Kotter's change management approach to transforming oral healthcare delivery: A case study.

Introduction: Despite progress in research and technological advancements, the delivery of oral health care continues to be plagued by disparities in accessibility and affordability. Dental caries and periodontal disease remain major issues, and new challenges such as socioeconomic disparities and emerging public health dangers also contribute to the complexity of the issue. To address these challenges, dental education and oral healthcare delivery must shift their focus from disease treatment to disease prevention and health promotion.

Treating Nerve Injury after Endodontic Microsurgery Using Laser Photobiomodulation: A Report of 2 Cases.

The purpose of this case report was to inform dentists and dental specialists about a noninvasive, viable treatment option that could aid in the recovery of patients who have experienced iatrogenic nerve injuries. Nerve injury is an inherent risk of many dental procedures and a complication that can negatively impact a patient's quality of life and activities of daily living. Managing neural injuries presents a challenge for clinicians because there are no standard protocols reported in the literature.

Thermal damage and excision time of micro and super pulsed diode lasers: A comparative ex vivo analysis.

Objectives: The primary aim of this ex vivo study was to evaluate thermal damage and cutting efficiency of micro and super pulsed diode lasers. The secondary aim was to suggest a guideline to perform simple surgical excisions adequate for histopathological evaluation.

Material And Methods: Ten groups of 10 specimens of pig tongues were excised using a blade (G1), a micro pulsed (G2-G9), and a super pulsed diode (G10) lasers.

Atraumatic removal of a zirconia-framework fixed partial denture using an Er,Cr:YSGG laser: a case report.

A 3-unit fixed partial denture spanning the maxillary left central incisor, lateral incisor, and canine was fabricated with a zirconia framework and a pontic veneered with porcelain to replace the maxillary left lateral incisor. The prosthesis was attached to the abutment teeth using lingual wings that sat in preparations approximately 1.5 mm deep axially.

Effect of surface preparation and light curing on penetration of silver particles from 38% silver diamine fluoride in dentin of primary teeth: An in vitro evaluation.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of light cure, as well as various dentin surface treatment approaches, on the penetration depth of silver precipitating from 38% silver diamine fluoride into primary dentin tubules.

Methods: The occlusal dentin surfaces of 42 non-carious primary molars were exposed and then sectioned into halves bucco-lingually. The halves from each tooth pair were randomly split in two mega-groups, and each mega-group was divided randomly as follows into six experimental groups: prepared by either carbide bur (G1, G2), ceramic bur (G3, G4), or erbium laser (G5, G6).

Metastatic renal cell carcinoma to the oral cavity as first sign of disease: A case report.

Renal cell carcinoma metastasis to the oral cavity is rare. Significantly, the oral lesion in this case was the first indication of a malignant disease in the patient. This case underscores the importance of detailed history taking, interpretation of clinical finding, and high index of suspicion for metastatic disease to the oral cavity.

Impact of simulated patients on students' self-assessment of competency in practice of geriatric dentistry.

Purpose: The evaluation of the effectiveness of simulation training in dentistry has previously been focused primarily on psychomotor hand skills. This study explored the impact of simulated patient (SP) encounters in simulation on students' self-assessment of competency in their clinical and communication abilities with geriatric patients.

Methods: Students from 2 cohorts were recruited for this study.

Methods and Purposes for Conducting Students' Course Evaluations Reported by North American Dental School and Dental Hygiene Program Leaders: A Preliminary Survey Study.

The aim of this preliminary survey study was to determine the perceptions of leaders of dental schools and dental hygiene programs regarding methods of and purposes for conducting students' course evaluations and their role in course improvement, curriculum design, and faculty assessment. A short electronic survey was distributed in 2016 to the academic deans of all 76 dental schools in the U.S.

Grading Class I Preparations in Preclinical Dental Education: E4D Compare Software vs. the Traditional Standard.

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a novel assessment software system with the traditional grading protocol used in the University of Texas School of Dentistry at Houston operative dentistry preclinical curriculum. In the study, conducted in 2016, 98 Class I preparations were evaluated both traditionally and digitally by two teams of calibrated preclinical faculty members (two evaluators for each team). Scores from each faculty pair were averaged for the traditional and the digital grading systems, and the scores for the two grading systems were compared.

Impact of Technique-Specific Operative Videos on First-Year Dental Students' Performance of Restorative Procedures.

The aim of this study was to examine the impact of psychomotor operative video demonstrations on first-year dental students who are performing specific procedures for the first time in a preclinical setting. The class was randomly divided into two groups, and three restorative procedures were selected. On the date on which each procedure was to be performed in the preclinical laboratory for the first time, one group (experimental, n=50) was shown a technique video for that specific procedure immediately before commencing the exercise; the control cohort (n=50) did not view the video.

Utilization of iTero digital impression unit for resin composite inlay.

Historically, traditional elastomeric impression techniques for indirect fixed procedures have presented challenges for the operator, laboratory, and patient. Recent digital impression unit technology offers a compelling alternative to elastomeric impressions. The iTero system applies parallel confocal imaging to create a virtual impression that can be easily captured, edited, and uploaded electronically to the dental laboratory.

Is a drill-less dental filling possible?

Dental caries, a bacterial process that results in the acidic destruction of tooth structure, has historically been managed by the mechanical excavation of diseased tooth structure and then restoration with a synthetic material. The mechanical excavation of the infected site is most commonly achieved by a dental handpiece, or "drill"; this handpiece may induce stress and anxiety in many patients. Alternatively, a drill-less filling will involve the utilization of silver diamine fluoride (38%) to arrest and prevent dental caries, followed by restoration with a bonded filling material to achieve adequate seal at the lesion margins.