The impact of COVID-19 on the practice of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology in the United States and Canada.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the delivery of healthcare, including oral healthcare services. The restrictions imposed for mitigating spread of the virus forced dental practitioners to adopt significant changes in their workflow pattern. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the pandemic on the practice of oral and maxillofacial pathology in two countries in regard to educational activities, and clinical and diagnostic pathology services. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online questionnaire was distributed to oral and maxillofacial pathologists in the United States and Canada. The survey was designed by combining dichotomous, multiple choice, and Likert response scale questions. Statistical analysis of the collected data was performed with SPSS software. RESULTS: Most pathologists, at the time of survey completion, were teaching synchronously, primarily with case-based learning and live lectures. During lockdown, 52.4% and 50.0% of those with trainees expected their residents to show up for clinic- and laboratory-related procedures respectively. The pathologists were most concerned for their residents' inadequate clinical exposure, future placement, and face-to-face teaching time. About 89.0% pathologists were able to provide emergent care, with 82.4% and 23.5% having performed telehealth consultations and oral biopsy procedures, respectively. During the lockdown, the pathology laboratories for 90.9% of participants received biopsy specimens that predominantly comprised of potentially malignant or malignant lesions. However, a reduction in the number of biopsy submissions was reported. CONCLUSIONS: Given the challenges of the pandemic, oral and maxillofacial pathologists in the United States and Canada successfully continued their pursuits in education, clinical care, and diagnostic pathology services.

Assessing graduating dental students' competencies: the impact of classroom, clinic and externships learning experiences.

OBJECTIVES: The present study assessed recent dental graduates' educational experiences with regard to competency development in different learning contexts and preparedness for independent professional performance. METHODS: The present study employed a questionnaire examining University of Manitoba graduating dental students' confidence and perceived importance of 47 competencies expected by the ACFD/CDA by requiring students to rate each competency on a five-point Likert scale. In addition, contribution of each of the three learning environments (classroom, clinic, and externship) towards competency development was assessed. RESULTS: Recent graduates reported most confidence in areas of basic clinical procedures involving radiographic, pharmacologic and caries management, with least confidence in implantology, orofacial pain, trauma and surgical management. Most importance was attributed to interpersonal-communication and basic clinical skills, with least importance in scientific research, implantology and prosthetic laboratory aspects. Overall, graduates felt that clinical setting contributed the most to competency development, followed by classroom and then externship contexts. CONCLUSION: Graduating students' professional preparedness can reflect the quality of dental programme. However, the amount of importance that graduates place on each competency might impact their confidence in the associated competencies and vice versa. In addition, learning settings must be effectively utilised for particular competencies' development.

Online learning in dentistry: an overview of the future direction for dental education.

This paper provides an overview of the diversity of tools available for online learning and identifies the drivers of online learning and directives for future research relating to online learning in dentistry. After an introduction and definitions of online learning, this paper considers the democracy of knowledge and tools and systems that have democratized knowledge. It identifies assessment systems and the challenges of online learning. This paper also identifies the drivers for online learning, including those for instructors, administrators and leaders, technology innovators, information and communications technology personnel, global dental associations and government. A consideration of the attitudes of the stakeholders and how they might work together follows, using the example of the unique achievement of the successful collaboration between the Universities of Adelaide, Australia and Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The importance of the interaction of educational principles and research on online learning is discussed. The paper ends with final reflections and conclusions, advocating readers to move forward in adopting online learning as a solution to the increasing worldwide shortage of clinical academics to teach dental clinicians of the future.

Type A behavior and alcohol consumption: effects on resting and post-exercise bleeding time thromboxane and prostacyclin metabolites.

The vasoactive eicosanoids, prostacyclin and thromboxane, are thought to play an important role in the genesis of cardiovascular disease. Since an altered basal production of these eicosanoids among individuals exhibiting the Type A behavior pattern had previously been observed by the authors, the present study evaluated the extent to which the TABP-eicosanoid relationship would be altered by two lifestyle variables known to affect platelet activity: alcohol consumption and stressful physical activity. 55 male participants aged 18-25 years, participated in the study. They were classified as either Type A or Type B on the basis of the Structured Interview and as either moderate, heavy, or abstinent alcohol drinkers. Bleeding times were performed and bleeding time thromboxane and prostacyclin metabolites were measured in all subjects both before and following treadmill exercise. The results indicated that following exercise, Type A participants, who reported moderate alcohol intake, had decreased levels of thromboxane B2 formation relative to Type As reporting heavy consumption. Further, prostacyclin production, measured as the primary metabolite, 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, was significantly suppressed following exercise among drinkers as compared with participants reporting abstinence. These results were discussed in relation to the proposition that moderate alcohol consumption reduces coronary heart disease risk.

The interactive effects of Type A behavior and hostility on bleeding time thromboxane and prostacyclin formation.

Sixty-six male university students were classified as Type A or B on the basis of the Structured Interview of Rosenman and as hostile or non-hostile on the basis of the Cook-Medley scale. Vascular production of prostacyclin and platelet thromboxane in response to a standard vessel injury was evaluated. Basal thromboxane production, measured as the primary metabolite, thromboxane B2, in blood oozing from the bleeding-time site, was highest among hostile Type A subjects with significantly lower thromboxane production in hostile Type Bs and all non-hostile groups combined. Following an exercise treadmill test hostile subjects produced more thromboxane than non-hostile ones, and hostile Type As had significantly shorter bleeding times than hostile Type Bs. No significant differences on any measure were observed following a stressful color naming task. The observed interaction of hostility and Type A behavior on bleeding time thromboxane formation links behavior to an adverse aspect of a thrombosis-related parameter thought to be involved in the genesis of cardiovascular disease.