Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Surface Treatment And Types Of Translucent Monolithic Zirconia On The Shear Bond Strength Of Porcelain Repaired To Zirconia, Karnkanith Hansomwong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In the event of proximal contact loss in a zirconia crown on an implant, the zirconia crown can be modified by adding porcelain to recreate the proximal contact. This study investigated the shear bond strength between translucent zirconia (4Y-PSZ) and veneering porcelain compared to conventional zirconia (3Y-TZP). Zirconia substructures were treated with airborne-particle abrasion with Al2O3. The results of the shear bond strength test were analyzed by One-way ANOVA and post-hoc comparisons with Tukey’s honest significant difference (HSD) test. The shear bond strengthranged from 21.87 and 27.79 MPa. The failure mode was mixed failure in all groups. From the results, …

Influence Of Ceramic Translucency, Ceramic Thickness, And Shades Of Luting Resin Cement On Final Color Of Cad/Cam Lithium Disilicate Veneers, Ploypailin Radeesujalitkul

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Purpose. To evaluate the effect of ceramic translucency, ceramic thickness, and cement color on the final optical color of a CAD/CAM lithium disilicate ceramic. Methods. A total of 180 ceramic specimens were prepared into two thicknesses, 0.5 and 1.0 mm, from high translucency (HT), medium translucency (MT), and low translucency (LT) CAD/CAM lithium disilicate ceramics (IPS e.max CAD; Ivoclar Vivadent) in shade A1. Substrates were fabricated from resin composite in shade A3. Two shades of light-cure resin cement, neutral and light plus (Variolink Esthetic LC; Ivoclar Vivadent), were used for cementation, whereas glycerine was used for the control groups. CIE …

A Comparison Of Fracture Load After Mechanical Cyclic Loading Between 3 Different Materials And 2 Designs On Implant-Supported Crown : An In Vitro Study, Thanus Liwwattanakorn

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Objective: To compare the fracture resistance among ultra-translucent zirconia, lithium disilicate, and composite resin implant-supported maxillary premolar crowns with cement-retained or combined cement- and screw-retained designs after cyclic loading simulation. Materials and Methods: Forty-eight maxillary first premolar crowns and their abutments were attached on dental implants (ø4.0 x 10 mm) embedded in epoxy resin blocks. All specimens were equally divided into 6 groups (n=8) based on monolithic crown material (ultra-translucent zirconia (Z), lithium disilicate (L), and composite resin (C)) and restoration design (cement-retained and combined cement- and screw-retained). Each specimen was subjected to 500,000 cycles of cyclic loading. Subsequently, a …

Effects Of Self-Adhesive Resin Cements Cured With Different Light Sources On Human Gingival Fibroblasts, Siriwong Wongsirisuwan

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Improperly polymerized self-adhesive resin cements (SARCs) can lead to adverse effects such as periodontitis or peri-implantitis. This in vitro study investigated the effect of 2 light-polymerizing units (LPUs) on the physical and chemical properties of 2 SARCs under varying simulated clinical scenarios and the responses of primary human gingival fibroblasts (hGFs) exposed to such procedures. Dental cement discs of SARCs (depth=2 mm, diameter=5 mm) were prepared with cylindrical acrylic molds. Kerr DemiPlus and 3M Elipar DeepCure-S LED LPUs were used to polymerize 2 different SARCs (RelyX U200 and Maxcem Elite Chroma). The polymerization protocols were either directly light-polymerized or through …

Enhanced Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cell Viability And Osteogenic Differentiation On Two Implant Materials: An Experimental In Vitro Study, Engy Adel Ahmed Farag, Sara Fikry Dr, Shereen N. Raafat

Dentistry

Background: Surface roughness of dental implants impacts the survival of adult periodontal stem cells and rate of differentiation. This research was conducted to test how human periodontal ligament stem cells behaved on yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals and polyetheretherketone (PEEK) discs with different surface topographies.

