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   2013| July-December  | Volume 3 | Issue 2  
    Online since July 5, 2014

 
 
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ORIGINAL ARTICLES
An assessment of Dental Students' knowledge of radiation protection and practice
Joan E Enabulele, BO Igbinedion
July-December 2013, 3(2):54-59
DOI:10.4103/0974-7761.136044  
Objective: To assess dental students' knowledge of dental radiation protection and practice as well as correlating their knowledge to practice on dental radiography. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire based study on radiation protection among dental students. Correct responses to the questions were allocated 1 mark while wrong response received no mark. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 17 (Chicago, IL.). Pearson's coefficient correlation analysis was performed to establish relationship between various variables with the significant level set at 5%. Results: The study was conducted among 78 final year dental students, of which 32 were females and 46 were males. The mean score of the students on knowledge of radiobiology was 1.85 ± 1.19. Knowledge of radiation protection was abysmally poor with mean score of 0.92 ± 0.80 while the mean score of radiation protection practice was 2.69 ± 1.42. There was no significant correlation between the number of radiographs taken and knowledge of radiation protection or practice. A greater proportion of students with ''good'' radiation protection knowledge in comparison to those with ''poor'' knowledge kept a distance of over 3 metres from the patients/X-ray tube, wore lead apron, used the lowest possible settings on the X-ray machine and used collimators. Most (75.6%) of the students thought they did not have adequate knowledge on radiation protection. Conclusion: There is need to expand the curriculum to provide better exposure to radiation protection and its practice, so that these students on graduation will be well grounded with the principle governing dental radiography.
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REVIEW ARTICLE
Assessing the impact of dental faculties publication - methodology clarifications - need of the hour
Thavarajah Rooban, Umadevi Krishnamohan Rao, Elizabeth Joshua, Kannan Ranganathan
July-December 2013, 3(2):49-53
DOI:10.4103/0974-7761.136042  
With publication being made mandatory for being a dental faculty in most countries, there is a huge amount of research output emanating from academicians. Though there has been an acute interest in publication, there exists no policy or a common platform or a unified methodology where in the post-publication effects are analyzed. Each publication draws considerable resources in terms of manpower, time, financial and other valuable resources. Hence assessing the impact that contemporary research makes on health care delivery is crucial. Though, publications have evolved as a mark of scholarly skills, it needs to be periodically gauged for reasons including promotions, grants and other academic perks. Currently there are different yard sticks available. An easy to apply assessment method needs to be evolved for Pan-Indian application. The main aim of this review manuscript is to provide a comprehensive insight to post-publication metric assessment exercises so that the faculties, policy framers and funding agencies adopt uniform policies for periodical assessment of the teaching faculties for better oral health care delivery.
  5,401 1,680 -
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Burnout syndrome among undergraduate clinical dental students in Sudan
Sandra Magdi Ghali, Alhadi Mohieldin Awooda
July-December 2013, 3(2):71-75
DOI:10.4103/0974-7761.136049  
Background: Burnout syndrome is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and decreased personal accomplishment. Objective: To investigate the level of burnout syndrome among fourth and fifth year clinical dental students in Sudan. Materials and Methods: A total of 259 selected males and females of fourth and fifth years, using stratified random sampling technique from 10 universities and Medical Colleges in Sudan. Burnout was assessed by Maslach burnout inventory scale. 22 items concerning the measurement of the three burnout components: Emotional exhaustion (EE) (9 items), depersonalization (D) (5 items) and personal accomplishment (PA) (8 items). A high risk of burnout was considered present, when the respondent scored high in both (EE) and (D) and low in (PA). Results: Revealed that 57.1% of the students suffering from high levels of emotional exhaustion, only 3.1% had severe lack of personal accomplishment and 8.9% had severe depersonalization. Students from private universities showed significant higher levels in personal accomplishment than their counterparts in the public ones (P = 0.003). There was no significant difference between the means scored of EE, PA and D among males and females, fourth and fifth years students. Conclusion: Emotional exhaustion was the main component affecting Sudanese dental students. Burnout components affected the students in a same manner regarding male and female, fifth and fourth year students. Selection of dentistry as first career did not affect the level of burnout.
  5,093 466 -
Factors affecting the right and left discrimination ability among dental students
Manuel Sebastian Thomas, Sandya Kini, Kundabala Mala
July-December 2013, 3(2):66-70
DOI:10.4103/0974-7761.136047  
Background: Right-left confusion in dental practice may lead to iatrogenic mishaps and thus can be of serious concern with respect to the patient care. Hence, the purpose of this study was to assess the right-left discrimination (RLD) ability among dental students. The study aims to determine the relation of various factors that can affect the students' discriminating ability. Materials and Methods: All consented dental students from first year to fourth year were asked to mention their gender, course year, and handedness. They were also asked to record their perceived discriminatory ability on a five-point Likert scale and to mention the use of any method to aid in right-left discrimination. Modified Bergen test was used to determine the ability of the participants to differentiate right from left. The test had three subsections - all figures viewed from front, from back, and alternating views from back and front. The values obtained were statistically analysed. Results: There was no significant difference in the RLD ability between males (43.25 ± 4.52) and females (42.12 ± 4.53). Even the discriminatory ability had no significant association with students' clinical exposure. Students who used learnt technique for differentiation had significantly lower scores (41.95 ± 4.58) than those without any technique (43.40 ± 4.30). Conclusion: There was no significant association between gender and clinical exposure in the right-left discrimination ability among the dental students. Students who did not use any technique to aid them in differentiating right and left performed better than those who used some technique. Right-left confusion was more in situations where mental rotation was required.
