Psychosocial determinants of oral health outcomes in young children.

Objective: To examine the social determinants of early childhood caries (ECC), one of the greatest public health risks affecting children, and examine alternative pathways of influence.

Methods: A physically healthy, socio-demographically high-risk sample of initially caries-free children, aged 1-4 years, was prospectively studied for 2 years. At 6-month intervals, assessments were made of caries presence from a standard dental exam; oral microbiology was assayed from saliva samples; oral hygiene behaviors and psychological and psychosocial risk exposure were derived from interviews and questionnaires.

Mental health curricula in predoctoral dental school programs: A content analysis.

Background: Given the prevalence of mental health concerns, dentists have an opportunity to provide mental health screenings to enhance overall patient care. The purpose of this study is to summarize and discuss the characteristics of mental health curricula related to patient care in accredited dental schools.

Methods: We identified accredited predoctoral dental programs incorporating mental health training related to patient care into their curriculum.

Effectiveness of synchronous teledentistry consultations in facilitating treatment compliance of rural pediatric patients.

Background: Limited access to pediatric oral health care in rural US areas is a substantial dental public health problem. In 2010, the Eastman Institute for Oral Health at the University of Rochester, initiated a synchronous teledentistry program to enhance oral health screenings, treatment planning, and treatment completion for rural pediatric patients who reside in the Western region of New York.

Methods: Data from dental records of all pediatric patients who were participants in the teledentistry program from its inception on April 13, 2010 through December 31, 2022, were reviewed.

Mental health screenings in dental settings: Feasibility and outcomes from a study by The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network.

Background: With the rising importance of mental health screenings in nontraditional settings, dental offices offer an important opportunity to provide these services. This feasibility study examined mental health screenings and referral to treatment procedures in dental practices.

Methods: A total of 17 dentists, dental hygienists, and dental office staff members (dental office personnel [DOP]) from 5 dental practices enrolled 36 patients in the study.

A National Dental Practice-Based Research Network phase II, cluster-randomized clinical trial assessing nicotine replacement therapy sampling in dental settings: study protocol for the Free Samples for Health (FreSH) study.

Background: Cigarette smoking has major detrimental effects on oral health. Tobacco interventions in dental settings are effective, but rarely delivered. The American Dental Hygienists Association recommends that oral health providers: Ask patients about tobacco use, Advise quitting tobacco use, and Refer to state quitlines (Ask-Advise-Refer; AAR).

Implementation of a 4Ms approach in age-friendly oral health care at an Academic Specialty Care Dental Clinic.

Background: Implementing the Age-Friendly Health System (AFHS) framework into dental care provides a significant opportunity to link oral health to healthy aging. This project aimed to implement the AFHS 4Ms (what matters, medications, mentation, and mobility) in the provision of oral health care. This article describes the planning, integration, training development, and outcome measurements supporting a 4Ms approach at an academic dental clinic.

Perceptions of mental health screening and referral to treatment in National Dental-Practice Based Research Network practices: A qualitative study.

Objectives: Dental practices can have additional positive impacts on public health by implementing mental health screening and referral to treatment in dental care workflows. In this study, we examined how dental practices identify and address adult patient mental health concerns, attitudes about implementing mental health screening and referral, and potential barriers and facilitators to treatment.

Methods: We conducted semi-structured focus groups with 17 dentists, 10 dental hygienists, and 5 dental assistants/office staff in the South-Central region of the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network.

Psychosocial Risk Exposure Limits Routine Pediatric Oral Health Care.

Introduction: This study aimed to identify social, psychological, and contextual factors that influenced attendance at routine oral health visits in a cohort of 189 preschool children who were followed over a 2-year period.

Methods: Generalized estimating equation was used to examine the association between clinic attendance and the predictors. ORs and 95% CIs were reported in the multiple logistic regression models.

Dental staff and patient attitudes about nicotine replacement therapy samples in dental care: A National Dental Practice-Based Research Network study.

Objectives: Cigarette smoking negatively affects oral health. Nicotine replacement therapies (NRT; e.g.

Acceptance and Usability of an Innovative mDentistry eHygiene Model Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic Within the US National Dental Practice-Based Research Network: Mixed Methods Study.

Background: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic and other possible future infectious disease pandemics, dentistry needs to consider modified dental examination regimens that render quality care and ensure the safety of patients and dental health care personnel (DHCP).

Objective: This study aims to assess the acceptance and usability of an innovative mDentistry eHygiene model amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This pilot study used a 2-stage implementation design to assess 2 critical components of an innovative mDentistry eHygiene model: virtual hygiene examination (eHygiene) and patient self-taken intraoral images (SELFIE), within the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network.

