Dental Hygiene Commons^™

Understanding The New Blood Pressure Guidelines, Susan H. Davide, Anty Lam

Publications and Research

Oral health professionals who are well versed in the new guidelines will be best prepared to handle the implications on patient care.

Current Radiation Safety Practices Of United States Dental Hygienists, Kimberly Lintag

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

Problem: The purpose of this study was to determine licensed dental hygienists’ current radiation safety practices.

Methods: Data was collected with a 22 item, IRB exempt online survey administered to a sample of 1,500 U.S. dental hygienists who were subscribers of a professional journal. Questions focused on respondents’ use of ADA selection criteria guidelines, policies implemented by their dental practice, and hand-held portable x-ray device use and training. A response rate of 38% (N=566) was obtained. Cross tabulations were obtained using logistic regression and general linear models for significance at a 0.05 level.

Results: A majority of respondents had an …

Workplace Bullying: A Survey Of Virginia Dental Hygienists, Gayle B. Mccombs, S. Lynn Tolle, Tara L. Newcomb, Ann M. Bruhn, Amber W. Hunt, Lanah K. Stafford

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Workplace bullying in health care has been identified as a problem that negatively affects career satisfaction, career longevity and patient outcomes. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine the prevalence of workplace bullying in a convenience sample of dental hygienists in the state of Virginia.

Methods: Two hundred and forty Virginia dental hygienists attending a continuing education seminar were invited to participate. Using the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R), respondents were asked to indicate how often they had experienced 22 negative acts or behaviors according to rate of occurrence (never, now and then or monthly, weekly or …

A Systematic Review On The Validity Of Teledentistry, Jafar H. Alabdullah, Susan J. Daniel

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the validity of using teledentistry in oral care examination and diagnosis.

Methods: In June 2016, a systematic search of the literature was conducted without time restrictions in three electronic databases (Ebscohost, Pubmed, and Scopus). Two reviewers screened the retrieved articles first by title and then by abstract to determine relevant articles for full text review. Studies included were as follows: (1) related to teledentistry, (2) available in full text and English, (3) compared teledentistry application to a gold standard, and (4) provided clear statistical tests for validity. The methodological …

Patients’ Willingness To Participate In Rapid Hiv Testing: A Pilot Study In Three New York City Dental Hygiene Clinics, Susan H. Davide, Anthony J. Santella, Winnie Furnari, Petal Leuwaisee, Marilyn Cortell, Bhuma Krishnamachari

Publications and Research

Purpose: One in eight people living with an HIV infection in the United States is unaware of their status. Rapid HIV testing (RHT) is an easily used and accepted screening tool that has been introduced in a limited number of clinical settings. The purpose of this study was to investigate patient acceptability, certainty of their decision, and willingness to pay for screening if RHT was offered in university-based dental hygiene clinics.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 426 patients at three dental hygiene clinics in New York City over a period of four months. The survey questionnaire was based …

The Relationship Between Obesity And Periodontal Disease, Jean Conover

Dental Hygiene Master's Papers and Projects

Obesity has been targeted as the sixth most significant risk factor worldwide that is known to contribute to both oral and other associated systemic diseases.² According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the prevalence of obesity among adults in the U.S. is 40% and 18.5% in youth with prevalence higher among middle aged adults (42.8%) than younger adults (35.7%).³ As of 2016, nearly two billion people worldwide were either overweight or obese.¹ Research indicates accumulated excessive fat from being overweight or obese contributes to serious health impairments.⁴ World-wide obesity is associated with increased …

The Effect Of Magnification Loupes On Dental Hygienists' Posture While Exploring, Emily Ludwig, Gayle B. Mccombs, Susan L. Tolle, Daniel M. Russell

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of dental magnification loupes on posture during instrumentation.

Methods: A convenience sample of 27 right-handed dental hygienists, with no prior history of injuries or disabilities of the head, neck, or trunk region, enrolled in the study. Baseline posture calibration was taken and tri-axial accelerometers were placed on four locations of the head and trunk (occipital region of head; cervical vertebrae C5; thoracic vertebrae T5; lumbar vertebrae L1) to measure acceleration and the orientation of the body to gravity. Participants were randomly assigned to wear self-supplied magnification loupes during either …

Effects Of Instrument Handle Design On Dental Hygienists' Forearm Muscle Activity During Scaling, Jessica R. Suedbeck, Susan L. Tolle, Gayle Mccombs, Martha L. Walker, Daniel M. Russell

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 4 different commercially available instrument handle designs (A. 16 grams and 12.7 mm diameter, B. 23 grams and 11.1 mm diameter, C. 21 grams and 7.9 mm diameter and D. 18 grams and 6.35 mm diameter) on the muscle activity of four forearm muscles during a simulated scaling experience.

