Combined effects of soft drinks and nicotine on Streptococcus mutans metabolic activity and biofilm formation.

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of nicotine on the activity of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) in soft drinks. Regular soft drinks contain large proportions of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), which increases the activity of S.

Is a Picture Worth a Thousand Words? Effectiveness of iPad Technology in Preclinical Dental Laboratory Courses.

Dental educators should consider alternative modalities of instruction when experiencing difficulties conveying feedback to students. The aim of this study was to determine if integrating iPad technology as a visual learning tool would enhance the exchange of assessment information and improve academic performance in Indiana University School of Dentistry's preclinical curriculum. In 2016, the first-year Tooth Morphology (TM) and second-year Fixed Prosthodontics (Fixed) courses implemented a project using iPad images that allowed instructors to annotate acceptable and deficient areas of students' tooth wax-ups and preparations.

New Clinical Faculty Training Program: Transforming Practicing Dentists into Part-Time Dental Faculty Members.

At Indiana University School of Dentistry, a New Clinical Faculty Training (NCFT) program was created with the primary goals of informing new part-time faculty members of clinical policies and assessment guidelines and thus developing qualified and satisfied faculty members. The aim of this study was to determine if participation in the training program improved the participants' satisfaction and competence in comparison to their colleagues who did not participate in the program. Two cohorts were compared: a control group of part-time faculty members who did not receive formal training when they were hired (n=21; response rate 58.

Introducing CAD/CAM into a predoctoral dental curriculum: a case study.

This article describes the decision making and implementation process used at Indiana University School of Dentistry to incorporate a CAD/CAM system into the predoctoral curriculum and presents data regarding the opinions of students and faculty members after one year. Using a non-validated survey instrument, D1 students rated their experience fabricating a CAD/CAM-generated crown. Eighty-eight of the 105 D1 students (84 percent response rate) responded to the four multiple-choice questions, and a varying number provided written responses.