Characteristics of dentists in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network.

Objectives: Our aims are to describe the characteristics of dentists, members of the US National Dental practice-based research network (PBRN) in the United States, and determine how often these dentists provide specific dental procedures.

Methods: Dentists completed a questionnaire when they enrolled in the Network about their demographic and training characteristics and characteristics of their practices and patients. Dentists also reported the frequency of providing specific dental procedures.

Accuracy of Telemedicine Consultations in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: Telemedicine has been an emerging trend over the past few years and has seen an exponential rise due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the present study was to determine the accuracy of planned oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMS) procedures for patients seen initially by telemedicine in the department of OMS during the pandemic.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Onset and resolution of pain among treated and untreated posterior teeth with a visible crack: Three-year findings from the national dental practice-based research network.

Objective: Cracked teeth may be associated with pain, especially biting pain, and to a lesser degree cold and spontaneous pain.  Described are how commonly these pains remain constant, develop, or resolve over time, none of which have been well-described, especially among untreated cracked teeth.

Methods: Cracked teeth from the Cracked Tooth Registry (CTR) study were followed for 3 years.

Assessment of an Innovative Mobile Dentistry eHygiene Model Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network: Protocol for Design, Implementation, and Usability Testing.

Background: Amid COVID-19, and other possible future infectious disease pandemics, dentistry needs to consider modified dental examination regimens that render quality care, are cost effective, and ensure the safety of patients and dental health care personnel (DHCP). Traditional dental examinations, which number more than 300 million per year in the United States, rely on person-to-person tactile examinations, pose challenges to infection control, and consume large quantities of advanced-level personal protective equipment (PPE). Therefore, our long-term goal is to develop an innovative mobile dentistry (mDent) model that takes these issues into account.

Anticholinergic medication: Related dry mouth and effects on the salivary glands.

Objective: Salivary glands are among the most sensitive target organs of medications with anticholinergic (AC) properties, interrupting the neural stimulation of saliva secretion and reducing saliva flow. Hyposalivation results in dry mouth, leading to dental caries, intraoral infection, orofacial pain, problems with speaking and swallowing, and diminished oral health--related quality of life. Current understanding of the pharmacokinetics of AC medications and their effect on muscarinic receptors in the salivary glands were reviewed to assist clinicians in predicting salivary damage in patients with AC medication-induced dry mouth.

The use of teledentistry in facilitating oral health for older adults: A scoping review.

Background: Teledentistry is used in many countries to provide oral health care services. However, using teledentistry to provide oral health care services for older adults is not well documented. This knowledge gap needs to be addressed, especially when accessing a dental clinic is not possible and teledentistry might be the only way for many older adults to receive oral health care services.

Baseline characteristics as 3-year predictors of tooth fracture and crack progression: Findings from The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network.

Background: The authors of this practice-based study estimated the risk of experiencing tooth fractures and crack progression over 3 years and correlated baseline patient-, tooth-, and crack-level characteristics with these outcomes.

Methods: Two-hundred-and-nine National Dental Practice-Based Research Network dentists enrolled a convenience sample of 2,601 participants with a cracked vital posterior tooth that had been examined for at least 1 recall visit over 3 years. Data were collected at the patient, tooth, and crack levels at baseline, annual follow-up visits, and any interim visits.

Interprofessional collaboration and smartphone use as promising strategies to improve prenatal oral health care utilization among US underserved women: results from a qualitative study.

Background: Data on barriers and facilitators to prenatal oral health care among low-income US women are lacking. The objective of this study was to understand barriers/facilitators and patient-centered mitigation strategies related to the use of prenatal oral health care among underserved US women.

Methods: We used community-based participatory research to conduct two focus groups with eight pregnant/parenting women; ten individual in-depth interviews with medical providers, dental providers and community/social workers; and one community engagement studio with five representative community stakeholders in 2018-2019.

Concordance between practitioner questionnaire responses and observed clinical treatment recommendations for treatment of dentin hypersensitivity: findings from the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network.

Background: Few published reports have presented concordance between treatment choices selected by dentists in hypothetical clinical scenarios and treatment choices made by the same dentists in actual clinical practice. The aim of the current cross-sectional study, conducted within the Management of Dental Hypersensitivity (MDH) study, was to assess the potential value of practitioners' questionnaire responses regarding their typical treatment provided for management of dentin hypersensitivity (DH), by evaluating agreement between these responses and subsequently-observed recommendations recorded during actual clinical examinations.

Methods: A total of 171 practitioners enrolled in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network completed both a questionnaire and a clinical study regarding methods they use to treat dental hypersensitivity.