Methods: Discs roughening was prepared by sandblasting. Stem cells were cultivated on zirconia discs with a polished surface, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) discs with a polished surface, sandblasted zirconia discs and sandblasted polyetheretherketone (PEEK) discs. Cells viability was assessed after 24, 48, 72 hours. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the adherence and attachment of cells. …

Comorbidity Of Hypertension And Chronic Renal Failure And Their Impact On Oral Complications: A Cross-Sectional Study., Dalia Ghalwash, Sara Abdelwahed, Asmaa Abobakr

Dentistry

The present study aimed to investigate the influence of both end-stage renal diseases (ESRD) and hypertension (HTN) on the various oral manifestations and periodontal condition, to evaluate and compare the oral manifestations and periodontal health status in hypertensive patients with ESRD versus control, and to explore any possible correlation of the oral findings with systemic disease status. This was a cross-sectional study which included two equal groups of patients, Group I were hypertensive patients with ESRD and Group II were hypertensive patients only. All patients were hypertensive and were on antihypertensive medications. Regarding the incidence of oral lesions in both …

Effect Of Overlay Material Type And Design On Fracture Resistance Of Mod Cavities In Molars. (In-Vitro Study), Sara Adel Botros, Mohamed Fouad Haridy, Shaimaa Gad

Dentistry

Objective: To evaluate the influence of restoration material type (CAD/CAM lithium disilicate blocks and reinforced composite blocks) and restoration design on fracture resistance of molars with MOD cavities. Methods and Materials: A total of 54 sound human molars were divided into 2 groups (n=9) according to: 1) material type: lithium disilicate CAD/CAM blocks and reinforced composite CAD/CAM blocks; 2) restoration design: overlay with intra-coronal extension or without intra-coronal extension. Additional 18 samples were assigned to positive control group (sound molars, n=9) and negative control group (unrestored MOD cavities, n=9). Standardized MOD cavities were prepared with occlusal width 3 mm, cavity …

Effect Of Different Digital Impression Techniques On The Trueness Of Post Space Scans With Fixed Cervical Diameter, Omar Elsergany

Dentistry

Objective: The aim of this study was to measure the trueness of post space impression by 2 digital impression techniques: Impression Scanning (IS) and Model Scanning (MS) with cervical diameter 3 millimeters. Materials and methods: Fourteen freshly extracted single rooted lower second premolars were endodontically treated using Wave-One single file technique. Then mounted in acrylic blocks parallel to long access using a dental surveyor 2mm above the CEJ, drills in sequence 1.4 and 1.6 millimeter then diamond stone with 3 millimeter diameter were used for teeth preparation with a standardized depth of 8mm. Teeth were scanned by reference scanner InEos5 …

Assessment Of The Effect Of Chin Augmentation With Hyaluronic Acid Filler On Facial Soft Tissues Using Lateral Cephalometric Radiograph, Noha Ibrahim Abdelrahman Professor, Islam Hassan Prof.

Dentistry

Aim: To assess the effect of chin augmentation using Hyaluronic acid filler on facial soft tissues using lateral cephalometric radiographs. Material and methods: Prospective case series. 10 adult female patients with mild chin deficiencies. Patients underwent chin augmentation using Restylane Defyne hyaluronic acid dermal filler. Each patient received 2ml Filler injected in the chin area. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were taken at three-time intervals for each patient. The first radiograph taken before augmentation procedure, second radiograph two weeks after filler injection and the third and final radiograph taken six months after the augmentation procedure. Two readings were used to assess the …

Evaluation Of The Effect Of Platelet-Rich Plasma Versus Platelet-Rich Fibrin On The Rate Of Tooth Movement Duringa Lignment Of Mandibular Anterior Crowding, Noha Ibrahim Abdelrahman Professor

Dentistry

Aim: To evaluate the efficiency of Platelet Rich Plasma vs. Platelet Rich Fibrin on overall leveling and alignment time of mandibular anterior crowding. Subjects and methods: Thirty-six females (18-25 years) with mandibular anterior crowding were randomly allocated into PRP, PRF, or control groups. The first molars on the right and left sides of the mandible were banded or bonded with Roth prescription tube. Mandibular teeth Second premolar to the second premolar were bonded using 0.022-inch pre-adjusted edgewise mini diamond brackets with Roth prescription. Immediately after bonding of the brackets, the initial wire used, the wire sequence was 0.014 Cu-Ni followed …

