Integrating Evidence-Based Practice Into Oral Health Clinical Practice: Students' Perspectives.

Objectives: Evidence-based practice (EBP) provides an approach to oral health care that incorporates a structured process of systematically reviewing and critically appraising scientific evidence to answer specific clinical questions. The need to integrate EBP concepts into the undergraduate oral health curriculum is evident as the profession transitions into using research evidence to make informed clinical decisions. The didactic component provides an overview of the theory, and the application component offers opportunities to incorporate valid scientific evidence into clinical practice.

Assessment of work-integrated learning: comparison of the usage of a grading rubric by supervising radiographers and teachers.

IntroductionProfessional work-integrated learning (WIL) that integrates the academic experience with off-campus professional experience placements is an integral part of many tertiary courses. Issues with the reliability and validity of assessment grades in these placements suggest that there is a need to strengthen the level of academic rigour of placements in these programmes. This study aims to compare the attitudes to the usage of assessment rubrics of radiographers supervising medical imaging students and teachers supervising pre-service teachers.

Effectiveness of a brief educational workshop intervention among primary care providers at 6 months: uptake of dental emergency supporting resources.

Introduction: Dental emergencies often present to primary care providers in general practice and Emergency Departments (ED), who may be unable to manage them effectively due to limited knowledge, skills and available resources. This may impact negatively on patient outcomes. Provision of a short educational workshop intervention in the management of such emergencies, including education in supporting resources, may provide a practical strategy for assisting clinicians to provide this aspect of comprehensive primary care.

Managing dental emergencies: a descriptive study of the effects of a multimodal educational intervention for primary care providers at six months.

Background: Clinicians providing primary emergency medical care often receive little training in the management of dental emergencies. A multimodal educational intervention was designed to address this lack of training. Sustained competency in managing dental emergencies and thus the confidence to provide this care well after an educational intervention is of particular importance for remote and rural healthcare providers where access to professional development training may be lacking.

Can a four-hour interactive workshop on the management of dental emergencies be effective in improving self reported levels of clinician proficiency?

Background: Management of dental emergencies is a clinical problem facing many primary care providers who have often received little training in this area.

Aim: This study evaluated the impact of a four-hour interactive workshop on clinicians' self reported proficiency in managing common dental emergencies.

Method: A descriptive study design using a questionnaire type survey instrument was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a brief interactive workshop.

Academic perceptions amongst educators towards eLearning tools in dental education.

This paper reports an explorative study about academic educators' perceptions towards learning management systems (LMS) and eLearning tools as used in dental education. Fifty-five educators participated in an online survey which explored their views on eLearning tools within the context of their own professional training background and teaching needs. In general, educators felt that the eLearning LMS (also known as WebCT/Blackboard) was a tool that suited their teaching and learning needs in terms of flexibility, interactivity and accessibility despite a significant level of self-reported lack of competence in the technology.

Management of dental emergencies by medical practitioners: recommendations for Australian education and training.

Dental emergencies commonly present to EDs and primary care consultations. The medical practitioner is often ill-prepared in the primary management of dental emergencies because of a lack of education in this field of practice. A published work review covering the nature, incidence, education and training surrounding this topic is presented together with recommendations for Australian practice.

Dentistry students' perceptions of learning management systems.

This paper reports an exploratory survey study about students' perceptions of learning management systems (LMS) at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Sydney. Two hundred and fifty-four students enrolled in the Bachelor of Dentistry and the Bachelor of Oral Health programmes participated in an online survey aimed at exploring their beliefs and attitudes as well as their preferences for eLearning tools. Results indicated a strong preference of students for using LMSs as resource repositories rather than for higher-order learning activities such as online discussion forums.

How does pain affect jaw muscle activity? The Integrated Pain Adaptation Model.

Pain and limitation of movement are two cardinal symptoms of temporomandibular disorders but it is unclear how one influences the other. The relationship between pain and movement is clinically significant but controversial with two major theories having been proposed: the Vicious Cycle Theory and the Pain Adaptation Model. The Vicious Cycle Theory proposes a vicious cycle between pain and muscle activity.

Dental clinical teaching: perceptions of students and teachers.

The objective of this study was to explore perceptions of dental student clinicians and clinical teachers about dental clinical teaching to provide primary data for dental researchers and educators. Student focus group data provided background for development of a questionnaire that explored three themes related to clinical teaching. Twenty-one teachers and forty-five student respondents completed the twenty-five-item questionnaire in 2003.

