Work assignments, delegation of tasks and job satisfaction among Danish dental hygienists.

INTRODUCTION: Recent legislation in Denmark has made it possible for dentists to delegate their tasks to dental hygienists. Previous studies have shown that Danish dental hygienists primarily were performing assignments within their own work field. These assignments include prophylaxis or instructing patients in oral health care. However, studies have also shown that Danish dental hygienists performed dental nurse assignments such as chair-side assistance, unit cleaning and disinfection of instruments. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to investigate (i) the range of work assignments performed by Danish dental hygienists, (ii) the types of dentist tasks performed by Danish dental hygienists and (iii) job satisfaction among Danish dental hygienists. DESIGN: Dental hygienists graduating in 2004-2007 were invited to participate in this study. METHODS: Participants answered an email-distributed questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of questions regarding job satisfaction, assignments performed, postgraduate course attendance, receiving assistance from a dental nurse and which work assignments Danish dental hygienists wish to perform in the future. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that 90% of Danish dental hygienists were satisfied with their job and 52% were performing dentists' tasks. Among dentists' tasks performed by Danish dental hygienists, invasive caries therapy was the most frequently performed task. CONCLUSION: The type of assignments performed by Danish dental hygienists today appears to be changing compared to previous studies. From initially performing prophylaxis and chair-side assistance for the dentist, Danish dental hygienists today are performing a wider range of tasks which includes dentists' tasks.

Sugar-sweetened beverages consumption in relation to changes in body fatness over 6 and 12 years among 9-year-old children: the European Youth Heart Study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: In parallel with the obesity epidemic, consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) has risen over the same period. Our aim was to investigate associations between the consumption of SSB in childhood and adolescence with subsequent changes in body fatness in early adulthood. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A longitudinal study of 9-year-old children (n=283) enrolled in the Danish part of the European Youth Heart Study with a 6-year and 12-year follow-up. Data were collected at ages 9, 15 and 21 years. Multivariate regression analyses with adjustment for potential confounders were used to evaluate the effect of SSB consumption at 9 and 15 years and change in SSB consumption from 9-15 years on subsequent change in body fatness until 21 years. RESULTS: Subjects who consumed more than one serve of SSB daily at age 15 years had larger increases in body mass index (BMI) (ß=0.92, P=0.046) and waist circumference (WC) (ß=2.69, P=0.04) compared to non-consumers over the subsequent 6 years. In addition, subjects who increased their SSB consumption from age 9-15 years also had larger increases in BMI (ß=0.91, P=0.09) and WC (ß=2.72, P=0.04) from 15-21 years, compared to those who reported no change in consumption. No significant association was observed from 9-21 years. CONCLUSION: This study provides new evidence that SSB consumption in adolescence and changes in SSB consumption from childhood to adolescence are both significant predictors of change in body fatness later in early adulthood.

Ocular rosacea.

Ocular rosacea was diagnosed in 6.3% of a cornea/external disease referral practice where more than half of the patients referred are for corneal surgery. The most common signs and symptoms are also common to many patients in the general practice of ophthalmology, i.e., foreign body sensation, burning, superficial punctate erosions, chalazia and blepharitis. Less common but dangerous to the vision was corneal thinning, vascularization and infiltrates. Three new associated symptoms were described. These were map dot subepithelial opacities, recurrent erosions and moderately severe foreign body sensation, pain or burning with minimal associated signs. Oral tetracycline 250 mg q.i.d. resulted in improvement in almost all patients from 4 to 17 days after initiation of therapy. Although most of the patients have been able to taper and stop therapy, those with foreign body sensation, burning and pain have had recurrences of their symptoms with all attempts at stopping therapy.

Chalazia and rosacea.

Fifty-seven percent of patients scheduled for excision of chalazia over 19 years of age and 64% of patients over the age of 29 were found to have rosacea. This compares to an incidence in our control group of 12% and 13%, respectively. Rosacea was almost twice as common in patients with recurrent chalazia as in those with only one occurrence.

Ocular rosacea.

Ocular rosacea was diagnosed in 49 patients. The most common signs and symptoms were foreign body sensation, burning, superficial punctate erosions, chalazia, and belpharitis. Less common but dangerous to the vision was corneal thinning, vascularization, and infiltrates. Three new associated symptoms were found. These were mapdot subepithelial opacities, recurrent erosions, and moderately severe foreign body sensation, pain or burning with minimal associated signs. Of the 49 patients, 37 were treated with 250 mg of oral tetracycline four times a day, which resulted in improvement in almost all patients from four to 17 days after initiation of therapy. Most of the patients have been able to taper, or taper and stop therapy without recurrence of their symptoms. Those patients with foreign body sensation, burning, and pain required the most prolonged therapy in order to taper or stop treatment with tetracycline.

Significance of donor age in penetrating keratoplasty.

Because the significance of donor age in penetrating keratoplasty remains controversial, a study was undertaken to analyze the results of keratoplastics performed with older (greater than 70) and younger (less than 55) donor corneas. Thirty-seven eyes which received older donor corneas were divided into 4 diagnostic categories and were compared with 37 eyes having the same diagnosis which received younger donor corneas. The average follow-up for both groups was 24 months. There was no significant difference between the number of clear grafts in each group. It would appear that older donor corneas can withstand the surgical trauma of transplantation and remain clear for a relatively significant period.

The acute manifestations of ocular cicatricial pemphigoid: diagnosis and treatment.

Seven patients with ocular cicatricial pemphigoid displayed acute inflammatory activity that could not be attributed to secondary bacterial infections, trichiasis, or lagophthalmos secondary to symblepharon. This acute inflammatory activity was manifested either as a localized conjunctival mound that was ulcerated and intensely hyperemic or as diffuse and intense conjunctival hyperemia and chemosis. Acute disease activity developed shortly after conjunctival biopsy in three patients and appeared spontaneously in the other four patients. Conjunctival biopsy specmens disclosed a heavy infiltrate of polymorphonuclear leucocytes within and beneath the conjunctival epithelium in addition to the chronic inflammatory cells typically found in this condition. The acute manifestations of ocular cicatricial pemphigoid cause rapid shrinkage and scarring of the conjunctiva. Systemic corticosteroids suppressed the acute disease activity and prevented additional scarring in all five patients treated.

Prevention of vitreous loss in aphakic keratoplasty.

Controlled aspiration of aqueous before excising the recipient cornea resulted in maintenance of an intact vitreous face during aphakic penetrating corneal transplants in eight of 11 eyes. Vitreous corneal contact or subsequent graft opacification has not occurred in the study group during the observation period.

A simple technique for removal of recurring granular dystrophy in corneal grafts.

A 63-year-old man and his 24-year-old son developed recurrences of granular dystrophy in their three corneal grafts within three years after surgery. We regrafted one of the son's corneas. Histologic examination of the corneal button removed during surgery showed an avascular connective tissue layer with the histochemical characteristics of granular dystrophy interposed between the epithelium and Bowman's layer. In the remaining two corneal grafts, we fixed the globe with corneal forceps and removed the opaque dystrophic layer by separating it from the cornea with a spatula. Postoperatively, all three corneal grafts were once more transparent.