Effect Of Proximal Caries-Driven Access On The Biomechanical Behavior Of Endodontically Treated Maxillary Premolars, Engy M. Kataia

Dentistry

Introduction: This study investigated the effects from the carious cavity and access from it on the fracture resistance of endodontically treated maxillary premolars using finite element analysis (FEA). Methods: A maxillary premolar was used to compare three types of access cavity related to having a proximal carious defect: Caries-driven access (CDA), Conservative access that has a mesial component (MCA) as well as traditional access with the same mesial component (MTA). Cyclic loading was simulated on the occlusal surface and number of cycles till failure (NCF) was compared to the intact tooth model (IT). Mathematical analysis was done to evaluate the …

Parallel Endodontic Education Via Social Media: An Exploratory Survey Study, Nawar Nawar, Shehabeldin Mohamed Saber Prof.Dr., Mostafa M.A. Elkholy, William Nguyen Ha, Sebastian Burklein

Dentistry

No abstract provided.

How Loss Of Tooth Structure Impacts The Biomechanical Behavior Of A Single-Rooted Maxillary Premolar: Fea, Nawar Naguib Nawar, Roaa Abdelwahab, Engy M. Kataia, Shehabeldin Mohamed Saber Prof.Dr.

Dentistry

No abstract provided.

Seventy Years Of Commitment To Dental Progress, Loma Linda University School Of Dentistry

Articulator (Dentistry)

Seventy years of dental progress at Loma Linda University, School of Dentistry, 1953-2023.

3 | Dedication to Dr. Melvin Lund
4 | Introduction
6 | Reducing Pain and Anxiety
9 | What is Dental Caries?
10 | Restoring Teeth - Innovative Methods & Materials
12 | Replacing Missing Teeth - Dental Implants
14 | Periodontics - The Loma Linda Group
15 | Orthodontics - Innovative Use of Computer Tomography
16 | Biocentric Cements - A Major Endodontic Innovation
17 | Advances in Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
17 | The Role of Pediatric Dentistry in Orofacial Clefts
18 | Progress in …

The Ethical Basis For Student-To-Student Training In Dentistry, Larry E. Jenson Dds, Ma, Joel M. White Dds, Ms

Journal of the American College of Dentists

This article will focus on the most ethically contentious student-to student training practice: local anesthesia administration. We will examine the factors that contribute to a broader understanding of the ethical issues involved and introduce a framework that will help to clarify these issues. We have identified six stakeholders in this issue: the student-as-patient, the student-as-student, the university, the faculty, the general public and the profession.

Effects Of Intermittent Compressive Force On Extracellular Matrix Homeostasis Of Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells, Novena Dameria Pakpahan

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Background: Mechanical force, caused by orthodontic tooth movement, affects periodontal tissue homeostasis including destruction and formation. For instance, the compression side causes bone resorption while bone formation lines in the tension side. Periodontal ligament cells play roles in modulating periodontal tissue homeostasis as well as regeneration via immunomodulation, proliferation, and migration. Extracellular matrix (ECM) is a cellular microenvironment that aids in cell migration, cell growth, and differentiation and serves as a physical barrier against microorganisms. Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) plays a key role in the degradation of ECM, including collagen, gelatines, and casein. The MMP functions can be inhibited by tissue …

Expert Search For "Direct Materials For Restoring Caries Lesions", Kelly K. O'Brien

Expert Search Strategies

This search strategy was constructed to support the research for the peer reviewed article listed above. Full article abstract:

Background

The goal of restoring caries lesions is to protect the pulp, prevent progression of the disease process, and restore the form and function of the tooth. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the effect of different direct restorative materials for treating cavitated caries lesions on anterior and posterior primary and permanent teeth.

