Dentistry Commons^™

An Assessment Of What Factors Affect The Average Number Of Caries Seen Per Visit Among Children Visiting A Mobile Dental Unit In South Central Kentucky, Breion Douglas

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Background: Dental caries is the single most common chronic childhood disease in Kentucky affecting 20% of preschoolers, 50% of second graders, and 75% of 15 year olds. Dental caries, also known as tooth decay, occurs when bacteria from salivary glands produce an acid to breakdown food. If this acid is not cleaned off the teeth, it can destroy the tooth enamel. Dental problems can be linked to the inability to pay for dental care (i.e. insurance), limited access to dental providers, and parental inability to take their children to dentists. To help address the issue with tooth decay seen among …

Factors Involved In Early Age Dental Visits, Lillian Brooke Mcneal

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Today, more children are diagnosed with Early Childhood Caries (ECC) than at any other time in modern history. It is noted that Early Childhood Caries (ECC) is now the most common infectious disease among children and occurs 5 times more than asthma (America Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, 2014). Considering the extent of this disease, it is imperative to determine the cause of it and factors involved in the control.

In order to begin this study, one must first analyze different patients and their living conditions, along with the frequency of dental visits and when the first dental visit occurred. What …

Hookah: A Fun Fad Or Harmful Habit?, Amy Gee Broadrick

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Hookah smoking has been a well-known activity in the Middle East for hundreds of years. More recently, hookah has become a worldwide phenomenon, especially in the United States of America. It is important to know why people choose this habit, and specifically why teenagers and young adults are becoming the main frequent users.

An interview session consisting of a questionnaire was the methodology used in this study. This session involved a total of twenty individuals. Ten of these individuals were people who actively participated in smoking hookah. The other ten subjects were individuals who do not engage in hookah smoking. …

Improving Access To Care: Mobile Dental Units, Caitlin Stephens

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Despite efforts to improve oral health, untreated childhood tooth decay continues to be a major concern in the state of Kentucky. It is said that an estimated 42.8 percent of children in Kentucky suffer from early childhood caries (ECC) before the age of five and 39.3 percent of these children have never been in a dental office (The Kentucky Oral Health Summit). Another study conducted revealed that approximately 20 percent of preschoolers, 50 percent of second graders and 75 percent of 15 years olds are affected by untreated tooth decay (Kentucky’s Dental Access Summit, 2013). What are the major issues …