Demographic insights into the periodontology workforce in Saudi Arabia: A descriptive study.

Objective: This study assessed the demographic characteristics of the periodontal workforce in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This was a retrospective study of periodontists practicing in Saudi Arabia from January 2000 through May 2023. The data were requested from the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties and included the number of periodontists and dentists, the number of Saudi and non-Saudi periodontists, the sex distribution of periodontists, their ranking, and the geographic distribution across the 13 regions. Results: This study identified 700 practicing periodontists, representing 2.2 periodontists per 100,000 people. Consultant periodontists composed 31% of the population, mostly Saudi nationals. Approximately 53% of practicing periodontists resided in Saudi Arabia, mostly in the Riyadh, Makkah, and Eastern Provinces. Al Bahah, Najran, and the Northern Borders had fewer periodontists. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into shaping the periodontal workforce in Saudi Arabia. Future studies on the factors related to the periodontology workforce can assist policymakers in implementing effective strategies to significantly improve the current workforce.

Photobiomodulation for Managing "Dry Socket": A Randomised Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: There are no studies that have evaluated the effect of Alveogyl with and without adjunct photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) in reducing self-rated post-operative pain (SPP) in patients with alveolar osteitis (AO; dry socket). The aim of the present randomised controlled trial was to assess the effectiveness of Alveogyl with and without PBMT for the management of SPP in patients with AO. METHODS: Adult nonsmokers with diagnosed AO were included. Patients were randomly divided into 4 groups. In Group 1, patients underwent mechanical curettage (MC) with copious normal saline irrigation. In Group 2, patients underwent MC + Alveogyl dressings in extraction sites which were changed every 48 hours until cessation of pain. In Group 3, patients underwent MC + Alveogyl followed by PBMT using a 660-nm indium-gallium-aluminum-phosphide diode laser. In Group 4, patients were treated solely with PBMT. The visual analogue scale was used up to 3 postoperative days to assess SPP up to 3 days at 6- (T0) and 12-hour (T1) intervals. Statistical analyses were performed using the analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc adjustment tests. Correlation between SPP scores and age, sex, and eruption status of teeth was assessed using logistic regression models. P values <.01 were nominated as being statistically significant. RESULTS: In all, 14, 13, 14, and 14 individuals with AO were included in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. All patients had undergone extraction of mandibular third molars. At baseline and on day 1, there was no difference in SPP in all groups. On days 2 and 3, mean visual analogue scale (VAS) scores at T1 (P < .01) and T2 (P < .01) intervals were significantly high in Group 2 compared with Group 3. On days 2 and 3, mean VAS scores at T1 (P < .01) and T2 (P < .01) intervals were significantly high in Group 4 compared with Group 3. There was no difference in SPP in groups 3 and 4 on day 3 at T0 and T1 intervals. CONCLUSIONS: PBMT following MC and Alveogyl dressing is more efficient in reducing SPP compared with MC with or without Alveogyl dressing in patients with AO.

Smoking among dental students at King Saud University: Consumption patterns and risk factors.

OBJECTIVE: To assess smoking prevalence among dental students at King Saud University (KSU) and to determine possible risk factors of tobacco use. METHODS: A self-addressed invitation letter was sent to all dental students (males and females) at KSU requesting participation in this study. Data on smoking habits, associated risk factors, and demographic factors, such as age, marital status, residency status, the student's year of study, and grade point average, were collected by an electronic self-administered questionnaire sent via email. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Significant differences between different groups were assessed with a Pearson Chi-Square test at α = 0.05. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) and to determine the effect of different risk factors on students' smoking habits. RESULTS: Of the 600 registered dental students, 400 students responded (230 males, 170 females), representing a response rate of 67%. More male than female students were current smokers (27.6% vs. 2.4%, p < 0.001). Most smokers used shisha tobacco only (N = 35, 51.5%), followed by both shisha tobacco and cigarettes (N = 17, 25%), or cigarettes only (N = 16, 23.5%). Male students were about 4 times more likely to be smokers if all or most of their friends were smokers compared to students who had some friends who smoked (OR = 3.9, 95% CI = 1.9-7.7). A high proportion of current smokers (47.8%) reported stress as the main reason for smoking. Twenty-six percent of dental students (N = 87) who are currently nonsmokers reported that they have used tobacco at some point in their lives. Over two thirds of sampled students (63%) believed that public tobacco usage is not well addressed in the current college curriculum. CONCLUSION: Approximately one in every four male dental students at KSU is a smoker. Having friends who are smokers was the most important risk factor associated with smoking. There is a general belief among dental students that public tobacco use is not well addressed in the dental college curriculum.