Dental prosthetist experience with oral mucosal screening and referral

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate dental prosthetists' experiences with screening and referral for suspicious oral mucosal pathology.

METHOD AND MATERIALS

Questionnaires regarding oral mucosal screening and referral were mailed to 300 randomly selected dental prosthetists in Australia for selfcompletion. Non-responders were sent replacement questionnaires up to three times, according to the Dillman method.

RESULTS

A total of 179 prosthetists returned completed questionnaires resulting in a response rate of 64.9% after excluding 24 due to incorrectly listed addresses. Most participants reported that they checked all new patients for oral mucosal pathology (99.4%) and most reported that they checked all recall patients for mucosal pathology (86%). Most participants had detected a suspicious lesion (86%) and most had referred for a suspicious lesion (77.3%).

CONCLUSION

Australian dental prosthetists appear motivated to perform oral mucosal screening and will refer suspicious oral mucosal pathology when detected.

[The registration of false teeth and the others]

The quality control of false teeth should include the control for designing and processing. The registration of false teeth should emphasize particularly on the qualification of the makers, technology management, quality control and the labeling.

Quackery, fraud, and denturists

Denturism is questionable dental practice, even in those few states where it is licensed. Incomplete or incompetent care is quackery. In the early 1980s a few states liberalized their laws to allow denturism to those who were educationally qualified. This experiment has generally failed because all accredited training programs have closed, because prices charged by denturists have about reached parity with dentists' fees, and because of limited demand for denturists' services. Because of the complexity of the message about scientifically-grounded oral health care and the populism of stories about the poor and underserved, dentists must be vigilant regarding their interactions with the media.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Dental Technology

The Dental Act 1988 included requirements for the registration of clinical dental technicians, a new category of dental health worker. Despite the Act containing provision for a course of training in clinical dental technology, 11 years elapsed before the first candidates would graduate in this discipline. This paper describes the development and implementation of the new Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Dental Technology, PGDipCDTech(Otago). Diplomates of the inaugural course in 1999 were the first students, other than students of dentistry, to obtain a clinical qualification from the School of Dentistry. Overall the course was very successful, but the provisions of the Dental Act inhibit flexible approaches to the teaching of clinical dental technology.

Kentucky legislature releases study on denturism

The Kentucky study goes on to discuss the economic issues surrounding denturism, including the cost of dentures, insurance coverage and governmental savings through Medicaid. The report also includes a section on public health issues. That section covers competency, analysis of risks and oral health. The final section of the research study explores the various policy options open to the Kentucky General Assembly.

Determinants of AIDS preventive behaviour among dental professionals

This study was conducted to assess concerns regarding AIDS and to identify determinants of poor preventive behaviour among dentists. Questionnaires were distributed to a random sample of 342 professionals. Respondents showed the lowest knowledge scores on topics dealing with symptoms, epidemiology and AIDS control. The predictors of poor AIDS knowledge were: more than ten years of practice and a strong belief to be professionally susceptible to HIV infection. Sterilization of high speed drills was disappointing; only 14.2% of dentists reported using heat sterilization. Predictors of poor preventive behaviour were: poor ability in clinical AIDS identification, more than ten years of practice and poor knowledge of AIDS prevention and control. Dental burs were the major cause of occupational injury. Professionals who recap needles are three times more likely to sustain needlesticks than those who do not. Our results suggest the need to increase AIDS knowledge and to improve compliance to infection control measures among dentists.

Professional encroachment: a comparison of the emergence of denturists in Canada and Oregon

In 1978, supporters of denturism in Oregon succeeded in passing an initiative which allows denturists to provide dentures directly to the public. The steps which led to the referendum included three unsuccessful attempts to have the state legislature enact a law legalizing denturism. After capturing broad-based consumer support, the issue was placed on the ballot and passed by an overwhelming margin. Both the denturists and the dentists in Oregon adopted strategies similar to those used in Canada over 20 years ago when the issue was raised in a number of provinces. As was the case in Canada, the denturists prevailed. Denturists stressed the price differential and the issue of freedom of choice. Dentists stressed health and safety issues. The public perceived the dentists' campaign as negative and self-serving. This perception may have contributed to the election results. In order to avoid this tarnished image, dentists must anticipate the public's needs, and formulate strategies to meet such needs.