Clinical experiences of undergraduate dental students in pediatric dentistry at Cork University Dental School and Hospital, Ireland.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the number and range of clinical procedures completed by undergraduate dental students in pediatric dentistry in Cork University Dental School and Hospital, Ireland, and to compare the number of procedures undertaken with the subsequent examination scores. The work comprised a retrospective audit of clinical logbooks for all of the undergraduate dental students in one cohort through their fourth and fifth clinical years between 2004 and 2006. Thirty-four quantitative logbooks were audited. Students had seen a total of 1,031 patients, and each student had completed a full course of dental treatment for an average of twenty-two children. Students completed means of 30.2 restorative procedures for children, fourteen in deciduous dentition (range six to twenty-eight), and seventeen in permanent dentition (range seven to twenty-eight). Continuity of education and care (measured through children having their treatment fully completed by the same student) was 72 percent. A moderate positive correlation between levels of clinical experience and exam score was identified. All students gained experience in management of child patients with students providing care for an average of thirty children and a minimum of nineteen.

Factors affecting the timing of pulp extirpation in a sample of 66 replanted avulsed teeth in children and adolescents.

The management of 66 replanted avulsed permanent teeth in 46 patients over a 4-year period was studied. Treatment was compared with the recommendations in published guidelines for the management of avulsed permanent teeth. For total extra-alveolar times longer than 45 min, the pulps were extirpated in 96% of teeth. Extra-alveolar times longer than 45 min were associated with earlier pulp extirpation (median 16 days) compared with teeth with shorter extra-alveolar times (median 25 days). Endodontic treatment was postponed in teeth with open apices (median 27 days) compared with closed apices (median 15 days). Teeth in which pulps were removed within 10 days post-trauma had a lower prevalence of inflammatory root resorption compared with teeth in which pulps were removed later. Where inflammatory root resorption did occur, onset was significantly delayed when the pulp had been removed within the first 10 days. This study indicates that clinicians are following the guidelines in key areas of endodontic management of traumatized incisors resulting in more favourable outcomes.

The hierarchical cluster analysis of oral health attitudes and behaviour using the Hiroshima University--Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI) among final year dental students in 17 countries.

OBJECTIVE: To explore and describe international oral health attitudes/ behaviours among final year dental students. METHODS: Validated translated versions of the Hiroshima University-Dental Behavioural Inventory (HU-DBI) questionnaire were administered to 1,096 final-year dental students in 17 countries. Hierarchical cluster analysis was conducted within the data to detect patterns and groupings. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 72%. The cluster analysis identified two main groups among the countries. Group 1 consisted of twelve countries: one Oceanic (Australia), one Middle-Eastern (Israel), seven European (Northern Ireland, England, Finland, Greece, Germany, Italy, and France) and three Asian (Korea, Thailand and Malaysia) countries. Group 2 consisted of five countries: one South American (Brazil), one European (Belgium) and three Asian (China, Indonesia and Japan) countries. The percentages of 'agree' responses in three HU-DBI questionnaire items were significantly higher in Group 2 than in Group 1. They include: "I worry about the colour of my teeth."; "I have noticed some white sticky deposits on my teeth."; and "I am bothered by the colour of my gums." CONCLUSION: Grouping the countries into international clusters yielded useful information for dentistry and dental education.

External inflammatory and replacement resorption of luxated, and avulsed replanted permanent incisors: a review and case presentation.

External inflammatory resorption and replacement resorption are complicating factors that may result from traumatic dental injuries when the tooth is luxated or avulsed and replanted. Resorption may, ultimately, result in loss of the tooth. However, with appropriate treatment, the prognosis for these teeth is greatly improved, with the possibility of preventing or arresting resorption. The purpose of this paper is to review these trauma entities, to discuss factors that influence the occurrence of resorption and to describe the most appropriate treatment. A case is presented, illustrating both resorption entities, but with varying outcomes.