Dental Public Health and Education Commons^™

Allied Dental Students' Perceived Knowledge, Confidence, And Attitudes Regarding Disaster Victim Identification Topics, Samantha C. Vest, Brenda T. Bradshaw, Marsha A. Voelker, Ann M. Bruhn, Tara L. Newcomb, Sinjini Sikdar

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose Disaster victim identification (DVI) service requires knowledge, confidence, and an attitude (KCA) of readiness. The purpose of this study was to assess allied dental students’ perceived KCA regarding DVI skills and topics.

Methods A convenience sample of senior dental hygiene students (n=27) and senior dental assistant students (n=14) were recruited by email then presented mismatched simulated antemortem (AM) and postmortem (PM) bitewing radiographs and asked to indicate correct matches. Collectively, participants made 205 radiographic matches and indicated 205 degrees of certainty binarily as “positive” or “possible” (one per match). Participants also completed a researcher designed pretest/posttest electronic survey with …

Colour-Blind Racial Attitudes In Entry-Level Dental Hygiene Students In Virginia, Emily Ludwig, Jessica Suedbeck

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Objective: Subscribing to colour-blind racial attitudes may contribute to inequities in the delivery of oral care and affect treatment of diverse patients. The purpose of this study was to survey all entry-level dental hygiene students in one state to determine colour-blind racial attitudes.

Methods: After IRB approval, a convenience sample of 219 dental hygiene students in all entry-level programmes in Virginia were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. The Colour-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS), an effective, validated measuring instrument, was used to quantify unawareness of contemporary racist ideals. Three subscales (Racial Privilege, Institutional Discrimination and Blatant Racial Issues) were …

Dental Hygiene Students' Matching Accuracy When Comparing Antemortem Dental Radiographs And Oral Photographs To Simulated Postmortem Winid3® Odontograms, Brenda T. Bradshaw, Amber W. Hunt, Emily Ludwig, Tara L. Newcomb

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Matching dental antemortem (AM) and postmortem (PM) data for human identification is especially challenging when the workforce is limited. Dental hygienists have served mass fatality incidents (MFIs) due to dental-related expertise. However, forensics within dental hygiene education and research on transferable skills is limited. This qualitative balance design study assessed senior dental hygiene students' match accuracy of simulated cases varying in dental identifiers based on AM full mouth series (FMS) radiographs and oral photographs to PM WinID3® odontograms to demonstrate possible disaster victim identification (DVI) transferable skills gained during formal education. A convenience sample of senior dental hygiene students ( …

Prenatal And Pediatric Oral Health Education Among Dental Hygiene Programs In The United States, Denise M. Claiborne, Shillpa Naavaal

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Health care and dental providers must be prepared to address the oral health needs of mothers and children in order to reduce the burden of dental disease in these populations. The purpose of this study was to describe the curriculum and clinical experiences related to prenatal and pediatric oral health in the university and community college dental hygiene programs in the United States (US).

Methods: Dental hygiene program directors (PDs) from across the US were invited to participate in a cross-sectional electronic survey regarding the prenatal and pediatric oral health curriculum at their institution. In addition to program characteristics, …

Attitudes Of Virginia Dental Hygienists Towards Dental Therapists, Helene M. Burns, Susan L. Tolle, Emily A. Ludwig, Jessica R. Suedbeck

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The state of Virginia faces a reported dental health professional shortage affecting approximately half of its residents.The purpose of this study was to assess the opinions and attitudes of dental hygienists in Virginia toward a mid-level dental provider model, dental therapists (DTs), and to determine whether current education level and years of practice affected opinions regarding the education requirements for DTs.

