Journal of dental education
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Review Meta Analysis
Systematic review of controlled trials on the effectiveness of fluoride gels for the prevention of dental caries in children.
Fluoride gels have been widely used since the 1970s. The aim of this review was to assess the effectiveness and safety of fluoride gels in the prevention of dental caries in children and to examine factors potentially modifying their effectiveness. Relevant randomized or quasi-randomized trials were identified without language restrictions by searching multiple databases, reference lists of articles, and journals and by contacting selected authors and manufacturers. ⋯ The best estimate of the magnitude of this effect, based on the fourteen placebo-controlled trials, is a 21 percent reduction (95 percent CI, 14 to 28 percent) in D(M)FS. This corresponds to an NNT of two (95 percent CI, 1 to 3) to avoid one D(M)FS in a population with a caries increment of 2.2 D(M)FS/year, or an NNT of twenty-four (95 percent CI, 18 to 36) based on an increment of 0.2 D(M)FS/year. However, further work is needed to identify and quantify potential harmful effects of fluoride gels.
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A major trend at all levels of education in recent years has been the advent of distance learning and, more specifically, the use of computers and communications capabilities to provide online learning. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which distance learning and online technologies are being employed by dental schools in the United States and Canada. Two groups were surveyed: academic deans and faculty members of U. ⋯ Thirty-eight academic deans responded to a paper-based survey, and more than 400 faculty members responded to a web-based survey. The results of these surveys indicate that online delivery of content and information has a bright future in the delivery of the dental school curriculum. At the same time, formidable obstacles must be addressed for this approach to be successful.
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Affirmative action is an established principle that brings fairness and justice to admissions policies and practices by setting goals that encourage and pressure institutions and individuals to create educational and professional opportunities for minorities and women, if it were not for affirmative action, we would waste the talents of countless individuals who would be discounted because they are minorities or women. The result would be a nation that is weaker because it would be segregated once again in a system in which white people and men would have the preponderance of opportunity and authority and in which access would be very limited for minorities and women. ⋯ S. Supreme Court and in our own practices.
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Both the anatomy and physiology parts of national boards have questions on neuroscience. Currently, there are course guidelines established for dental neuroanatomy but not for dental neuroscience. As a result, there is great variability in what and how neurosciences are taught to dental students. ⋯ Since the Institute of Medicine study recommended that basic and clinical sciences curricula provide clinically relevant education, a neuroscience curriculum can integrate basic understanding of how the nervous system works in the care and management of dental pain. This paper describes the integrated approach to teaching neuroanatomy as a component of the head and neck gross anatomy course at the University of Louisville. This integrated strategy provides dental students with the basic concepts of neuroscience, pain pathways, autonomic nervous system, and detailed information on the cranial nerves.
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The anatomical sciences form one of the major building blocks of the basic medical sciences in the professional training of dentists. This paper defines the courses and classifies the formats of teaching for each course within the anatomical sciences curriculum. Information was gathered from the Internet, specifically the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) website links to U. ⋯ The results demonstrate the distribution of schools in the United States and Canada teaching anatomical sciences in the following categories: stand-alone, sequential, and multifaceted courses for gross anatomy; stand-alone and integrated courses for histology; stand-alone, integrated, incorporated, and no course for neuroanatomy; and stand-alone, incorporated, and no course in embryology. This paper concludes with the proposition that a survey of the usage of anatomical knowledge in use in a typical dental general practice needs to be conducted. The results of such a survey need to be evaluated with the intention of determining what should be taught in a dental clinical anatomical sciences curriculum.