  4,766 348 -
Knowledge of dental interns about management of dental needs of pregnant patients
Praveena Tantradi, Pallavi Madanshetty
July-December 2013, 3(2):76-80
DOI:10.4103/0974-7761.136050  
Objective: Recent studies have shown relationship between poor oral health in pregnant women and adverse pregnancy outcomes. So it was decided to assess the knowledge of interns who will be the future practitioners regarding management of dental needs of pregnant patients. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among 380 interns from eight dental colleges in Karnataka. Questionnaire comprised of 25 knowledge based questions and five questions regarding their training, number of pregnant patients treated by them and their confidence level in dental management of pregnant patient. Excel spread sheet was used for mathematical calculations. Results: More than 80% of the interns had knowledge about usage of NSAIDS (92%) antibiotics (82%) and local anesthetic (80%). Conversely many did not know about the FDA category of drugs to be used (80%) and safety of dental radiographs (89%) in pregnant patients. Results also showed lack of confidence in interns to provide dental care to pregnant patients. Conclusion: There is definitive need to improve the knowledge and thus the confidence levels of the interns.
  4,502 420 -
Knowledge of periodontal disease among group of health care professionals in Yenepoya University, Mangalore
H Rajesh, Vinita Boloor, Anupama Rao, Sruthy Prathap
July-December 2013, 3(2):60-65
DOI:10.4103/0974-7761.136045  
Introduction: Health care professionals interact with patients on a daily basis. Assessing and improving the existing knowledge of periodontal awareness among health care professionals is needed. They could be a good resource to educate patients on oral health Aims:
  • To assess the existing knowledge about periodontal disease among various health care professionals.
  • To identify deficit in the knowledge among these health care professionals.
Materials and Methods: This was a written questionnaire based pilot study. A total of 224 subjects (123 male & 101female subjects) were selected for the study from the Yenepoya University, Mangalore, Karnataka, India. Random sampling method was employed for case selection. The main topics included in the written questionnaire were knowledge of the definition of periodontitis, knowledge of risks associated with periodontitis, knowledge of risk factors for periodontitis and knowledge of preventive measures and treatment of periodontitis. Results: Bonferroni Multiple Comparisons test showed that there was a statistically significant difference between mean scores and mean percentage scores when compared between dentist and other professional groups. There was no statistically significant difference between the mean scores and mean percentage scores between Medical, Physiotherapy and Nursing professionals. Conclusion: Severe knowledge deficit was seen in risks associated with periodontitis and risk factors for periodontitis. There is a need to improve knowledge about periodontal disease in the health professionals in the Yenepoya University.
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Informed consent in orthodontics: A Prospective RCT comparing two methods of information delivery
Pratik Kumar Sharma
July-December 2013, 3(2):81-87
DOI:10.4103/0974-7761.136052  
Objective: To assess the influence of two different methods of information delivery on recall of information during the consent process for orthodontic treatment. Design and setting: A prospective randomized controlled questionnaire based study conducted at the Royal London Hospital and Central Middlesex Hospital. Materials and Methods: 64 patients starting fixed appliance treatment aged between 10 and 15 years were recruited. The control group (n = 31) and their parents received verbal information only regarding fixed appliance treatment. The study group (n = 33) and their parents received verbal supplemented with written information concerning fixed appliance therapy. Supervised completion of questionnaires was conducted with subjects and their parents immediately after the consenting process and approximately 6 weeks later. Results: 61 patients and their parents completed the questionnaire (control group n = 30; study group n = 31). The study group was more aware about the possibility of pain from braces, the need for emergency visits or the possibility of breakages compared with the control group (OR 0.92, CI 0.11-0.79). The study group was three times more likely to know the correct answer to how long treatment would take to complete compared to the control group (OR 3.20, CI 1.11-9.22). Furthermore, the study group was 3.5 times more likely to give the correct answer to why it is necessary to wear retainers compared to the control group (OR 3.65, CI 1.16-11.44). Conclusions: Verbal information given to patients about fixed appliance treatment should be supplemented with additional written information.
  3,601 345 -
DESCRIPTIVE, CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY
Clinical versus statistical significance in the Iranian postgraduate periodontal theses
S Vahabi, R Noormohammadi, S Rahnama
July-December 2013, 3(2):88-92
DOI:10.4103/0974-7761.136053  
Context: There is so much reliance on using statistical significance testing in clinical trials that sometimes leads to ignore clinical importance and statistical significance may be assumed as substantively important. Aims: According to different concepts and lack of specific clinical criteria in this field, the purpose of this study was to evaluate clinical versus statistical significance in the postgraduate periodontal theses from the first number until January of 2011 in Iran. Materials and Methods: All of the experimental periodontal theses in all six postgraduate dental faculties in Iran were evaluated and every direct and indirect evidences of clinical significance were double checked in titles, methods and materials, results, conclusions and suggestions by two trained dental interns. About one-third of the theses were triple checked by the trained director at the end of the study. Results: About 66.66 percent of accessible experimental theses had statistically significant results and 24 percent had some evidence of clinical significance. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that clinically significant changes related to periodontal therapy should be established and threshold values of each clinical parameters should be defined at the beginning of the study and then statistical testing can be used to validate that findings did not occur by chance.
  3,592 249 -
JOURNAL REVIEWS
Publication ethics
K Monika, Samuel Thomas
July-December 2013, 3(2):93-95
  2,836 278 -
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