Dental student self-assessment of a medical history competency developed by Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Faculty.

PURPOSE: To develop a standardized competency exam to evaluate dental student knowledge of patients with complex medical histories. Analysis was performed to determine if there is a difference between dental student self-assessment of the exam compared to oral surgery faculty. The overall goal is to enhance student comprehension of advanced medical patients in the pre-doctoral oral and maxillofacial surgery clinic and make changes based on student responses. METHODS: The exam took place in a simulation laboratory containing two-way mirrors where the student could not see the evaluator. Three standardized patients (trained actors) were given different medical history scenarios to learn prior to the exam. Students were randomly assigned to interview one patient. The graders consisted of senior and junior level faculty. In real time (live) randomized manner, faculty assessed each student using a standardized rubric to assign a score of 1 to 4. Immediately afterwards, students assessed their own performance using the same scale. RESULTS: Students gave themselves significantly higher grades (P < 0.001) on the exam (10.7 ± 0.12) compared to the faculty (9.2 ± 0.17). There was no significant difference in student (P = 0.16) or faculty assessment (P = 0.29) between the three different medical scenarios. There was no significant difference between faculty in assessment of student performances (P = 0.16). CONCLUSION: These results suggested that students overestimated their performance compared to the faculty assessment. This could be due to that students assessed their performance based on memory and self-confidence; that exceeds their expectations. Internal calibration of student performances and faculty grading using standardized criteria may produce more accurate and reliable outcomes in student scoring.

The efficacy of a tissue-engineered xenograft in conjunction with sodium hyaluronate carrier in maxillary sinus augmentation: a clinical study.

PepGen P-15 Putty comprises anorganic bovine bone matrix (ABM) coupled with a synthetic cell-binding peptide, suspended in a sodium hyaluronate carrier. The P-15 portion exhibits a similar structure and properties to the cell-binding region of type I collagen. This study was performed to evaluate ABM/P-15 putty as the sole graft in sinus augmentation. Ten patients for whom both a sinus augmentation and two implants were indicated in the posterior maxilla were enrolled. Bone cores were harvested at 8 and 16 weeks, followed by placement of one implant at 8 weeks and the second at 16 weeks. Twenty collected bone cores were evaluated histologically and by micro-computed tomography. Results showed a significant increase (P<0.05) in bone mineral density at 8 weeks (0.70±0.13g/cm(3)) and 16 weeks (0.97±0.08g/cm(3)) in the graft compared to native (control) bone (0.04±0.02g/cm(3)). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the percentage bone volume at the two time intervals (PBV 21.14±4.56 at 8 weeks and 26.33±5.60 at 16 weeks). The average increase in bone height at 16 weeks was 10.55±0.53mm. It is concluded that PepGen P-15 Putty is capable of conducting and accelerating new bone formation and can successfully support dental implants.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activities of novel naphtho[2,1-b]pyran, pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidine and pyrano[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazolo[2,3-c]-pyrimidine derivatives.

The synthesis of new naphtho[1',2':5,6]pyrano[2,3-d]pyrimidines and related heterocycles has been reported. The key intermediate 3-amino-8-bromo-1-(p-methoxyphenyl)-1H-naphtho[2,1-b] pyran-2-carbonitrile (3c) was obtained in one pot synthesis by treating alpha-cyanocinnamonitrile (1c) with 6-bromo-2-naphthol (2). Antimicrobial activity was shown for some of the synthesized compounds.