Reliability and Validity of the Dental Anxiety Question Used With Children.

Objective: Dental fear screening is an important part of providing a positive pediatric dental experience. To improve efficiency, the development of a single-item dental fear assessment tool for children has been desired. In this psychometric analysis, the reliability and validity of the Dental Anxiety Question (DAQ) is studied when used in children aged 7 to 18 years.

Oral Health Policies to Tackle the Burden of Early Childhood Caries: A Review of 14 Countries/Regions.

Early childhood caries (ECC) has significant public health implications but has received inadequate global attention. There is limited information regarding the success of oral health policies implemented to address the challenges of ECC. This review aimed to summarize such policies to tackle ECC from different countries/regions.

Acceptability and Demand of Therapy Dog Support Among Oral Health Care Providers and Caregivers of Pediatric Patients.

This cross-sectional study evaluated the acceptability and demand for therapy dog support in pediatric dentistry (TDSPD). Caregiver surveys measured acceptability and demand for TDSPD using a five-point Likert scale (one equals "not at all", five equals "very much"). Provider surveys measured acceptability for TDSPD using a five-point Likert scale.

Gender differences in adolescents' perceptions toward dentists using the Japanese version of the dental beliefs survey: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: While adult women show greater dental anxiety than adult men, few studies have examined gender differences in adolescent perceptions of dentists. Therefore, this cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the gender differences in adolescents' perceptions toward dentists by using the Japanese version of the Dental Beliefs Survey (DBS) and the factor structure of the DBS.

Methods: We conducted surveys at schools, and 957 Japanese adolescents (403 girls and 554 boys, aged between 13 and 15 years) participated in this study.

Prevention of Dental Caries by Silver Diamine Fluoride.

The use of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) for management of dental caries has gained considerable attention due to recent regulatory clearance in the United States. The primary focus of policies, presentations, and publications has been the arrest of caries lesions (cavities) because of the material's unique ability to non-invasively achieve this elusive and clinically important goal. However, SDF also has proven efficacy in prevention, ie, decreasing the incidence of new caries lesions.

The effect of social geographic factors on the untreated tooth decay among head start children.

Background: Disparities among untreated dental caries exist for children from low-income families in the United States. Understanding of the mechanism of the disparities is required to reduce it and social geographic factors are one of the important influences. Although the effect of fluoridated water has been well reported, studies of other sociogeograpic factors, such as the density of available dentists, are still very limited.

Dental fear among transgender individuals - a cross-sectional survey.

Aims: The aims of this study were to: (1) evaluate the level of dental fear among transgender individuals and (2) investigate specific predictors of dental fear in individuals who identify as transgender.

Method And Results: An anonymous survey among transgender adults was conducted using both a web-based and paper survey. The survey included the Dental Fear Survey (DFS), history of hormonal interventions, perceived gender roles, and demographic information.

A mediation analysis study: The influence of mothers' dental anxiety on children's dental utilization among low-income African Americans.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to test a hypothesized mediation model to explain associations between mothers' dental anxiety and children's dental utilization through the mothers' own dental utilization.

Methods: Two hundred and fourteen low-income African American mothers with young children (age 31-59 months) completed a study questionnaire which assessed (i) mothers' dental anxiety; (ii) mothers' dental utilization (seeing a dentist at least once a year) and (iii) children's dental utilization (at least one non-study-related dental visit during the 36-month study period). The hypothesized mediation model consisted of these three elements with both a direct path from mothers' dental anxiety to children's dental utilization and an indirect path from mothers' dental anxiety to children's dental utilization through mothers' dental utilization.

Oral health and medical conditions among Amish children.

Background: The Amish are a growing population who live a traditional, rural way of life, which makes them less accepting of modernism. Most Amish live in poverty and are detached from modern health care. In addition, the recent change of their lifestyle has been reported, such as consuming a nontraditional diet and the usage of electronic devices.

The Effect of Various Concentrations of Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen on the Hypersensitive Gag Reflex.

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of various concentrations of NO/O on obtunding a hypersensitive gag reflex. We hypothesized that the administration of nitrous oxide and oxygen would obtund a hypersensitive gag reflex enough to allow a patient to tolerate the placement and holding of a digital x-ray sensor long enough to obtain a dental radiograph. Volunteers claiming to have a hypersensitive gag reflex were first screened to validate their claim and then tested by placing a size 2 digital x-ray sensor in the position for a periapical radiograph of the right mandibular molar area and holding it in place for 10 seconds.

"Dentists' and dietitians' recommendations of snacks and dental caries experience among kindergarteners".

Background: Parents receive diet recommendations for their children from dentists and dietitians, but a conflict of diet suggestions has been reported. This research was conducted to investigate dental caries experiences in children consuming snacks that were recommended by dentists and/or dietitians.

Material And Methods: A total of 442 kindergarteners under went dental examinations, and their caregivers filled out questionnaires.

Image quality evaluation of eight complementary metal-oxide semiconductor intraoral digital X-ray sensors.

Purpose: To evaluate the image quality generated by eight commercially available intraoral sensors.