Methods: A 22-item questionnaire was distributed online to a convenience sample of Virginia dental hygienists (n=910). Items assessed attitudes of participants toward the DT using a seven-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree). …

Disparities In Caregiver-Reported Dental Cavities And Toothaches Among Children In The Special Supplemental Nutrition For Women, Infants, And Children (Wic) Program, Denise M. Claiborne, Chun Chen, Qi Zhang

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Dental caries is prevalent among low-income and minority children despite oral health promotion programs. The purpose of this study was to examine disparities associated with caregiver-reported cavities and toothaches among children in the United States aged 2-4 years by their eligibility for and participation in the Special Supplemental Nutrition for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.

Methods: A secondary data analysis was performed using the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) data on children aged 2-4 years (n=7,719) with complete WIC participation information. Three groups were formed based on WIC eligibility and participation status: WIC participants, income-eligible non-participants, …

Use Of A Simulated-Virtual Training Module To Improve Dental Hygiene Students' Self-Reported Knowledge, Attitudes, And Confidence In Providing Care To Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study, Kimberly F. Cenzon, Ann M. Bruhn, Denise M. Claiborne, Jonna L. Bobzien

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental disorder affecting an individual's ability to communicate, interact, behave, and learn. The purpose of this study was to determine knowledge, attitudes, and confidence of dental hygiene students in providing care to children with ASD as a mechanism for evaluating dental hygiene curricula for patients with special needs.

Methods: A simulated-virtual training (SVT) intervention was developed as an interactive approach for educating dental hygiene students on providing care to a child patient with ASD. The SVT intervention consisted of a scenario in which the clinician "interacted" with a child with ASD who was …

Oral Health Education And Promotion Activities By Early Head Start Programs In The United States: A Systematic Review, Ahlam I. Joufi, Denise M. Claiborne, Deanne Shuman

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Dental caries is a non-communicable, preventable disease that disproportionately affects low-income children in the United States (US). The purpose of this systematic review was to describe oral health education and promotion activities designed to prevent early childhood caries (ECC) provided by Early Head Start (EHS) programs in the United States.

Methods: Five databases were searched including CINAHL, Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source through EBSCO, PubMed, Google Scholar, and the Wiley Online Library, to identify peer-reviewed quantitative studies published in English on oral health education and promotion activities within EHS programs from 2000 to 2019. Studies were assessed for eligibility …

Interprofessional Education: Medical And Dental Hygiene Student Competencies During The Delivery Of Patient Care, Brenda T. Bradshaw, Amber Walters Hunt, Sharon C. Stull

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Interprofessional education (IPE) helps prepare health care students for collaborative delivery of patient care. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate changes in self-perceived collaborative competencies of dental hygiene and medical students after a live patient care IPE experience.

Methods: Dental hygiene (n=23) and medical students (n=26) were paired for a single-encounter IPE experience with adult patients. Following the collaboration, participants completed the 20-item, seven-point Likert scale retrospective pre-test/post-test Interprofessional Collaborative Competencies Attainment Survey (ICCAS) to assess changes in perceived collaborative competencies as a result of the IPE experience. Participants reflected on current and prior self-perceived interprofessional …

The Prevalence Of Burnout Among Entry-Level Dental Hygiene Program Directors, Jessica Suedbeck, Emily A. Ludwig, Susan Lynn Tolle

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Workplace burnout in academia is a problem that affects career satisfaction and longevity. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of burnout among entry-level dental hygiene program directors.

Methods: The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) survey was used to determine prevalence of burnout in 325 dental hygiene program directors from across the United States. The survey was disseminated electronically. The CBI contains 19 questions that measure overall, personal, work-related, and client/student-related burnout on a five-point Likert type scale. The survey also included nine demographic and three open-ended questions related to burnout. Descriptive statistics, one sample t-tests, and …

Active Shooter Preparedness Among Dental Hygiene Students, Brenda T. Bradshaw, Jessica R. Suedbeck, Tara L. Newcomb, Ann M. Bruhn

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Active shooter incidents (ASIs) occurring in dental hygiene academic settings present unique challenges and research examining institutional preparation of dental hygiene students for such incidents is lacking. The purpose of this pilot project was to examine the perceived preparedness, confidence, and awareness of dental hygiene students regarding ASIs.

