Level of knowledge about metalloproteinases in dental students close to graduate from three universities in Peruvian capital city

Sociodemographic Factors Associated with the Satisfaction Level of Peruvian Dental Students with Virtual Classes During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Prospective Bicentric Study

Background

The pandemic caused by Covid-19 impacted all areas of social, economic and educational activity. When there is a high risk of spreading highly infectious diseases, education is usually the first service to be suspended. The objective was to evaluate the sociodemographic factors associated with the satisfaction level of Peruvian dental students with virtual classes during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Methods

This observational, cross-sectional, analytical study evaluated 237 dental students from the capital city and one Peruvian province using a validated 13-item questionnaire to measure the level of satisfaction with virtual classes. Pearson's chi-square test and a logit model were used to evaluate the associated factors such as age group, sex, marital status, monthly family income, area of residence, place of origin, occupation and computer use, considering a significance level of p<0.05.

Results

Of all students, 50.6%, 40.1% and 9.3% presented a good, average and poor level of satisfaction, respectively, with the virtual classes received. In addition, those with a monthly family income of less than 500 US dollars were 3.15 times more likely to have poor satisfaction compared to those with a monthly family income of more than 1000 US dollars (AOR = 3.15; 95% CI: 1.23-8.05). The rest of the variables evaluated were not considered influential factors in the levels of satisfaction with the virtual classes received.

Conclusión

Of all students, 50.6% and 9.3% reported good and poor satisfaction with virtual classes during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. Monthly family income of less than 500 US dollars was an influential factor. In addition, the variables age group, sex, marital status, area of residence, place of origin, occupation and computer use were not found to be influential factors.

Factors associated with dental interns and professors perception of the management of disabled patients: A cross-sectional study under multivariable analysis

Background

Patients with disabilities experience oral health inequalities, including increased disease prevalence and unmet healthcare needs. The aim of this study was to assess factors associated to the perceived management of patients with physical disabilities among dental interns and professors at a university located in the capital city and a branch in a province in Peru.

Methods

This cross-sectional, observational, and analytical study included 100 dental interns and 75 Peruvian dental professors and was conducted from January to April 2022. A validated perception scale was used to evaluate the management of disabled patients. For the statistical analysis, the study employed Pearson's chi-square test and Fisher's exact test, along with a Poisson regression model that used robust variance. The adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) was utilized to evaluate perception while taking into account factors such as gender, age, marital status, origin, professional experience, previous treatment of a patient with physical disability, and previous cohabitation with a disabled patient. The significance level was set at p < 0.05.

Results

The 86 % of dental interns and 88 % of dental professors had a poor perception of managing disabled patients, with no significant association between them (p = 0.698). Male and female dental interns displayed significant differences in perception (p = 0.004), while no other variables showed significant differences (p < 0.05). Conversely, dental professors displayed significant differences in all variables analyzed (p < 0.05). In dental interns, gender was found to be the only influential variable, with females having a 41 % higher likelihood of perceiving disabled patient management poorly compared to males (APR = 1.41; 95 % CI: 1.04-1.91) (p = 0.028). However, gender was not found to be a significant factor for dental professors (p = 0.449).

Conclusion

The majority of dental interns and professors had a poor perception of managing disabled patients, with no significant differences observed between them. Moreover, gender significantly influenced the perception of managing patients with physical disabilities among dental interns specifically. On the other hand, neither age, marital status, origin, professional experience, previous treatment of a patient with physical disability, nor previous cohabitation with a disabled patient were found to be associated factors among dental interns and professors.

Impact of an Educational Intervention on Oral Health Knowledge and Bacterial Plaque Control in Male Secondary School Students in a Peruvian Province: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Background

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of an educational intervention on oral health knowledge and bacterial plaque control in male secondary school students in a Peruvian province.