Type of Studies Reviewed

The authors included parallel and split-mouth randomized controlled trials comparing the effectiveness of direct restorative materials commercially available in the United …

Use Gpt-J Prompt Generation With Roberta For Ner Models On Diagnosis Extraction Of Periodontal Diagnosis From Electronic Dental Records, Yao-Shun Chuang, Xiaoqian Jiang, Chun-Teh Lee, Ryan Brandon, Duong Tran, Oluwabunmi Tokede, Muhammad F Walji

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This study explored the usability of prompt generation on named entity recognition (NER) tasks and the performance in different settings of the prompt. The prompt generation by GPT-J models was utilized to directly test the gold standard as well as to generate the seed and further fed to the RoBERTa model with the spaCy package. In the direct test, a lower ratio of negative examples with higher numbers of examples in prompt achieved the best results with a F1 score of 0.72. The performance revealed consistency, 0.92-0.97 in the F1 score, in all settings after training with the RoBERTa model. …

Randomized Control Trial Of A Novel Dental Gel As An Adjunct To Scaling And Root Planing In Subjects With Stage Ii & Iii Periodontitis, Sarah Pham

All ETDs from UAB

The current standard of care for treating chronic periodontitis is scaling and root planing (ScRP) followed by supportive periodontal therapy (SPT) (Cobb et al., 2021; Ramfjord et al., 1987). The goal of ScRP is to eliminate supra- and subgingival bacterial deposits and to reduce periodontal pathogens, inflammation, and pocket depths (Greenstein, 2000). Although ScRP has been shown to significantly improve baseline clinical parameters, moderate to advanced cases may require additional surgical therapy which many patients resist (Stambaugh, 1981; Becker et al., 2001). Currently, no dentifrice used adjunctively has been proven to increase the therapeutic effects of scaling and root planing. …

Geriatric Esthetics: A Comparison Of Prosthodontists, General Practitioners, And Laypeople's Perception, Rawinun Puangkaew

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

In this study, we evaluated the esthetic perceptions of prosthodontists, general practitioners, and laypeople in elderly smile, using varying the exposure of the maxillary incisors in rest position and a full smile, size of buccal corridor and gingival display of maxillary posterior teeth. The picture of elderly smile was modified and shown with randomized sequence. Participants are asked to rate each image by using a numerical visual analog scale (0-10 scale). A total of 150 participants consisted of 50 Thai prosthodontists, 50 general practitioners, and 50 laypeople. Some pictures exhibited statistically significant differences (p0.05). All variation of incisal display were …

ผลสำเร็จของการรักษาเนื้อเยื่อในแบบคงความมีชีวิตในฟันแท้ที่ผุลึก การทบทวนวรรณกรรมอย่างเป็นระบบ, ฤดีมาศ พัฒนพงศานนท์