Methods: Eighteen clinicians ranked the quality of a bitewing acquired from one subject using eight different intraoral sensors. Analytical methods used to evaluate clinical image quality included the Visual Grading Characteristics method, which helps to quantify subjective opinions to make them suitable for analysis.

Soda Consumption May Increase Risk of Dental Caries in Primary Teeth of Low-income African Americans.

Article Title And Bibliographic Information: Dental caries development among African American children: results from a 4-year longitudinal study. Lim S, Tellez M, Ismail AI.Community Dent Oral Epidemiol 2015;43(3):200-207.

Dental Students' Learning Experiences and Preferences Regarding Orofacial Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Pain is a global health problem, the effects of which range from diminished quality of life to pain management costs and loss of work and productivity. Pain in the head and neck region is defined as a separate entity: orofacial pain (OFP). However, some graduates from dental schools have reported feeling less competent in their ability to diagnose OFP than in other areas of dentistry.

Dental Students' Use of AMSTAR to Critically Appraise Systematic Reviews.

The idea of basing clinical procedures upon evidence gathered by observation is less than 200 years old, with the first set of evidence-based position papers dating back only to the early 1970s. The relationship between evidence-based education and health outcomes is difficult to test and may be indirect, but teaching critical appraisal skills may be beneficial in developing knowledge. Systematic reviews have a central role in the process of clinical decision making in practice and therefore should be of high quality, following a rigorous protocol that can be evaluated with validated tools.

Caregiver's education level and child's dental caries in African Americans: a path analytic study.

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of caregiver education level on children's dental caries mediated by both caregiver and child oral health behaviors. Participants were 423 low-income African American kindergarteners and their caregivers who were part of a school-based randomized clinical trial. Path analysis tested the hypothesis that caregiver education level affected untreated dental caries and cumulative overall caries experience (decayed or filled teeth) through the mediating influence of frequency of dental visits, use of routine care, and frequency of toothbrushing for both the caregiver and the child.

The effectiveness of xylitol in a school-based cluster-randomized clinical trial.

Objective: The purpose of this double-blind, cluster-randomized clinical trial was to examine the effects of xylitol gummy bear snacks on dental caries progression in primary and permanent teeth of inner-city school children.

Methods: A total of 562 children aged 5-6 years were recruited from five elementary schools in East Cleveland, Ohio. Children were randomized by classroom to receive xylitol (7.

Dental students' perceived level of competence in orofacial pain.

Orofacial pain (OFP) is a group of symptoms affecting a significant portion of the population; inadequate diagnosis and management of these symptoms present a potential detrimental effect on the public's health. It has been suggested that dental schools must prepare their graduates to deal with these problems rather than relying on their participation in continuing education courses after graduation. The aim of this study was to determine how third- and fourth-year students at one dental school perceived their level of competence related to OFP.

The role of insurance and training in dental decision making.

Introduction: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate (1) the differences in treatment planning decisions between dental general practitioners and specialists and (2) the role of patients' insurance and/or type of treatment in decision making.

Methods: One hundred eighty subject charts were selected from 1,740 dental charts. Two specialists examined radiographs and reviewed the charts and then independently generated treatment plans.

Dental floss selection and its impact on evaluation of interproximal contacts in licensure exams.

Ideal interproximal contacts between adjacent natural teeth or dental restorations are a critical factor for the health of the dental-alveolar complex. Interproximal contact tightness is a physiological entity affected by many patient-related and restorative parameters. This variation poses a challenge in defining the "clinically acceptable" contact area tightness (CAT) and therefore how students and clinicians should be trained to evaluate this parameter.

School screening and parental reminders in increasing dental care for children in need: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess follow-up dental care received by children given baseline screening and referrals as part of an ongoing clinical trial.

Methods: A retrospective study with two cohorts of kindergarten children who had baseline and follow-up (9 months later) dental exams was used. The parents/caregivers of children with routine restorative or urgent needs at baseline received a referral letter and telephone reminders to seek care for their child.

Thinking about going to the dentist: a Contemplation Ladder to assess dentally-avoidant individuals' readiness to go to a dentist.

Background: The Transtheoretical Model suggests that individuals vary according to their readiness to change behavior. Previous work in smoking cessation and other health areas suggests that interventions are more successful when they are tailored to an individual's stage of change with regards to the specific behavior. We report on the performance of a single-item measure ("Ladder") to assess the readiness to change dental-avoidant behavior.

Expanded studies of the pharmacokinetics and clinical effects of multidose sublingual triazolam in healthy volunteers.

Previous work described the pharmacokinetics and clinical effects of multidose sublingual triazolam (Halcion; Pharmacia & Upjohn Co, Kalamazoo, Mich). This laboratory study evaluated the hypothesis that incremental dosing of triazolam produces dose-dependent central nervous system depression that is profound and long lasting. Forty-nine healthy adults between the ages of 21 and 39 years, not receiving dental treatment, were randomly assigned to placebo (n = 12) or 1 of 3 triazolam groups (0.

Flumazenil reversal of sublingual triazolam: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

Background: Incremental sublingual (SL) dosing of triazolam has emerged as a popular sedation technique. Nevertheless, few studies have evaluated the technique's safety or efficacy. Given its popularity, an easily administered rescue strategy is needed.