Methods

This quasi-experimental study evaluated 294 male secondary school students in southern Peru. Oral health knowledge was measured with a validated 20-item questionnaire. Bacterial plaque was measured with the Simplified Oral Hygiene Index (OHI-S). This was rated as Excellent: 0, Good: 0.1-1.2, Fair: 1.3-3.0 and Poor: 3.1-6.0, before receiving the educational intervention and after four weeks of receiving it. Variables such as age, area of residence, having health professionals as family members, educational level of mother and father, and living with parents were considered. A significance level of p<0.05 was considered.

Results

The comparison between the level of oral health knowledge and the OHI-S, before and after 4 weeks of receiving the educational intervention, showed a significant improvement (p<0.05) in all the categories of the variables studied. Likewise, before the educational intervention, there were significant differences in global knowledge about oral health among the categories of the following variables: age group (p=0.040), area of residence (p<0.001), educational level (father) (p=0.011) and living with parents (p<0.001). However, after four weeks of receiving the educational intervention, no significant differences were observed in all the variables studied (p>0.05). Regarding the OHI-S, no significant differences were observed in any of the variables studied, both before (p>0.05) and after four weeks (p>0.05) of receiving the educational intervention.

Conclusion

After four weeks, the educational intervention significantly improved oral health knowledge and significantly reduced plaque bacterial plaque in male secondary school students in a Peruvian province, regardless of age, area of residence, having health professional family members, educational level of mother and father, and living with parents.

Sociodemographic factors associated with knowledge and attitudes of Peruvian dental interns about dental shade selection

BACKGROUND

The dentist should have a thorough knowledge of the science, protocols and procedures for dental shade selection in order to mimic dental tissue with restorative materials, respecting the individual needs and attitudes of each patient and providing them with a pleasant and esthetically acceptable appearance. The present study evaluated the knowledge and attitudes of dental interns from two Peruvian universities about dental shade selection and its relationship with sociodemographic factors.

METHODS

The present cross-sectional and analytical study was carried out on Peruvian dental interns from the Universidad Nacional Federico Villarreal and the Universidad Privada de San Juan Bautista during May to June 2022. Two validated questionnaires on knowledge and attitudes about dental shade selection were used. A Poisson regression model with robust variance using the adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) was used to assess the influence of the variables: age group, sex, place of origin and type of university, considering a significance level of p<0.05.

RESULTS

The results showed that 40.8% (95% CI: 34.0% - 47.6%) of the interns presented unfavorable attitudes while 90.1% (95% CI: 86.0% - 94.2%) presented insufficient knowledge. It was also found that dental interns under 29 years of age were 32% less likely to have unfavorable attitudes (APR = 0.68, 95% CI 0.48 - 0.96) and 11% more likely to have insufficient knowledge (APR = 1.11, 95% CI 1.01 - 1.24) about tooth shade selection compared to dental interns aged 29 years and older. Finally, women were 55% more likely to have unfavorable attitudes about tooth shade selection compared to men (APR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.08 - 2.22).

CONCLUSION

The majority of dental interns presented insufficient knowledge and less than half had unfavorable attitudes about dental shade selection. In addition, being a student under 29 years of age was a risk factor for presenting insufficient knowledge and at the same time constituted a protective factor for presenting unfavorable attitudes. Likewise, being a female student was a risk factor for presenting unfavorable attitudes about dental shade selection.

Impact of a virtual educational intervention on knowledge and awareness of biomedical waste management among Peruvian dental professionals