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

บทนำ: การทบทวนวรรณกรรมอย่างเป็นระบบนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อหาผลความสำเร็จของการรักษาเนื้อเยื่อในแบบคงความมีชีวิตวิธีการต่างๆ ได้แก่ การปิดทับเนื้อเยื่อในโดยตรง การทำพัลโพโตมีบางส่วนและการทำพัลโพโตมีในฟันแท้ที่ผุทะลุโพรงประสาทฟัน โดยแบ่งตามการวินิจฉัย ได้แก่ Reversible pulpitis และ Irreversible pulpitis วิธีดำเนินการ: ทำการสืบค้นงานวิจัยและการศึกษาผ่านฐานข้อมูลอิเล็กทรอนิกส์และสืบค้นด้วยมือ งานวิจัยที่ตรงตามเกณฑ์คัดเข้าจะถูกคัดเข้ามาทำการวิเคราะห์ข้อมูล การประเมินความเสี่ยงต่อการเกิดอคติ (Risk of bias) ทำโดยใช้แบบประเมิน RoB 2 และ the ROBINS-I tool สำหรับงานวิจัยชนิด RCTs และงานวิจัยชนิด Non-RCTs ตามลำดับ ข้อมูลที่สังเคราะห์จากงานวิจัยที่คัดเข้ามาถูกแบ่งออกเป็น 2 กลุ่ม คือ ฟันที่ได้รับการวินิจฉัยเป็น Reversible pulpitis และ Irreversible pulpitis แต่ละกลุ่มจะทำการคิดอัตราความสำเร็จถ่วงน้ำหนักที่ค่าความเชื่อมั่นที่ 95% ของการรักษาแต่ละวิธี ได้แก่ การปิดทับเนื้อเยื่อในโดยตรง การทำพัลโพโตมีบางส่วนและการทำพัลโพโตมีที่ระยะเวลาการติดตามอาการต่างๆ สำหรับการคิดอัตราความสำเร็จของวัสดุปิดทับเนื้อเยื่อในที่ใช้ในการรักษาจะทำการคำนวณด้วยวิธีการเดียวกันโดยใช้โปรแกรม R-statistics version 4.3.2 ผลการศึกษา: งานวิจัยที่ได้รับการคัดเข้าและนำมาวิเคราะห์ข้อมูลมีทั้งหมด 31 งานวิจัย อัตราความสำเร็จถ่วงน้ำหนักที่ค่าความเชื่อมั่นที่ 95% ของการรักษาแต่ละวิธีของฟันที่ได้รับการวินิจฉัยเป็น Reversible pulpitis มีค่า 78.7 - 93.5% โดยการรักษาด้วยการทำพัลโพโตมีบางส่วนมีอัตราความสำเร็จสูงกว่าการปิดทับเนื้อเยื่อในโดยตรงอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ ส่วนฟันที่ได้รับการวินิจฉัยเป็น Irreversible pulpitis อัตราความสำเร็จถ่วงน้ำหนักของการรักษาแต่ละวิธีมีค่า 79.0 - 90.6% โดยการทำพัลโพโตมีให้อัตราความสำเร็จสูงสุด สำหรับอัตราความสำเร็จถ่วงน้ำหนักของวัสดุปิดทับเนื้อเยื่อในในกลุ่ม Bioceramics ให้อัตราความสำเร็จสูงกว่าวัสดุชนิด Calcium hydroxide อย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ สรุปผล: การรักษาเนื้อเยื่อในแบบคงความมีชีวิต ได้แก่ การปิดทับเนื้อเยื่อในโดยตรง การทำพัลโพโตมีบางส่วนและการทำพัลโพโตมีควรพิจารณาใช้รักษาฟันแท้ที่มีชีวิตที่ผุทะลุโพรงประสาทฟัน สำหรับฟันที่ได้รับการวินิจฉัยเป็น Reversible pulpitis การทำพัลโพโตมีบางส่วนมีอัตราความสำเร็จสูงกว่าการปิดทับเนื้อเยื่อในโดยตรงอย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ ส่วนฟันที่ได้รับการวินิจฉัยเป็น Irreversible pulpitis การทำพัลโพโตมีมีอัตราความสำเร็จสูงเมื่อเทียบกับวิธีอื่นๆ สำหรับวัสดุปิดทับเนื้อเยื่อในวัสดุชนิด Bioceramics ให้ผลสำเร็จสูงกว่า Calcium hydroxide อย่างมีนัยสำคัญทางสถิติ

Effects Of Jagged1 On Mirna Expression In Dental Stem Cells, Promphakkon Kulthanaamondhita

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Notch signaling is activated in dental pulp tissues after direct pulp capping treatment in vivo, implying a role in tertiary dentin formation. Furthermore, Notch signaling also participates in periodontal ligament development and maturation. However, its mechanism of action remains to be elucidated. The present study investigated the expression profile of miRNAs in Notch-activated human dental stem pulp stem cells (DPSCs) and periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs), examined their potential cellular targets and validated the functions of miRNAs in modulating the odonto / osteogenic properties. DPSCs and PDLSCs were treated with indirect immobilized Jagged1. The miRNA expression profile was examined using …

Clinical Guidelines: Traumatic Dental Injuries In The Primary Dentition, Rodney J. Vergotine Bchd, Msc(Dent), Faapd, Fiadt, Fabpd, Ficd, Richa Bhatia Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article explores clinical guidelines for the management of Traumatic Dental Injuries (TDI) in primary dentition. The prevalence of TDI in primary teeth and predisposing factors are discussed, emphasizing the need for appropriate initial contact and care prioritization. The International Association of Dental Traumatology's (IADT) guidelines for TDI management, focusing on primary teeth, are presented. The article covers treatment modalities, including splinting and vital pulp therapy, and emphasizes the importance of soft tissue management. Classification of TDI is outlined, with attention to supporting bone damage and its implications. Monitoring, follow-up, and care prioritization are discussed, along with ICD-11 coding for …

