Community dentistry and oral epidemiology
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Community Dent Oral Epidemiol · Feb 1995
Prevalence study of oral mucosal lesions in a selected Cambodian population.
The aim of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of oral mucosal lesions in a selected Cambodian population to obtain pilot data useful in planning an oral health data base for the country. Due to unstable conditions in Cambodia, the validity of population data related to present census information is highly questionable. Therefore, prior to this investigation a census registration was carried out using local health workers as registrars in nine villages of a commune. ⋯ There were significantly more smokers (P < 0.01) among subjects with leukoplakia (64.3%) than among those without this lesion (28.6%). All subjects with lichen lesions were women. The age-adjusted relative risk for developing lichen among betel nut chewers as compared to non-chewers was 3.3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Community Dent Oral Epidemiol · Aug 1994
Clinical TrialValidity of a brief questionnaire in screening asymptomatic subjects from subjects with tension-type headaches or temporomandibular disorders.
Clinical investigations of temporomandibular disorders require objective, repeatable methods for screening diseased subjects from non-diseased control subjects. This study evaluated whether information gathered from a short, public domain questionnaire was useful in distinguishing temporomandibular disorder subjects (n = 216) from non-temporomandibular disorder controls (n = 69) and tension-type headache subjects (n = 22). The questionnaire consisted of eight questions relating to jaw pain (i.e., location of pain, precipitating factors, and temporal pattern of pain) and five questions relating to jaw function (i.e., joint noises, locking, and difficulty in opening). ⋯ Results showed that the questionnaire reliably distinguished between the control group and temporomandibular disorder group with 90.3%-97.7% sensitivity and 95.7%-100% specificity at cutoff values between 5 and 9. These results support the use of the questionnaire as a primary screening tool for general practice and as a supplementary screening tool for clinical temporomandibular disorder studies. However, results also showed that the questionnaire was unable to distinguish easily between TMD subjects and temporalis region tension-type headache subjects.
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Community Dent Oral Epidemiol · Dec 1989
Origin, training, and subsequent practice location of Scotland's General and Community dentists.
In view of the continuing concern, in the United Kingdom (UK) and many other countries, over the maldistribution of dental manpower and the far-reaching plans now being contemplated to correct existing imbalances, it was felt to be necessary to document the current situation in Scotland. This study set out to identify the origins, place of training, and subsequent practice locations of Scotland's General and Community dentists. ⋯ The final response rate was 72%. 85% of respondents had received the majority of their secondary school education in Scotland, and a total of 92.5% of respondents had received their undergraduate dental training at one of the three Scottish dental schools. Factors elicited as being associated with practice location choice included school of dental training, location of a dentist's original home and relatives, and, to some extent, market forces in terms of "demand for dentists" in some areas in Scotland.
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Community Dent Oral Epidemiol · Jun 1989
Comparative StudyDental care of HIV-infected patients: attitudes and behavior among Danish dentists.
The aims of the study were to study Danish dentists' attitudes and behavior with regard to providing dental care to HIV-infected persons and to look for explanatory variables for the dentists' attitudes and behavior. Two hundred and twenty-eight Danish dentists responded to a questionnaire on dental treatment of HIV-infected patients and related problems (response rate: 91.2%). The dentists' attitudes differed a great deal from the current national policy as to where HIV-infected patients should be treated and with regard to the possibility of being tested for HIV anonymously. 64% of the dentists favored the idea of referral of HIV-infected patients to special dental clinics for routine dental treatment, and 93% disapproved of the idea that infected individuals themselves should decide whether they wish to inform their dentist or doctor of seropositivity. ⋯ Other differences with regard to a number of demographic variables were not found. No difference in attitude towards HIV-infected persons was found when compared to that towards HBV-infected individuals. The reluctance towards treatment of HIV-infected persons was present irrespective of any subsidy for an extra cost for treatment of HIV-infected patients.