Medical status of patients presenting for treatment at an Australian dental institute: a cross-sectional study

Background

Individuals seeking dental treatment often present with medical conditions which may affect dental treatment provision. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of medical conditions and medication use among individuals attending dental clinics at a Western Australian tertiary institution.

Methods

This observational study examined the general demographics, medical and social histories of 873 subjects presenting for a general dental examination at a Western Australian Tertiary Institution between March 2018 and February 2019. Individual recruited were those presenting to the clinics either as new patients to the Centre or returning patients after an extended period of absence.

Results

Presence of a medical condition was reported by 86% of the participants, with males more commonly affected (p = 0.0448). Medication use was noted by 80% of the participants. Cardiovascular disease (37.9%), allergy (32.3%), mental health disorders (29.4%), musculoskeletal (23.0%), endocrine (22.4%) and respiratory disease (17.8%) were the most common conditions identified. Women were significantly more likely to report allergy (p = 0.0002) or a mental health condition (p = 0.0368).

Conclusion

Medical comorbidities are common among individuals presenting for student dental treatment in Western Australia, highlighting the importance of knowledge and teaching of internal medicine and its application to the dental setting.

Retrospective Study of Facial Fractures

Aim:

The aim of this study was to give an insight into the retrospective analysis of a number of maxillofacial trauma cases reported to our institute and research center.

Materials and Methods:

The data for this study was obtained from the medical records and outpatient prescription slips of cases treated at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department from 2010 to 2016. Etiology, age, gender, pattern of fracture, and surgical treatment modalities undertaken in these patients were recorded.

Results:

A total of 353 maxillofacial trauma patients with mean age of 40 years, treated at our institute were evaluated from 2010 to 2016. Mandible was the most commonly fractured bone with parasymphysis as the most frequent site. Majority of victims were males (male:female ratio of 4:1) and also in the third decade of life. This study showed that 73% patients were treated by open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF), 25.8% by intermaxillary fixation (IMF) and Stabilization of fracture mandible with acrylic splint and circummandibular wiring was done in 0.8% pediatric patients.

Conclusion:

It was concluded that road traffic accidents were reported as the leading cause of maxillofacial fractures followed by assault, falls, and familial dispute. Maxillofacial surgeons as health care providers must continue their ‘face it’ campaign to decrease the incidence of road traffic accidents. Open reduction and internal fixation remains the gold standard treatment modality.

Evaluating Student's Perceptions of the Learning Environment in an Indian Dental School

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate student's perception of the learning environment in a private dental institute in India based on DREEM inventory.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study included students in all four years of the undergraduate dental course of Panineeya Institute of Dental Sciences and Hospital, Hyderabad, India. Self-administered Dundee Ready Education environment Measure (DREEM) inventory consisting of 50-items on a five-point Likert scale was utilized to assess the students' perceptions regarding learning environment in this academic dental school. Comparison for the total and domain DREEM score means was carried out via independent t-test for dichotomous variables (gender) and ANOVA for more than two variables (year of study). Significant difference was noted for p < 0.05.

RESULTS

The response rate for this study was 86.8%. Mean age of the study participants was 19.61 + 1.50 y. The overall DREEM score for this population was 125.24 + 21.10 reflecting a more of positive than negative education environment in this institution. When individual domain scores were accounted, except for the domain SAS, females had a higher mean scores for all domains which was however statistically significant only for the domains SPL (p = 0.03) and SPT (p = 0.01). Likewise, significant differences were also noted for SPL and SPT based on the year of study, wherein for both the domains, third year students had significantly higher mean scores and least was recorded for fourth year students. Correlation of the various domains demonstrated significant positive correlation among the domains.

CONCLUSION

Overall this sample of dental students rated the learning environment in this dental institute as positive.