Ada Executive Director Dr. Ray Cohlmia: "We're Focused On The Future, Not The Past", Debra Peters Dds

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

In this interview, Dr. Raymond Cohlmia, the Executive Director of the American Dental Association (ADA), reflects on his first year in office and discusses the challenges of overcoming the decline of membership marketshare. He addresses the importance of strategic forecasting, nimbleness, and the role of the ADA team in shaping the future of dentistry. Dr. Cohlmia also highlights the significance of science and research in dentistry and the ADA's commitment to global presence. The interview offers insights into the ADA's evolving strategies and its dedication to serving its members and the dental community.

10-Minute Ebd: Preventing And Arresting Caries In Older Adults, Derek Richards Bds, Fds, Msc, Ddph, Fds(Dph)

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Ten Minute Evidence-Based Dentistry Articles provide an example of implementing the evidence-based dentistry search process with trusted search engines and identifying the best literature through critical appraisal to answer a clinical question and aid the reader in implementing EBD strategies in clinical practice. As the global elderly population continues to grow, so does the prevalence of dental caries among older adults. This article explores the effectiveness of topical fluoride agents in preventing or arresting dental caries in individuals aged 60 and older. A comprehensive literature search was conducted, utilizing PubMed and the Epistemonikos website, leading to the identification of a …

J Mich Dent Assoc January 2023

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

Every month, The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association brings news, information, and features about Michigan dentistry to our state's oral health community and the MDA’s 6,200+ members across the state. No publication reaches more Michigan dentists!

This is our annual pediatric dentistry issue, with articles covering value and price in pediatric dentistry, a clinical guideline on traumatic dental injuries in the developing dentition, and space maintenance in the primary and mixed dentitions.

Dentistry And The Law: How Does An ‘Assignment Of Benefits’ Work?, Dan Schulte Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The use of an assignment of benefits form in dental practice is explored in this article, with a focus on its potential benefits and limitations. This form allows patients to assign their dental plan benefits to the provider, enabling direct payment for services. However, its acceptance by dental plans varies and is often subject to state and federal regulations. While assignment of benefits offers a pathway to independent fee setting and potential billing for any balance exceeding benefits, legal and regulatory considerations must be addressed to fully implement this approach.

Advocacy Spotlight: Mda’S Legislative Priorities For 2023, Neema Katibai Jd

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This article outlines the Michigan Dental Association's (MDA) legislative priorities for the year 2023. The MDA focuses on various key issues, including dental loss ratio, network leasing transparency, teledentistry policy, the state budget's impact on dental services, increasing the dental workforce, and addressing student debt relief. These priorities aim to advocate for the dental profession, enhance patient care, and ensure the dental community's well-being.

Staff Matters: I-9 Forms: What Every Employer Needs To Know, Jodi Schafer Sphr, Shrm-Scp

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

The I-9 form, mandated by the federal government, is essential for all employers, including dental practices. It verifies an employee's eligibility to work in the United States and is applicable to all employee types. Employees must provide documents like a Social Security card, passport, or driver's license for inspection within three days of hire. These forms should be retained for one-year post-employment or three years post-hire. Due to COVID-19, virtual document examination is temporarily allowed, extended until July 31, 2023. Non-compliance can result in costly fines, making regular internal audits advisable for practice adherence.

Keeping The Journal In Focus, Christopher J. Smiley

The Journal of the Michigan Dental Association

This editorial delves into the motivations behind young dentists and dental students joining the Association and highlights a recent study's surprising findings. Rather than tangible benefits, such as insurance and discounts, social and emotional factors were the primary drivers for membership. The study revealed that members seek a sense of belonging, opportunities for networking, and support in building confidence in their skills. The editorial underscores the importance of community and connection within organized dentistry and emphasizes the role of the MDA Journal in fulfilling these needs.