Waste from healthcare is a significant global issue, with around 85% of it being common waste and the remaining 15% being hazardous waste that is infectious and toxic. Dentistry uses various materials that create a substantial amount of biomedical waste capable of impacting the environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a virtual educational program on the knowledge and awareness of dental material recycling and reuse, as well as biomedical waste management, among dental professionals in Peru. The current study was a longitudinal and quasi-experimental evaluation of 165 dentists from Peru. A validated questionnaire consisting of 30 items was administered at three different intervals (pre-test, immediate post-test, and 14-day post-test). Statistical analysis was conducted using the Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis H tests to compare scores between categories of each sociodemographic variable, and the Cochrane's Q and Friedman test was used for related measures comparison. A significance level of p < 0.05 was considered. When comparing the percentage of correct responses regarding recycling and reuse of dental materials and biomedical waste management between the pre-test and the immediate post-test, a significant improvement in knowledge was observed for most of the questionnaire items (p < 0.05). At 14 days after the test, those who studied at a private university, unmarried, bachelors, non-specialists, non-teachers and have less than 10 years of professional experience did not did not retain knowledge on biomedical waste management (p < 0.05) or recycling and reusing dental materials (p < 0.05) to a significant extent. There was a significant enhancement in dentists' knowledge and awareness of managing biomedical waste, recycling, and reusing dental materials following the educational intervention. This improvement was observed across all sociodemographic variables considered in the study. However, this knowledge was not retained beyond two weeks for those who studied at a private university, unmarried, bachelor, with no specialty, non-teachers and with less than 10 years of professional experience. Government authorities should encourage oral health professionals to conduct research with educational interventions focused on improving and evaluating the sustainability and environmental impact of dental practices. This will enable professionals to better understand, control and evaluate the consequences of their practical work.

Sociodemographic Factors Associated with Knowledge About Management of Cleft Lip and Palate Patients in Peruvian Dental Students: A Logistic Regression Analysis

Background

Cleft lip and palate are relatively frequent craniofacial alterations caused by the lack of union of the frontonasal processes with the maxillary processes during the first weeks of intrauterine life. This study evaluated the sociodemographic factors associated with the level of knowledge about management of cleft lip and palate (CLP) patients in Peruvian dental students.

Methods

This analytical, observational, cross-sectional and prospective study evaluated 191 dental students belonging to two branches of a private Peruvian university (one branch in the capital city and the other in a province), from September to November 2022. A validated questionnaire of 14 closed multiple-choice questions was used. A logit model was used to evaluate the influence of the variables: sex, age, academic year of study, marital status, relationship with CLP persons, place of origin and area of residence, on the level of knowledge of the students considering a significance level of p<0.05.

Results

Of the total, 77%, 22.5% and 0.5% presented a poor, fair and good level of knowledge, respectively, on the dental management of the patient with cleft lip and palate. In addition, those who lived in urban areas were 2.8 times more likely to have poor knowledge about the dental management of patients with CLP, compared to those who lived in non-urban areas (OR = 2.83; 95% CI: 1.26-6.33). Finally, sex, age, marital status, place of origin, academic year of studies and relationship with CLP persons were not considered influential factors (p>0.05).

Conclusion

Most of the students showed a poor level of knowledge about the dental management of patients with cleft lip and palate, a risk factor being that the students live in an urban area. It is recommended that educational authorities include selected topics on CLP in subjects related to infant, child and adolescent care.

Factors Associated with the Level of Knowledge about Biosafety against COVID-19 in Peruvian Dental Students: A Cross-Sectional Study under a Multivariable Regression Model

AIM

Biosafety is a set of preventive measures aimed at controlling risk factors arising from biological, physical, and/or chemical agents. This topic is particularly important in the dental field since saliva is the main biological agent of the transmission of coronavirus. The present study aimed to determine the factors associated with the level of knowledge about biosafety against COVID-19 in Peruvian dentistry students.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The present observational, cross-sectional, and analytical study evaluated 312 Peruvian dentistry students. A validated 20-question questionnaire was used to measure the level of knowledge. The nonparametric Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare levels of knowledge between categories of each variable. A logit model was used to evaluate associated factors such as sex, age, marital status, place of origin, academic year of study, being in the academic upper third, history of COVID-19, and living with vulnerable family members. A significance level of p < 0.05 was considered.

