Considerations in the diagnosis of oral hairy leukoplakia-an institutional experience.

Objective: We report here the 10-year experience with oral hairy leukoplakia (OHL) at the Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Study Design: All the associated hematoxylin and eosin and Epstein-Barr virus encoding region in situ hybridization slides of OHL cases between January 1, 2008, and February 1, 2017, were retrieved and reviewed. Collected demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, medical and social histories were reviewed and reported.

Molar root-incisor malformation: considerations of diverse developmental and etiologic factors.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the variation in the condition referred to as molar root-incisor malformation (MRIM) and elucidate the distribution of affected teeth. This study further aimed to identify associated environmental stressors.

Study Design: Individuals were identified through retrospective review of dental radiographs and through referral to the investigators.

Portuguese Dentists' Attitudes Towards Their Role in Addressing Obesity.

Purpose: To determine Portuguese dentists' role in addressing obesity.

Materials And Methods: For this pilot study, the original version of the Dentists' Role In Addressing Obesity questionnaire was translated from English into Portuguese and validated to ensure that it was culturally adapted for Portuguese dentists. The questionnaire was distributed to a random sample of 400 Portuguese dentists.

Topical application of a mucoadhesive freeze-dried black raspberry gel induces clinical and histologic regression and reduces loss of heterozygosity events in premalignant oral intraepithelial lesions: results from a multicentered, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Purpose: Approximately 30% higher grade premalignant oral intraepithelial neoplasia (OIN) lesions will progress to oral cancer. Although surgery is the OIN treatment mainstay, many OIN lesions recur, which is highly problematic for both surgeons and patients. This clinical trial assessed the chemopreventive efficacy of a natural product-based bioadhesive gel on OIN lesions.

A randomized controlled trial of the effect of standardized patient scenarios on dental hygiene students' confidence in providing tobacco dependence counseling.

Purpose: Dental hygienists report a lack of confidence in initiating Tobacco Dependence Counseling (TDC) with their patients who smoke. The purpose of this study was to determine if the confidence of dental hygiene students in providing TDC can be increased by Standardized Patient (SP) training, and if that confidence can be sustained over time.

Methods: This 2-parallel group randomized design was used to compare the confidence of students receiving SP training to stu dents with no SP training.

Clinical and histological findings of denture stomatitis as related to intraoral colonization patterns of Candida albicans, salivary flow, and dry mouth.

Purpose: Multifactorial etiological factors contribute to denture stomatitis (DS), a type of oral candidiasis; however, unlike other oral candidiasis, DS can occur in a healthy person wearing a denture. In this study, we therefore attempt to explore the association between candida, denture, and mucosal tissue using (1) exfoliative cytology, (2) the candidal levels present in saliva, on mucosal tissues and on denture surfaces, and (3) the salivary flow rate and xerostomic symptoms.

Materials And Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 32 edentulous participants, 17 without DS as controls and 15 with DS (Newton's classification type II and III).

US pediatric dentists' counseling practices in addressing childhood obesity.

Purpose: Pediatric dentists could be in an excellent position to identify and intervene early for children at high risk for overweight or obesity; however, current practices and attitudes are uncertain. This study's purpose was to explore the practices and attitudes of pediatric dentists regarding weight-and caries-related counseling.

Methods: Data were analyzed from 1,779 pediatric dentists responding to a 2008-09 survey of 4,154 randomly selected pediatric and 3,846 general dentists.

Randomized controlled trials: what are they and who needs them?

Dentistry is rapidly entering a new era of evidence-based practice, and society is demanding prevention and treatment that has been proven to be effective in terms of meaningful health outcomes. Practitioners, individual patients and the public need randomized controlled trials because they provide the highest level of scientific evidence to change clinical practice and inform public health policy. Well-designed randomized controlled trials are conceptually simple but deceptively complex to design, implement and translate into clinical practice.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine for work-related pain correlates with career satisfaction among dental hygienists.