Methods: A validated 24-item electronic survey was distributed to dental hygiene students (n=68) at one institution to measure their preparedness, confidence, and awareness regarding ASIs. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlations were used for data analysis.

Results: Fifty-seven dental hygiene students completed the survey for a response rate of 84%. Many participants …

Attitudes Of Virginia Dentists Toward Dental Therapists: A Pilot Study, Adaira L. Howell, Susan Lynn Tolle, Emily A. Ludwig, Denise M. Claiborne

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine perceptions of Virginia (VA) dentists toward mid-level dental providers, specifically dental therapists (DT), and determine whether membership in the American Dental Association (ADA) membership affected attitudes.

Methods: A convenience sample of 1208 dentists in the state of VA were invited to participate in an electronic survey. The instrument consisted of 11 Likert type scale questions assessing attitudes toward DTs. Additional items included the appropriate level of education and supervision of a DT, and five demographic questions. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. A one-sample t-test was used to …

Caregivers' Comprehension Of The Terms Decay And Cavities: A Qualitative Analysis, Denise M. Claiborne, Deanne Shuman, Melissa Sullivan, Julia Richman

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Tooth decay and cavities are the most common oral health consequences for young children that may result from inadequate oral health literacy (OHL) or understanding of their caregivers. The purpose of this study was to describe the understanding of terms related to decay and cavities among caregivers of preschool-aged children.

Methods: English-speaking caregivers with children aged(OH-LIP). Responses were recorded, transcribed, coded, and assigned to domains and categories.

Results: Responses from 111 participants were included in the analysis. About one fifth of the participants (19.8%, n=22) indicated that they did not know what decay was or provided an incorrect response. …

Maintaining Effective Infection Control Protocol, Lauren Eusner, Kimberly Lintag

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

The safety of clinicians and patients in the dental office rests on adherence to evidence-based infection control standards.

Color-Blind Racial Attitudes In Dental Hygiene Students: A Pilot Study, Emily A. Ludwig, Jessica R. Suedbeck, Susan L. Tolle

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Color-blind racial attitudes and biases have been linked to racial prejudice which may potentially affect dental hygiene care to diverse patients. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the color-blind racial attitudes of dental hygiene students.

Methods: A 20-item, Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS) electronic survey was sent to a convenience sample of 41 first-year and 30 second-year dental hygiene students (n=71) in a dental hygiene program in Virginia. The CoBRAS instrument measures contemporary racial attitudes and stereotyping in three subcategories: Unawareness of Racial Privilege, Institutional Discrimination, and Blatant Racial Issues. CoBRAS scores range from 20-120, with …

Oral Health Promotion: Knowledge, Confidence, And Practices In Preventing Early-Severe Childhood Caries Of Virginia Wic Program Personnel, Lorraine Ann Fuller, Sharon C. Stull, Michele L. Darby, Susan Lynn Tolle

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: This study assessed the oral health knowledge, confidence and practices of Virginia personnel in the Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).

Methods: In 2009, 257 WIC personnel were electronically emailed via an investigator-designed 22-item Survey Monkey® questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square and Fishers Exact tests compared personnel demographics and oral health knowledge, confidence and practices at the p≤0.01 and 0.05 significance level.

Results: Response rate was 68%. WIC personnel were knowledgeable about basic oral health concepts. More than half of those reporting were not confident assessing for visual signs of dental decay and do not routinely …

Teledentistry: A Systematic Review Of Clinical Outcomes, Utilization And Costs, Susan J. Daniel, Lin Wu, Sajeesh Kumar

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review is to identify clinical outcomes, health care utilization and costs associated with teledentistry. Relevant databases were searched for articles on teledentistry published until March 2012, reference lists examined and key journals hand searched. Of a possible 58 articles, 19 studies met the inclusion criteria.

