Obstructive Sleep Apnea Awareness Among Dentists in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to assess the knowledge and clinical practices among dentists in Saudi Arabia regarding obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of 8 months across the whole country. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the OSA knowledge and practices. The developed questionnaire was closed-ended questions and consisted of three parts: (1) demographic information such as age, gender, work experience, workplace, and specialty; (2) knowledge of OSA; and (3) OSA management practice. The knowledge score was calculated based on six questions, each of which gives one point when answered correctly. RESULTS: A total of 450 dentists from all over the country were surveyed, with a predominance of females (55.6%) and Saudis (59%). About 56% learned about OSA in their undergraduate study, with theoretical lectures being the main source of information. The overall knowledge score was 3.09, with specialists having a higher score than general practitioners (GPs) (p<0.001) and those who learned about OSA in their post-graduate study having higher scores (p<0.001). Despite this, 58.89% never asked their patients about sleep history, and only 19.11% diagnosed patients with OSA before. Only 7.56% used oral appliances to treat OSA, and only one-quarter referred patients to a physician for a sleep-disordered diagnosis. However, 79.33% were willing to attend a continuing education course on managing OSA patients. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that dentists in Saudi Arabia lack fundamental understanding regarding OSA and their role in screening, diagnosing, and treating patients with OSA, highlighting the need to educate the dental fraternity. Dental GPs and specialists, including orthodontists, must be actively involved in diagnosing and treating this life-threatening health issue.

Musculoskeletal Disorder Symptoms in Saudi Allied Dental Professionals: Is there an Underestimation of Related Occupational Risk Factors?

This study aims to examine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) symptoms in allied dental professionals (ADPs) in Saudi Arabia and risk factors for MSDs. The study also explores ADPs' opinions and attitudes about the effect of MSD symptoms on the quality of life and potential mitigatory measures. This is a prospective cross-sectional study. Participants were 355 licensed dental staff (average age 33.6 ± 8.1 years, 69% women) working as assistants, lab technicians, radiology technicians, or sterilization technicians with at least six months' work experience. The self-administrated questionnaire comprised socio-demographics, work-related factors, and items from the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Multivariate and univariate logistic regressions were conducted to investigate risk factors for MSD symptoms. Overall, 93% of ADPs complained of MSD symptoms in at least one body site in the past 12 months. Factors related to work conditions (e.g., 'keeping an uncomfortable posture for long periods of time', 'lifting heavy objects') and years of experience were proven to be significant risk factor for developing MSDs. The cohort of ADPs showed a high MSD symptoms prevalence. Efforts are imperative in addressing the risk factors of ergonomics and the workplace environment, and more rigorous studies are needed to further investigate risk factors.

Orthodontic care for the behavior-challenged special needs patient.

Despite having a high prevalence of functionally compromising malocclusions, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities do not regularly receive necessary orthodontic treatment. Patients with behavior challenges are unlikely to be offered this treatment option. However, with appropriate behavior management interventions and pharmacologic sedation, orthodontic treatment becomes a possibility for clinicians to consider. Parents will likely seek out clinicians who can provide this type of advanced orthodontic care. Additional training is now becoming available as accredited Fellowship Programs in Craniofacial and Special Care Orthodontics are developed. Hopefully, the clinical examples described in this article will no longer be unique in the area of special care dentistry.