Purpose: Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMSP) is associated with work stress and burn-out among registered dental hygienists, with prevalence estimates ranging between 64 to 93%. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies can be helpful in managing CMSP. The purpose of this study was to determine if dental hygienists who use CAM have greater career satisfaction compared to conventional therapy (CT) users.

Dentists' attitudes about their role in addressing obesity in patients: a national survey.

Background: Reducing the incidence of obesity requires coordination among primary health care providers. Because of their frequent contact with patients, dentists are positioned to recognize patients at risk of developing obesity. The authors conducted a study to assess dentists' interest in and barriers to providing obesity counseling to patients.

Factors affecting North Carolina dental hygienists' confidence in providing obesity education and counseling.

Purpose: Obesity is a major public health issue in the United States. Dental hygienists influence their patients' oral health by providing dietary and behavioral recommendations that encourage good oral health practices. However, it is not known if they are ready to provide behavioral counseling strategies for weight loss.

Practicing dental hygienists' attitudes toward the proposed Advanced Dental Hygiene Practitioner: a pilot study.

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the attitudes of active registered dental hygienists toward the proposed Advanced Dental Hygiene Practitioner (ADHP). Factors of support/interest in the ADHP concept, level of practice, and socio-demographics were examined.

Methods: In 2007, a self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 1,562 active registered dental hygienists in Colorado, Kentucky, and North Carolina, states with diverse practice acts.

North Carolina dental hygiene students' opinions about tobacco cessation education and practices in their programs.

Inadequate training in tobacco cessation counseling (TCC) is a recognized, but mutable, barrier to implementation of tobacco cessation education (TCE) and intervention strategies in dental practice. The objective of this study was to identify the opinions and practices of senior dental hygiene (DH) students in North Carolina regarding their didactic training in TCE and integration of TCE into their clinical curricula. A pilot-tested questionnaire designed by the authors was administered to a cross-sectional, non-random convenience sample of 241 graduating senior DH students enrolled in all twelve North Carolina DH educational programs.

Effect of intracanal corticosteroids on healing of replanted dog teeth after extended dry times.

This study investigated the effect of potent intracanal corticosteroids on periodontal healing of replanted avulsed teeth and evaluated the systemic absorption of these corticosteroids. Sixty-seven extracted dog premolar roots were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: groups 1-3 filled with gutta-percha and replanted immediately and after 40 and 60 minutes, respectively; groups 4 and 5 filled with 0.05% clobetasol; and groups 6 and 7 filled with 0.

Periapical microsurgery: an in vivo evaluation of endodontic root-end filling materials.

The purpose of this study was to assess the healing of periapical tissues using three different materials (IRM [L.D. Caulk Inc, Dentsply International Inc, Milford, DE], Geristore [Den-Mat, Santa Maria, CA], and MTA [ProRoot MTA; Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties, Tulsa, OK]) after endodontic microsurgery in an animal model.

Examining the safety of dental treatment in pregnant women.

Background: Although clinicians generally consider it safe to provide dental care for pregnant women, supporting clinical trial evidence is lacking. This study compares safety outcomes from a trial in which pregnant women received scaling and root planing and other dental treatments.

Methods: The authors randomly assigned 823 women with periodontitis to receive scaling and root planing, either at 13 to 21 weeks' gestation or up to three months after delivery.

Distinctive pattern of glial fibrillary acidic protein immunoreactivity useful in distinguishing fragmented pleomorphic adenoma, canalicular adenoma and polymorphous low grade adenocarcinoma of minor salivary glands.

Objectives: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) can be helpful in the diagnosis of minor salivary gland neoplasms including those that have been incisionally biopsied or fragmented during surgery that do not contain key diagnostic features on hematoxylin and eosin sections. IHC has been used as an adjunct to distinguish among many salivary gland neoplasms using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The objective of this study was to determine whether a distinctive immunoreactivity staining pattern to GFAP can be consistently observed among three selected minor salivary gland neoplasms and thus serve as a diagnostic adjunctive procedure.