Continuous medical education for re-licensing perception of dentists practicing in a Developing Country

Background: Continuing professional education [CPE] or continuous education [CE] is the means by which people maintain their knowledge and skills related to their profession. Mandatory continuing education is a major factor in relicensure that is being licensed to practice for a specific period with the license either getting renewed at the end of that period or forfeited. This study is designed to assess the awareness regarding importance of continuing professional education as a requirement for re-licensing among General Dental Practitioners and Specialists and to identify the role of governing bodies for endorsing re-licensure procedure on the basis of CME

Methods: Cross sectional study was conducted among 450 dentists practicing in Karachi [July 2013 to Dec 2013], divided in to two groups ;General Dental Practitioners [n=350]and Consultant Specialists[n=100]. Simple Random sampling technique was applied thorough lottery from available list of Dentists and Consultants. Data was collected through a self administered questionnaire. SPSS version 20 was used for analysis and Chi -square test to assess associations of categorical variables. P value less than 0.05 was considered as significant

Results: Majority participants n= 250 [55.6%] were aware about re -certification and re-licensing and n= 292 [64.9%]knew the difference between the two. Only n=153 [34%] were of the view that re -certification and re-licensing should be made mandatory in Pakistan

Conclusion: The awareness of CME and re-certification is high among our professionals

Reasons and patterns of tooth extraction in a tertiary care hospital- a cross sectional prospective survey

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to find the reasons of tooth extraction in permanent dentition and to identify the patterns of tooth extraction among karachiates

MATERIAL AND METHODS: This study was carried out in the department of oral and maxillofacial surgery [OMFS], in tertiary care hospitals of Karachi from October 2013 to March 2014. In this cross sectional study total 6251 patients were selected through non-probability convenience sampling and data was collected by trained clinician using predesigned questionnaire after informed verbal consent. The reasons and pattern of tooth loss was recorded and data was computed on SPSS. Version 19.00

RESULTS: According to the result analysis on SPSS version 19.0, the male to female percentage was 43.25% and 56.74% respectively and the highest number of extractions was observed at the age of 50 years i.e. 6.24%.The percentage of reasons of extraction of teeth in our population is as follows, the grossly carious teeth are 51.8%, Periodontal problem 19.2%, Impaction 2.9%, RCT failure 2.8%, Economics 0.9%, Root caries 6.8%, Orthodontics 2.9%, Prosthodontics 0.1%, Fracture 1.3% , Malopposed 0.7%, Supernumerary teeth 0.9%, tooth In the fracture line 0.1%, Aesthetics, Pathological fracture, Preradiation 0.0%

CONCLUSION: It was concluded from the above study that dental caries, is the most common reason for tooth loss followed by periodontal disease and first molar is the commonest tooth extracted

En bloc resection of huge cemento-ossifying fibroma of mandible: avoiding lower lip split incision

Cemento-ossifying Fibroma [COF] is an osteogenic benign neoplasm affecting the jaws and other craniofacial bones. It commonly presents as a progressively slow growing pathology, which can sometimes attain an enormous size, causing facial deformity. A case of a huge cemento-ossifying fibroma, appearing as a mandibular dumbbell tumour in a male patient is documented, which caused massive bone destruction and deformity. It was surgically removed by performing en bloc resection of mandible avoiding the splitting of lower lip incision technique, thereby maintaining his normal facial appearance

Van Der Woude syndrome: a rare case in Pakistan

Congenital epithelial anomalies of the face [sinus of fistula or pits] are uncommon. Most of them involve the lower lip as a part of Van der Woude syndrome. This syndrome presents as a pair of pits in the lower lip vermilion in association with left lip and palate. The incidence is 0.001% of the general population. Additional clinical features include enamel hypoplasia, multiple congenitally missing teeth and abnormality of right limb as a birth defect. Management of the patients involves the collaboration of different specialists. An earlier management of these cases could improve self-esteem and quality of life of the patient. Very few cases of this condition have been reported worldwide. By reporting such new cases we wish to contribute to the understanding of the etiology and to the better knowledge of the details of this very rare condition

unusual presentation of [peripheral giant cell granuloma]

Peripheral giant cell granuloma is an uncommon lesion though not rare in the oral cavity. A case is reported where peripheral giant cell granuloma was associated with partially impacted mandibular canine. The presentation was interesting because the lesion was initially diagnosed as tuberculosis and the patient was treated with anti tuberculous drugs for nine months without any regression of the oral lesion. The case report emphasizes the importance of history, examination and investigation in diagnosis