Clinical outcomes were generally improved following a teledentistry intervention and satisfaction with teledentistry was consistently high. The few studies examining health care utilization reported mixed findings, but preliminary evidence suggests cost savings for health care facilities.

There is a consistent trend in the literature supporting the efficacy and effectiveness …

Vital Tooth Whitening Effects On Oral Health-Related Quality Of Life In Older Adults, Ann M. Bruhn, Michele L. Darby, Gayle B. Mccombs, Carleen M. Lynch

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if vital tooth whitening affects oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) in adults age 50 years and older, and if tooth whitening causes increased participation in social activities.

Methods: Using a 2 group, single blind, randomized, pre-test, multiple post-test design, 62 participants were enrolled. The experimental group used a whitening product twice daily for 3 weeks. The control group used no whitening products. The Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) served as the pre- and post-test measure. The OHIP measures OHRQOL on 7 subscales: functional factors, psychological disabilities, psychological discomforts, physical disabilities, …

2011 Adea Annual Session: Poster Abstracts, Susan L. Tolle, Leslie M. Congdon, Michele L. Darby

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Poster session abstracts from the 2011 American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Conference.

New Words To Promote Communication And Collaboration Among The Oral Health Care Team, Trisha Nunn, Michele L. Darby, Susan H. Kass, Connie L. Kracher, Linda S. Stewart, Don R. Symington, Cheryl Westphal

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Dental Hygienists' Contributions To Improving The Nation's Oral Health Through School-Based Initiatives From 1970 Through 1999: A Historical Review, Gayle B. Mccombs, Cynthia C. Gadbury-Amyot, Rebecca S. Wilder, Karen O. Skaff, Margaret Lappan Green

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

PURPOSE: The purpose of this literature review is to document the contributions dental hygienists have made over the past 3 decades to improve the nation's oral health. This historical review encompasses selected literature that acknowledged dental Hygienists' direct involvement in U.S. school-based or school-linked oral health programs from 1970-1999.

METHODS: Five researchers independently searched MEDLINE, PubMed, and other electronic databases to identify relevant literature for the years 1970-1999. The search aimed to locate articles authored by or that documented dental Hygienists' involvement as "service provider" in U.S. school-based oral health programs. For the purpose of this review, service provider was …

Effects Of Daily Oral Care With 0.12% Chlorhexidine Gluconate And A Standard Oral Care Protocol On The Development Of Nosocomial Pneumonia In Intubated Patients: A Pilot Study, Michelle Bopp, Michele Darby, Karin C. Loftin, Sharon Broscious

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if a difference existed between nosocomial pneumonia rates for intubated critical care unit (CCU) patients who received twice-daily oral hygiene care with 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate and those who received the standard oral care. Methods. Over seven months (February to August), CCU patients were identified through screening and informed consent procedures, and randomized into 1 of 2 groups. Over the 7 months, due to the critically ill nature of the patients, only 5 subjects were enrolled. While in the study, twice-daily oral hygiene care consisted of brushing the cheeks, teeth, and …

Oral Cancer Prevalence In Virginia, Karin C. Loftin, Michele Darby, Stacey Plichta, Sophie Thompson, Shreeram Kumar, Louis Abbey

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose. Oral and pharyngeal cancer affects 30,000 Americans a year and kills one fourth of those diagnosed. The primary risk factors for oral cancer are past or present cigarette and tobacco usage, and alcohol consumption in conjunction with tobacco use. Even though the prevalence of oral cancer is relatively low in the younger age groups, this group is most likely to benefit from intervention programs designed to change risky behavior such as smoking, and to prevent oral cancer in the later years. The goal of the study was to identify high-risk target areas for an oral cancer prevention program in …

Unhealthy Politics Of Oral Health, Michele Leonardi Darby

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Editorial. Comments that a survey conducted by national advocacy group Oral Health America found that people from the U.S. are underachievers in access to dental hygiene. Measurement of success in oral health care; Proposal to implement dental hygiene practice laws; Shortage of dentists in rural and inner city communities.