How socioeconomic and structural barriers influence dental care among transgender people.

Background: While recent US policies restrict access to healthcare and resulting health disparities among the transgender community, little is known about oral health access and utilization among this population. This study assessed self-reported access to dental care among transgender adults living in the United States.

Method: The study sample included 1,284,526 observations representing a weighted population of 290,000,163 from Behavioral Risk Factor and Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) datasets.

Oral health statuses of individuals diagnosed with gastroparesis: A Cross-Section study.

Background: Gastroparesis (GP) is a debilitating gastric motility disorder associated with digestive dysfunction, reduced quality of life (QoL), and increased mortality rates. There is no known cure for GP and treatment options are limited. The oral cavity is responsible for initiating digestion, yet the impact of GP symptom frequency on oral health status and oral healthcare utilization is not well understood.

Potential mechanisms between periodontitis and Alzheimer's disease: a scoping review.

Background: Research has suggested 2 potential mechanisms by which the periodontal inflammatory response may communicate to distant organs: 1) direct translocation of periodontal bacteria from the oral cavity to another organ system; and 2) inflammation as a result of metastatic periodontal inflammation. The purpose of this scoping review is to explore these mechanisms as potential mediators between periodontitis and Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: A reiterative literature search of peer-reviewed articles was performed in the PubMed and Scopus databases using keywords or combinations such as Alzheimer's disease AND periodontitis OR periodontal disease AND inflammation.

Dental hygiene educators' knowledge and implementation of objective structured clinical examination in United States dental hygiene programs.

Purpose: In 2021, the American Dental Association (ADA) announced the intention to develop a standardized dental hygiene licensure objective structured clinical examination (DHLOSCE). The purpose of this study was to measure the United States (US) dental hygiene (DH) educators' foundational knowledge of OSCE development and delivery in light of the impending development of the DHLOSCE by the ADA's Testing Services.

Methods: The study was determined to be exempt from Institutional Review Board oversight.

Utilization of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) as an Assessment for Clinical Competency and Licensure: A survey of dental hygiene director's knowledge and attitudes.

Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) have been established as a gold standard assessment for determining clinical competence. The Coalition for Dental Licensure Reform called for the acceptance of the Dental Licensure Objective Structured Clinical Examination (DLOSCE) to replace the live-patient examinations (LPE) for dental licensure, which are often viewed as biased, unreliable, and in some cases unethical. The purpose of this study was to assess dental hygiene program directors' awareness of and attitudes toward the DLOSCE, whether their curricula included OSCEs, and perceived barriers to implementing OSCEs.

Attitudes and Access Patterns of Michigan Veterans Ineligible for Oral Healthcare Benefits: A cross-sectional study.

Strict eligibility criteria exclude a majority of the veteran population from receiving oral healthcare benefits through the Veterans' Administration Dental Care program (VADC). The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of oral health status, and access/barriers to dental care of veterans who are ineligible for VADC benefits. This cross-sectional study was conducted using a 24-item paper survey, disseminated in person to 227 veterans across the state of Michigan over a period of two months.