RESULTS

36.2%, 31.4%, and 32.4% presented poor, fair, and good knowledge levels, respectively. Students under 25 years of age were 64% less likely to pass the biosafety against COVID-19 questionnaire than students 25 years of age and older (OR = 0.36; CI: 0.20-0.66). Students in the academic upper third were nine times more likely to pass the test than other students (OR = 9.38; CI: 4.61-19.07). Finally, third-year students were 52% less likely to pass the exam than fifth-year students (OR = 0.48; CI: 0.28-0.83).

CONCLUSION

Only a minority of dentistry students had a good level of knowledge about biosafety against COVID-19. Younger and less educated students were more likely to fail the questionnaire. On the other hand, those students with outstanding academic performance were more likely to pass the questionnaire.

Factors associated with the perception of university professors about academic dishonesty in dental students from two peruvian universities: analysis under multivariable regression model

BACKGROUND

Academic dishonesty is an intentional behavior that transgresses ethics in the teaching-learning process. The present study aimed to evaluate the factors associated with the perception of university professors about academic dishonesty in dental students from two universities in the Peruvian capital.

METHODS

This cross-sectional, analytical study evaluated 181 professors from two Peruvian universities between March and July 2022. A validated 28-item questionnaire was used to measure the perceived academic dishonesty of their students. A logit model was used to evaluate the influence of the variables gender, marital status, place of origin, academic degree, specialization, academic area, years of teaching experience, scientific publications, ethical training and university of origin, considering a significance level of p < 0.05.

RESULTS

According to the median, professors perceived that their students sometimes had attitudes and motivations to commit academic dishonesty. The professors whose origin was the capital city were twice as likely to perceive dishonest attitudes in dental students as those whose origin was a province (OR = 2.04; 95% CI: 1.06-3.93). University professors in pre-clinical courses were 0.37 times less likely to perceive dishonest attitudes than those teaching in the dental clinic (OR = 0.37; CI: 0.15-0.91). University professors in basic science courses and professors in preclinical courses were 0.43 times (OR = 0.43; CI: 0.19-0.96) and 0.39 times (OR = 0.39; CI: 0.15-0.98) less likely to perceive dishonest motivations in their students compared to university professors in the dental clinic. Gender, marital status, academic degree, specialty, years of teaching experience, scientific publications and ethical training were not found to be influential factors (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Although all university professors surveyed perceived dishonest attitudes and motivations in their students, university professors from the capital city perceived such attitudes more. In addition, being a preclinical university professor was a hindered factor for perceiving such dishonest attitudes and motivations. It is advisable to implement and constantly disseminate regulations that empower academic integrity as well as to manage a system for reporting misconduct and to make students aware of the impact of dishonesty in their professional training.

Factors associated with knowledge about pharmacological management of pregnant women in Peruvian dental students: a logistic regression analysis

BACKGROUND

Clinical management to maintain or restore oral health through the use of drugs during pregnancy is crucial, since at this stage physiological changes significantly influence the absorption, distribution and elimination of the drug, considering also that excessive administration of drugs during this period may have adverse effects on the mother and/or fetus. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the factors associated with knowledge of pharmacological management of pregnant women in dental students of a Peruvian university located in the capital and province.

METHODS

This analytical, cross-sectional, prospective and observational study assessed 312 Peruvian dental students from third to fifth year of study between February and April 2022. A validated questionnaire of 10 closed questions was used to measure knowledge about pharmacological management in pregnant women. A logit model was used to assess the influence of the variables: gender, age, year of study, marital status, place of origin and area of residence. A significance of p < 0.05 was considered.

RESULTS

The 25.96, 55.13 and 18.91% of the dental students showed poor, fair and good knowledge about pharmacological management in pregnant women; respectively. In addition, it was observed that students under 24 years of age and those from the capital were significantly (p < 0.05) 44% less likely to have poor knowledge of pharmacological management in pregnant women compared to those aged 24 years or older (OR = 0.56; CI: 0.34-0.92) and those from the province (OR = 0.56; CI: 0.32-0.98); respectively. Finally, those in their third and fourth year of study were significantly three times more likely to have poor knowledge (OR = 3.17; CI: 1.68-5.97 and OR = 3.88; CI: 2.07-7.31; respectively) compared to fifth year dental students.

