Effect of self-reported clinician experience level on perceptions of the relative rankings of risk factors for biological complications with dental implant therapy.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The effect of clinician experience on the perception of risks for biological complications associated with dental implant therapy is unknown. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether clinician experience levels, as assessed by the number of implants placed and/or restored, as well as by type of clinical experience (restorative/prosthodontic and/or surgical), influence the perception of risk for biological complications with dental implant therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A 10-item survey instrument was developed that asked participants from a convenience sample to rank different risk factors for peri-implant complications in the areas of patient history, clinical findings, and clinician choices and postimplant placement findings. Information about participant experience (number of implants placed and restored and type of experience) was also captured. The Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U test statistical analyses were performed to determine the degree, if any, to which the level of clinician experience influenced risk factor rankings (α=.05). RESULTS: Clinicians with more experience viewed the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medications and clinician inexperience as more important risk factors than did less experienced clinicians. Clinicians with less experience viewed treated moderate or severe chronic periodontitis and thin tissue biotype as more important risk factors than did more experienced clinicians. Clinicians with predominantly surgical experience viewed a heavy plaque index as a more important risk factor than clinicians with predominantly restorative experience. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that the level of clinical experience influences how risk factors associated with biological complications of dental implant therapy are viewed by clinicians.

The College of American Pathologists Foundation's See, Test & Treat Program®: an Evaluation of a One-Day Cancer Screening Program Implemented in Mississippi.

Women in Mississippi experience significant barriers to healthcare that results in high incidence rates of late-stage breast, cervical, and oropharyngeal cancer. We implemented See, Test, & Treat, a cancer screening and education program, that was aimed at increasing access to cancer screening for underserved women in the Jackson Metropolitan Area. During the event, 103 women between the ages of 21 and 69 years old received breast, cervical, and/or oral cancer screenings. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to evaluate the effect of the program on the participants' cancer screening knowledge, self-efficacy to obtain medical check-ups, and intentions to engage in health-enhancing behaviors. Of the 57 women who received a mammogram, 18 had abnormal results that required follow-up care. None of the women who received a Pap test had abnormal results, but 8 women were diagnosed with trichomoniasis. One woman was diagnosed with stage 4 oral cancer. The evaluation data indicated that participants found that free cancer screenings and receipt of results on the same day were primary benefits of the program.