of the character traits commonly associated with professionalism and what these mean in practice.MethodConstructivist grounded theory was employed throughout this study. Qualitative, in-depth interviews were conducted with dental professionals in England recruited through theoretical sampling to saturation point. Interviews used a topic guide informed by the literature, and analysis was conducted through constant comparison during data collection.ResultsThe study found that traits commonly associated with professionalism in the literature were difficult for dentists to define clearly or operationalise in a clinical setting. There was disagreement over how some traits should be understood, and it was unclear to participants how, or indeed if, the listed traits were directly relevant to practice in their current form.ConclusionRather than expecting unconditional adherence to an externally imposed definition, further exploration is required to understand how health professionals make sense of professionalism by reference to their lived experiences and worldviews.In BriefInstitutional expectations of professionalism, defined through character traits and behaviours, do not appear to map neatly on to the experiences of dental professionals.Straightforward, apparently uncontroversial terms elicited a wide range of responses, including disagreement. This brought in to question whether achieving consensus is possible.Analysing how our respondents understood the terms by reference to the meanings they constructed from lived experience offers deeper insights.

Modeling the Behavioral Response of Dentists to COVID-19 and Assessing the Perceived Impacts of Pandemic on Operative Dentistry Practices in Pakistan.

COVID-19 pandemic has affected dentistry in unprecedented ways. This study investigates the perceived effects of the pandemic on operative dentistry procedures and dentistry profession in Pakistan and the factors that determine the behavioral changes among dentists to adapt to the “new normal.” A Capability Opportunity Motivation-Behavioral model (COM-B) was utilized to investigate the factors that determine the behavior of dentists in Punjab, Pakistan to adhere to COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs). Using social media, an online questionnaire was sent to operative dentistry professionals in Pakistan, and 312 responses were received. 81.4% of the respondents believed that the COVID-19 pandemic has severely affected the level of care provided to the patients, 66% were extremely worried about the risk of contagion during clinical practices, and more than 75% of the respondents opined that the pandemic has led to an increased emphasis on disinfection and oral hygiene instructions. The multiple regression model suggests that the behavior of Pakistani dentists to adhere to the COVID-19 SOPs is significantly affected by their Capabilities (β = 0.358) and Opportunities (β = 0.494). The study concluded that dentists in Punjab, Pakistan are concerned about the risk of contagion and report a serious concern about consequences such as financial loss and inappropriate care of patients. The current study results can feed the policymaking in Pakistan and other developing countries. Facilities and training to improve dentists' opportunities and capabilities can improve their ability to cope with the COVID-19 challenges.

Dental students’ perception and knowledge regarding the importance of professionalism in dentistry: A cross sectional study

Background: Professionalism has been recognised as an essential component of dental practise since the twenty-first century. Various researchers have published definitions of professionalism, but the perception of dental students and graduates regarding professionalism in Pakistan has been limited. Objective: The main objective was to explore the awareness and importance of professionalism among the undergraduate dental students in Pakistan. Method: This cross-sectional research was carried out among the third and final year dental students from August to December 2021. Written consent was attained from all the study participants. Data was collected and statistically analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, Version 21. The Chi-square test is conducted to assess the association between the variables. Results: From a total of 201 participants, 95 males (47.3%) and 106 females (52.7%) were involved. Among these, there were 93 (46.3%) 3rd year and 108 (53.6%) 4th year dental students. In response to being asked to listen actively to patients, the majority of the males (72/6%) and females (91.5%) agreed. Similarly, for recognising the needs of patients, 84% of males and 91.5% of females agreed (p value 0.000). Regarding finding it difficult to meet patient requirements, 84% of males agreed while 43.2% of females disagreed (p value 0.000). The majority of the participants who kept records were males (73.6%) and females (90.4%). Conclusion: The study concluded that dental students had adequate knowledge and attitude regarding dental professionalism. The students not only listened attentively to the patients but were also punctual and showed compassion and care towards the patients. Keywords: Dental students. Professionalism, Pakistan, Cross sectional study, Ethics

Professionalism in the dental practice: perspectives from members of the public, dentists and dental care professionals

Introduction This paper examines views on professionalism in the dental practice workplace through a thematic analysis of data from eight focus groups.Methods Focus groups were conducted with 19 dentists, 13 dental care professionals and 19 members of the public in England and Wales. The research was part of a larger mixed-methods study of professionalism in dentistry commissioned by the General Dental Council.Results The four most prominent themes in the focus group data were: communication, the cost of treatment, the role of the dental team and consequences of professionalism concerns. Participants agreed that these are fundamental professionalism issues, although there was some difference of opinion about addressing them. There was disagreement about the responsibilities of different members of the dental team in maintaining professionalism.Conclusion We conclude that communication skills training should be a central part of the professionalism at all levels of training. Education about team working could foster a more collaborative approach to professionalism across the dental team and support good, patient-centred oral healthcare. Support and guidance are required to help professionals reflect and learn from mistakes.

Uses of Different Machine Learning Algorithms for Diagnosis of Dental Caries.

Background Dental caries is one of the major oral health problems and is increasing rapidly among people of every age (children, men, and women). Deep learning, a field of Artificial Intelligence (AI), is a growing field nowadays and is commonly used in dentistry. AI is a reliable platform to make dental care better, smoother, and time-saving for professionals. AI helps the dentistry professionals to fulfil demands of patients and to ensure quality treatment and better oral health care. AI can also help in predicting failures of clinical cases and gives reliable solutions. In this way, it helps in reducing morbidity ratio and increasing quality treatment of dental problem in population. Objectives The main objective of this study is to conduct a systematic review of studies concerning the association between dental caries and machine learning. The objective of this study is to design according to the PICO criteria. Materials and Methods A systematic search for randomized trials was conducted under the guidelines of PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses). In this study, e-search was conducted from four databases including PubMed, IEEE Xplore, Science Direct, and Google Scholar, and it involved studies from year 2008 to 2022. Result This study fetched a total of 133 articles, from which twelve are selected for this systematic review. We analyzed different types of machine learning algorithms from which deep learning is widely used with dental caries images dataset. Neural Network Backpropagation algorithm, one of the deep learning algorithms, gives a maximum accuracy of 99%. Conclusion In this systematic review, we concluded how deep learning has been applied to the images of teeth to diagnose the detection of dental caries with its three types (proximal, occlusal, and root caries). Considering our findings, further well-designed studies are needed to demonstrate the diagnosis of further types of dental caries that are based on progression (chronic, acute, and arrested), which tells us about the severity of caries, virginity of lesion, and extent of caries. Apart from dental caries, AI in the future will emerge as supreme technology to detect other diseases of oral region combinedly and comprehensively because AI will easily analyze big datasets that contain multiple records.