Student use and perceptions of different learning aids in a problem-based learning (PBL) dentistry course.

First-year dental students in a new problem-based learning (PBL) course, the Bachelor of Dentistry (BDent) Program at the University of Sydney, Australia, completed the Study Process Questionnaire and two other questionnaires in this study. The study aimed to identify student perceptions of a written formative assessment and the helpfulness of various learning aids used to prepare for this assessment and preparing to be a dental clinician. Correlations between approach to learning and perceptions of assessment and learning aids showed theoretically expected associations.

Pharmacokinetics of EMLA cream 5% application to oral mucosa.

Plasma concentrations of lidocaine and prilocaine were measured following the application of a 5% eutectic mixture of local anesthetics (EMLA) topical anesthetic cream to the oral mucosa of twelve subjects. For each subject, a total of 8 g of EMLA was occluded to 18 cm2 of buccal mucosa for 30 min. Analysis was carried out by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and results showed peak concentrations at 40 min for lidocaine and prilocaine.

Tissue conditioners protected by a poly(methyl methacrylate) coating.

Interim soft denture liners or conditioners may be valuable therapeutic materials. The life of these liners varies, but it can be extended by the use of a poly(methyl methacrylate) coating material (Monopoly). This study evaluated the ability of Monopoly to prevent water absorption and plasticizer loss from an underlying tissue conditioner (Visco-gel).

Bioavailability of components of resin-based materials which are applied to teeth.

Chemical components of many materials used in dental practice can move into the local biophase, where they can have beneficial or adverse effects. The strongest indirect evidence that components of resin-based materials used in dentistry can move into the biophase are the many reports of allergic dermatitis in dental personnel. Direct measurement of component release has shown that triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA), hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), and, in the case of some orthodontic cements, bis-glycidyl methacrylate and benzoyl peroxide can move into an aqueous medium from a range of resin-based materials which are applied to teeth as part of oral care.

Diffusion of monomers from bonding resin-resin composite combinations through dentine in vitro.

Objectives: Previous work has demonstrated diffusion of the monomer triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) from resin composite through dentine in vitro. The objective of the present work was to examine monomer diffusion from bonding resins and resin composites used in combination.

Methods: Occlusal cavities were prepared in tooth crowns and restored with bonding resin-resin composite combinations.

Effect of hydrostatic pressure on the diffusion of monomers through dentin in vitro.

In previous work, the diffusion of monomers from composite and bonding resins through dentin was demonstrated in vitro. The monomers triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) were identified in samples from the pulp space. In the current study, we examined the effects of two levels of positive hydrostatic pressure on the passage of resin monomers through dentin in vitro from a composite-resin/bonding-resin combination to test the hypothesis that monomer diffusion is prevented by such pressure.

Effect of dentine on release of TEGDMA from resin composite in vitro.

Triethylene glycol dimethacrylate (TEGDMA) is a component of some resin composites which contributes to their cytotoxicity. The presence of dentine between resin composite and test cells reduces the cytotoxicity in vitro. To determine why dentine has this protective effect, the diffusion of TEGDMA from a composite resin through dentine to the pulp space was compared with release directly into aqueous solution in vitro.

Movement of resin cement components through acid-treated dentin during crown cementation in vitro.

This study examined the hypothesis that components of crown cements may be forced through acid-treated dentin during cementation. Freshly extracted, human third molar teeth were prepared to accept full crowns. Roots were removed to allow irrigation of the pulp chamber with saline before, during, and after crown placement with resin dentin bond and resin composite cement.

Comparison of amalgam behaviour under static and cyclic sub-modulus of rupture loading.

The behaviour of amalgam beam specimens subjected to a sub-modulus of rupture load at 37 degrees C was compared in static and cyclic modes. Testing was performed using identical equipment, with cyclic testing conducted by intermittent load application for both tests. The specimens tested exhibited varying degrees of deformation and times to fracture in both tests.

Dental amalgams subjected to sub-fracture stresses at 37 degrees C.

Amalgam beam specimens were subjected to sub-modulus of rupture loads at 37 degrees C. The specimens tested underwent varying degrees of deformation and ultimate fracture determined by the degree of specimen bend and time to fracture. The property most closely related to the sub-fracture loading behaviour was creep, particularly the 72-h determination of this property.