Testing dental quality measures: Emergency department visits for nontraumatic dental conditions and subsequent follow-up dental visits.

Background: The goal of this study was to test the feasibility, reliability, and validity of the Dental Quality Alliance's adult dental quality measures for system-level implementation for ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) emergency department (ED) visits for nontraumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) in adults and follow-up after ED visits for NTDCs in adults.

Methods: Medicaid enrollment and claims data from Oregon and Iowa were used for measure testing. Testing included validation of diagnosis codes in claims data through patient record reviews of ED visits and calculations of κ statistic, sensitivity, and specificity.

Launching an innovative educational model addressing substance use disorders and dental pain management (Project ECHO® in dentistry).

Background: Uninformed opioid prescribing by dentists has contributed to the current opioid crisis. This report describes the development and implementation of an innovative, interactive, multidisciplinary, and participant-centric telementoring program "Pain Management and Substance Use Disorders Dental ECHO (Extension for Community Health Care Outcomes)". We disseminated information to dentists about appropriate opioid prescribing practices and engaged them with a focus on pain management and substance use disorders.

Accuracy of Presurgical Limited Field of View Cone-beam Computed Tomography in Predicting Intraoperative Buccal Cortical Bone.

Introduction: Limited field of view cone-beam computed tomography (LFOV CBCT) is the primary imaging modality recommended for treatment planning before endodontic microsurgery (EMS). Persistent apical periodontitis, often treated with EMS, results in changes in the buccal cortical plate that may detrimentally impact prognosis. The accuracy of a preoperative LFOV CBCT to predict intraoperative findings is unclear.

Tooth wear in patients treated with HIV anti-retroviral therapy.

Background: The objective of this study was to elucidate the relationship between HIV anti-retroviral therapy and tooth wear.

Methods: Assessment of tooth wear was conducted both with a survey questionnaire and clinical assessment at Russell Street Dental Clinic in Portland, Oregon. The survey questionnaire comprised of questions on study participant's gender, age, HIV status, current medications, awareness of tooth grinding or clenching, jaw soreness, tooth or gum soreness, and frequency of headaches.

An In Vivo and Cone Beam Computed Tomography Investigation of the Accuracy in Measuring Alveolar Bone Height and Detecting Dehiscence and Fenestration Defects.

Purpose: To investigate cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) accuracy in measuring facial bone height and detecting dehiscence and fenestration defects around teeth.

Materials And Methods: Patients who were treatment planned for periodontal flap or dental implant surgeries were enrolled (n = 25). CBCT imaging (Carestream CS 9300) was obtained at 0.

Dental Student to Patient Communication Analysis: A Pilot Study.

It is very crucial that dental students who comprise our future dental workforce are adequately trained in communication skills. This training is especially important because of the increasing population of English as Second Language (ESL) patients in our community health centers, dental offices, and dental schools. The objective of this exploratory pilot study was to analyze dental student conversations about patient treatment plans to native English and ESL patients.

Oral health needs, dental care utilization, and quality of life perceptions among Oregonian seniors.

Background: For a relevant planning process and advocate for improvement in oral health conditions of the senior population up-to-date data are necessary. The objective of this study was to assess the oral health status, dental care utilization and quality of life perceptions of seniors in Clackamas County in Oregon.

Methods: Data were collected in a cross-sectional study on institutionalized and community dwelling older adults where participants completed a self-reported oral health survey, the short-form Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14 questionnaire) and had clinical screenings.