CONCLUSION

The knowledge of dental students about pharmacological management in pregnant women was predominantly of fair level. In addition, it was observed that being under 24 years of age and being from the capital city were protective factors against poor knowledge, while being a third- and fourth-year student was a risk factor. Finally, gender, marital status and area of residence were not influential factors in the level of knowledge.

Sociodemographic factors associated with the level of knowledge about management of epileptic patients in Peruvian dental students: a cross-sectional study under a multivariable analysis

BACKGROUND

Epilepsy is a chronic neurological disease that could indirectly affect oral health, and it is necessary for dentists to be familiar with the specific needs of patients with epilepsy. Therefore, aim of the present study was to assess the factors associated with the level of knowledge about management of epileptic patients in Peruvian dental students.

METHODS

This analytical, observational, cross-sectional and prospective study assessed 312 dental students from a Peruvian university during February to April 2022. A validated questionnaire of 20 closed multiple-choice questions was used to measure the level of knowledge about dental management in epileptic patients. A logit model was used to assess the influence of variables: gender, age, year of study, marital status, place of origin and area of residence, with the level of knowledge in dental students considering a significance level of p < 0.05.

RESULTS

Of the total, 28.8%, 36.2% and 34.9% had a poor, fair and good level of knowledge, respectively, about the dental treatment of epileptic patients. On the other hand, it was observed that being a woman (OR = 0.44, CI 0.26-0.75) and being a third year student (OR = 0.39, CI 0.21-0.74) and fourth year student (OR = 0.43, CI 0.23-0.89) constituted a protective factor against poor knowledge about the dental management of epileptic patients, while being from the capital city constituted a risk factor. Finally, age, marital status and the students' area of residence were not considered influential factors (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Most of the students showed a poor and fair level of knowledge about the dental management of epileptic patients, with gender, academic year and place of origin being influential factors. It is advisable that authorities and teachers in the dental profession organize recurrent training programs on the care of patients with chronic diseases requiring special attention, since knowing general concepts, pharmacological management and dental care of epileptic patients will allow future dentists to develop competencies to improve and implement good quality care protocols for this group of patients.

Sociodemographic Factors Associated with the Level of Knowledge of Early Postpartum Women about Oral Health Prevention in Infants Aged 0 to 2 Years Old: A Cross-Sectional Study under a Multivariable Analysis

The objective was to evaluate the sociodemographic factors associated with the level of knowledge of early puerperal women about oral health prevention in infants. This cross-sectional and analytical study evaluated 303 early puerperal women from a hospital in the Peruvian capital. A validated 18-question questionnaire was used to measure the level of knowledge. A logistic regression model was used to evaluate the influence of age, marital status, educational level, number of children, monthly income, and having a dentist as a family member. A significance of p < 0.05 was considered. A total of 46.86%, 30.36%, and 22.77% of the puerperal had poor, fair, and good knowledge, respectively. The risk of having poor knowledge was two times higher (OR = 2.43; CI: 1.26-4.70) in early postpartum women aged 18 to 25 years than in those older than 35 years. Early postpartum women with no education, primary and secondary education were 11 times (OR = 11.76; CI: 2.41-57.43), 6 times (OR = 6.61; CI: 1.72-25.45), and 5 times (OR = 5.50; CI: 1.52-19.89), respectively, more likely to have significantly poor knowledge compared to those with university education. In conclusion, only a small minority of early postpartum women had a good knowledge of oral health prevention in infants aged 0 to 2 years. Younger and less educated puerperal were at greater risk of having little knowledge on this topic. Finally, not having basic education was the main risk factor identified.

