Undergraduate basic science preparation for dental school.

In the Institute of Medicines report Dental Education at the Crossroads, it was suggested that dental schools across the country move toward integrated basic science education for dental and medical students in their curricula. To do so, dental school admission requirements and recommendations must be closely reviewed to ensure that students are adequately prepared for this coursework. The purpose of our study was twofold: 1) to identify student dentists' perceptions of their predental preparation as it relates to course content, and 2) to track student dentists' undergraduate basic science course preparation and relate that to DAT performance, basic science course performance in dental school, and Part I and Part II National Board performance.

Routine dental care in patients with temporomandibular disorders.

Aims: While a significant number of therapeutic models have been suggested for management of orofacial pain and limited opening in patients experiencing temporomandibular disorders (TMD), little attention has been given to the issue of routine daily care activities, such as toothbrushing and flossing. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the extent to which TMD patients experience difficulty in performing routine daily mouth care.

Methods: Forty patients seeking care for TMD in the Orofacial Pain Center at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry were age- and gender-matched to a group of general dentistry patients not experiencing TMD.