Impact of oral medicine training on oral cancer-related knowledge among undergraduate dental students

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge and attitudes regarding potentially malignant oral lesions and oral cancer among undergraduate dental students with or without training in the oral medicine. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken to assess all undergraduate dental student (1st to 5th year) in two private universities in the state of Paraná, Brazil. A structured questionnaire about knowledge regarding potentially malignant oral lesions, continuing education, and different approaches to diagnosis was administered to dental students with or without training in the oral medicine discipline between May and July 2015. Descriptive statistics were obtained, and the data were analyzed using a chi-square test to compare knowledge in dental students. Results: A total of 662 undergraduate dental students were invited to participate, and the response rate was 97.6% (n = 646). Of the responders, 472 were female (73.1%), 168 were male (26.0%), and 6 did not declare what sex they were (0.9%). Undergraduate dental students who had previously studied oral medicine tended to report that they always perform complete intraoral examination (76.3%) and identified alcohol (87%) and tobacco consumption (97%) and sun exposure (80%) as major risk factors for developing oral cancer. While students who had not yet studied oral medicine poorly identified these factors. Students who had previously studied the discipline did not identify cheilitis actinica (26%) and erythroplakia (32%) as potentially malignant lesions. Only, 32.6% of dental students participate in continuing education during the past year. Conclusions: Dental students trained in the oral medicine discipline exhibited satisfactory knowledge necessary for the prevention and early identification of potentially malignant oral lesions and oral cancer. Continuing education during undergraduate and after academic training is very important

Prader-Willi Syndrome: clinical case report

Introduction: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a neurobehavioral genetic disease whose cause is failure on chromosome 15. It is considered the primary genetic cause of obesity, since it is characterized by hyperphagia. Although the scientific literature will produce articles on Prader-Willi syndrome, few reported oral conditions of these patients. Objective: This study aimed to describe the oral health status of a patient diagnosed with PWS. Case report: A boy aged 10 years-old, leucoderma, attended the Discipline of Dentistry for Special Care Patients, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), with all the inherent PWS characteristics such as hyperphagia and obesity. Clinical, radiographic and laboratory tests were performed to verify the oral health conditions which showed the presence of biofilm accumulation, gingivitis and a high DMFT index. It was necessary to adequate oral environment through extractions, restorations, and prophylactic therapy. Conclusion: Considering the information obtained, it was concluded that the motivation to maintain oral health should be constant for this patient and involve family, since hyperphagia, which is a determinant for obesity, decisively contributes to the evolution of oral diseases.