Factors Associated with Epidemiological, Preventive and Health Care Knowledge of Dentists from North of the Peruvian Capital about COVID-19: A Cross-Sectional Study under a Predictive Model

Aim: In dental practice there is a high risk of contact with fluids that may contain SARS-CoV-2. Salivary secretions in the form of droplets are the main route of infection. The present study aimed to evaluate factors associated with epidemiological, preventive and health care knowledge of dentists from the north of the Peruvian capital about COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This analytical, observational, cross-sectional and prospective study evaluated 142 dental professionals from the Directorate of Integrated Health Networks (DIRIS) in the north of the Peruvian capital during June to August 2022. A validated questionnaire of 20 closed multiple-choice questions was used to measure the level of epidemiological, preventive and health care knowledge about COVID-19. A logit model was used to evaluate the influence of the following variables: age, sex, marital status, children, origin, university of origin, academic degree, work modality, work status and number of training courses. In addition, a predictive model was constructed with the causal variables considering a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: Epidemiological, preventive and health care knowledge about COVID-19 was fair in 17.6%, 34.5% and 57.7%, respectively. Likewise, all the variables analyzed were influential factors. It was observed that being single (OR = 0.05, CI: 0.01−0.26), having studied at a private university (OR = 0.09, CI: 0.023−0.38) and having received four to six trainings on COVID-19 related topics (OR = 0.02, CI: 0.002−0.238) were protective factors against fair knowledge. Conclusions: More than half of the dentists surveyed had fair knowledge about COVID-19. The factors that favored a good level of overall knowledge were: being single, having studied at a private university and having received 4 to 6 training courses on COVID-19-related topics. It is advisable that the competent authorities continue to educate dental professionals with training programs about infection control practices in accordance with the health care work they perform in their specialty. It will also be of utmost importance for the professional to be updated with reliable information accredited by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the WHO.

Adhesive Strength in Dentin Conditioned with 18% Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid versus 35% Phosphoric Acid: In Vitro Study with 1-Year Artificial Aging

The success and longevity of a resin composite restoration is determined by its good bonding to the tooth structure, with the adhesion being a challenge to dentin due to its complexity and structural heterogeneity. The present study aimed to compare the adhesive strength of dentin conditioned with 18% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) versus 35% phosphoric acid (H3PO4) in human premolars. Materials and Methods: This in vitro experimental study was performed on 40 human premolars. The occlusal thirds were sectioned and randomly placed into four groups according to the type of dentin conditioning: Group 1 (control), Group 2 (18% EDTA), Group 3 (35% H3PO4) and Group 4 (18% EDTA plus 35% H3PO4). Then, 10,000 thermocycles between 5 +/− 2 °C and 55 +/− 2 °C were applied. Adhesive strength was tested by shearing with a digital universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 0.75 mm/min. The values obtained were analyzed in megapascals (MPa). The mean and standard deviation were used as measures of central tendency and dispersion. In addition, a one-factor intergroup ANOVA test was applied with Tukey’s post hoc test considering a significance level of p < 0.05. Results: The 18% EDTA and 18% EDTA plus 35% H3PO4 showed significantly higher adhesive strength compared to the control group that did not receive dentin conditioning (p = 0.047 and p < 0.001, respectively). However, the group conditioned with 18% EDTA did not present significant differences compared to the group conditioned with 35% H3PO4 (p = 0.997). In addition, the group conditioned with 18% EDTA plus 35% H3PO4 showed significantly higher adhesive strength compared to the groups conditioned with 18% EDTA (p = 0.002) and 35% H3PO4 (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The adhesion of bulk fill resin composite to dentin was favorable when preconditioning was performed using 18% EDTA followed by 35% H3PO4. In contrast, when both etchants were used separately, the bulk fill resin composite showed similar bond strength values in both cases, but significantly lower compared to their sequential application.