Students' Perspective on Undergraduate Research Experiences in Indonesian Dental Schools.

Undergraduate (UG) research is considered as an essential part of dental education. Numerous dental schools have included required course-based undergraduate research in their curricula. However, the implementation of UG research courses in the curriculum may vary between dental schools. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate student perspectives on UG research in the curriculum of Indonesian dental schools. A total of 203 participants from 10 dental schools returned the questionnaire. The participants were clinical students of the dentistry profession program who completed their undergraduate dentistry program from 2017 to 2022. The majority of study participants favored UG research in the curriculum of the undergraduate dentistry study program. Less than 20% participants perceived UG research experiments were not important in dental education. Factors that influenced these perceptions included the availability of adequate time to complete the course and sufficient support from research supervisors. Recommendations for improvement included providing an adequate time to complete UG research and adequate supervision to guide students to understand the conceptual background information of the research topics, designs, and scientific communication of data interpretation. Regular monitoring of students' performance and progress would ensure completion of UG research courses in a timely manner. In conclusion, although UG research as a compulsory course in the Indonesian dental curriculum was well received by the students, overcoming the challenges is essential for the improvement of the research environment for undergraduate dental students.

Special care dentistry perception among dentists in Jakarta: An online survey study.

Special Care Dentistry (SCD) or Special Needs Dentistry is a branch of dentistry concerned with the oral health of people with a variety of medical conditions or limitations that require more than routine delivery of care. There were reports on oral status of special care patients and special interest group for SCD dentists in Indonesia has existed. However, there was not perception report on SCD amongst dentists in Jakarta. This paper will describe the perception of dentists in Jakarta towards SCD. A cross-sectional questionnaire, translated and cross adapted to Indonesian, was distributed online through Whatsapp to dentists registered in Jakarta late 2019. Quantitative data was analyzed using statistical software for proportion and correlation using Chi-Square test. The questionnaire explored dentists' perception towards SCD. A total of 250 dentists participated in this study, of them 173 general practitioners and 77 specialist dentists. Most respondents reported that they did not have SCD component during undergraduate dental school and did not provide treatment to patients with special needs in their clinical practice. Most respondents have poor perception of SCD, however, most of the respondents showed motivation and interest towards SCD training. Dentists in Jakarta involved in this study had poor perception of SCD. More efforts should be performed to improve SCD education and awareness.

Public awareness of oral cancer among adults in Jakarta, Indonesia.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to investigate the awareness of oral cancer among adults in Jakarta, Indonesia, and explore the factors influencing it. METHODS: A previously-tested questionnaire on 1000 adults in Jakarta was used in the present study. The data included sociodemographic factors and answers to assess the awareness of oral cancer, early signs and symptoms, risks factors, lifestyles, and history of dental visits. RESULTS: Only 53.2% of participants were aware of oral cancer. The level of awareness significantly differed by level of education, occupation, and experience of dental visits. Only 30% of patients had been asked about their tobacco and alcohol habits, and had been informed about the hazards of these by their dentists. All of the smokers knew that tobacco increased the risk for oral cancer. However, only a few participants considered alcohol, betel quid chewing, UV light exposure, poor diet, and genetics to play role in the development of oral cancer. Health warnings were the main source of information about oral cancer; the role of health professionals is still quite low and needs to be emphasized. CONCLUSION: Oral cancer awareness is still low among adults in Jakarta; this finding was consistent with other studies conducted in Asia. Educational material suited to particular communities is warranted.

Chitosan exerts anticancer activity through induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in oral cancer cells.

Chitosan, a multipurpose biomaterial, has been shown to exert effects against several types of cancer including oral cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying the anticancer activities of chitosan on oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to compare the effects of low-molecular-weight chitosan (LMWC) and cisplatin on oral SCC Ca9-22 and non-cancer keratinocyte HaCaT cell lines. Cell viability and cell cycle profiles were measured by MTT assay and laser scanning cytometry, respectively. Apoptosis was examined by TUNEL assay and electron microscopy, followed by analysis of caspase activity. LMWC exhibited cytotoxic effects on Ca9-22, but not HaCaT cells, whereas cisplatin induced apoptosis in both types of cells. Exposure of Ca9-22 cells to LMWC led to G1/S cell cycle arrest and an increase of TUNEL-positive cells accompanied by an early apoptotic cell morphology and subtle increases of caspase activity. Short-term LMWC exposure was less cytotoxic to HaCaT cells than to Ca9-22 cells, and anticancer activity was exerted through induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, suggesting that LMWC could be a promising natural anticancer agent with fewer side effects on normal cells.