Seeking to Understand the Reader of Interest-Your Patient-Health Literacy and Adherence Concerns for the Dentist and the Dental/Medical Team.

The overall health of the United States' (U.S.) population has been surveyed and reported for several decades in a quest by healthcare professionals to understand the etiology for healthcare disparities and seek to lessen its effects on individuals and, ultimately, eliminate them. Many of these surveys and reports have illuminated disparities, of access to healthcare by focusing on measures to address health literacy deficiencies. A plethora of information concerning patients' health literacy skills and printed information has been made available for dentists and their staff. The printed information is in the format of published patient- centered educational guidelines and readable dental and medical limited reach media (LRM), such as information sheets and prescription drug leaflets. LRM has great potential to enhance access to healthcare information for the reader of interest--your patient--at a readable and comprehensible level. Printed materials are an effective means to enhance health promotion and education for the lay populace. Tailored LRM protocol and the Patient Introduction Form (PIF) are excellent educational instruments for dentists and the dental/medical team (The Team). These instruments are valuable assets for The Team to assist its patients in monitoring and maintaining dental and medical adherence protocols in their daily lives.

Comparison of a warm gutta-percha obturation technique and lateral condensation.

This study was designed to compare a warm gutta-percha obturation technique, Thermafil Plus (Tulsa Dental, Tulsa OK), with lateral condensation for the ability to adapt gutta-percha to the walls of a root canal system. An extracted sectioned and mounted maxillary central incisor had canal irregularities created and was subsequently subjected to multiple obturations using both techniques. Length of fill, replication to working length, number of artificial depressions replicated, quality of replications, number of voids, and general appearance of obturation were all evaluated using standardized criteria. Data evaluation consisted of a one way analysis of variance on the same type defects between obturation groups followed by a Scheffé post-hoc test. A statistically significant difference was found between the groups in each category of evaluation. Gutta-percha using Thermafil was better able to flow into lateral spaces, had fewer voids, and replicated the surface of the root better. It also, however, was extruded out the apical foramen more than in the lateral condensation group.