Methods: A convenience sample of 27 (n=27) dental hygienists used a Columbia 13/14 curet with four different instrument handles to scale artificial calculus from typodont teeth. Each participant's muscle activity was measured using surface electromyography (sEMG).

Results: Similar muscle …

The Expert Advice: Dental Patient Compliance Hinges On Effective Communication Strategies, Diana V. Macri

Publications and Research

Most dental hygienists would agree that motivating patients to adopt good oral health behaviors-often referred to as compliance-is the most challenging aspect of practice. This critical component of patient care is not unique to dentistry and dental hygiene. In 2010, the costs of health care in the United States exceeded $2.7 trillion with "between $100 and $300 billion of avoidable health-care costs [attributable] to nonadherence in the US annually."1 Nonadherence (a term used in the medical literature, which is synonymous with noncompliance) is associated with progression of disease and, subsequently, poor health outcomes resulting in an additional burden of billions …

Oral Manifestations Of Menopause: An Interprofessional Intervention For Dental Hygiene And Physician Assistant Students, Windy L. Rothmund

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

"Purpose: Interprofessional education (IPE) is a means of fostering integration and collaboration between health care professions. This study evaluated the effect of an IPE educational module on the oral manifestations of menopause. Methods: This mixed-method study used a convenience sample of dental hygiene (DH) and physician assistants (PA) students. Pre- and posttests collected quantitative data using a modified Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Survey (RIPLS), and a PI-designed knowledge of menopause test to determine students attitudes and learning. Students participated in a one-time workshop that included an educational lecture and a case study exercise using a pseudo-standardized patient. Students worked in …

Injury Prevention With Physical Therapy, Karen Kott, Margaret F. Lemaster

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) Ergonomics is the study of human performance (positioning and movement) and workplace design, such as equipment, ambience, and placement. The purpose of ergonomics is to maximize productivity by increasing safety, improving work quality, reducing operator fatigue and discomfort, and decreasing the risk of work -related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).^1-3

Using Modeling And Simulation To Improve Oral Health Services Delivery In Hampton Roads, Virginia, Mohammad J. Alzahrani

Health Services Research Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the system performance in delivering oral health services in a public health district based on the Conceptual Framework to Measure Performance of the Public Health System (PHS). Using modeling and simulation, a predictive model based on the conceptual framework dimensions: mission, structural capacity, processes, and outcomes was developed to predict the performance of public health district in delivering oral health services.

This is a retrospective longitudinal study. The main objective of this study is to use a modeling and simulation approach to predict the performance of public health district dental clinic in …

Oral Health Checkup: Progress In Tough Fiscal Times?, Cynthia Shirk

National Health Policy Forum

Almost ten years after the surgeon general’s report designating dental disease as the “silent epidemic,” the nation continues to struggle with adequate access to and utilization of dental services. This is particularly true for low-income individuals, who experience more than twice the amount of untreated dental disease as their higher-income peers. This issue brief reviews sources of dental coverage for low-income children and adults and the challenges these programs face. It highlights some examples of state Medicaid initiatives to improve access and utilization for children and the progress of these initiatives. Finally, it examines the potential effects of the economy …

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 …

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 …

Ua61/6 Newsletter, Issue 2, Wku Institute For Rural Health Development & Research

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about the Institute for Rural Health Development & Research. This issue contains:

• College of Health & Human Services Has New Dean – John Bonaguro
• Simpson, Staci. Institute Aims to Improve Oral Health of Children
• Whitfield, Beth. WKU Mobile Unit KICS Off Dental Event with Webster County – Kentucky Interdisciplinary Community Screening
• Stone, Glynda. TEACH KY: Teachers Exploring & Advocating Careers in Health in Kentucky
• Institute Sponsors Hispanic Health Fair
• HIV Prevention Counseling & Testing Training Program Initiated at WKU
• New Web-based Course Offered Through Communications Disorders Department at WKU
• Lashley, Donita. Child Passenger Safety Training
• Handy, …

Attitudes Of Virginia Dental Hygienists Towards Issues Relevant To The Independent Practice Of Dental Hygiene, Linda Hawkins Mccain

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

Adequate studies have not been conducted to assess the attitudes of dental hygienists toward independent practice of dental hygiene. The purpose of this study was to investigate these attitudes. The method of investigation was a survey questionnaire designed by the principle investigator. The research results indicated weak support for the independent practice of dental hygiene. The support for general supervision of hygienists in Virginia and the desire to be allowed to practice in nontraditional settings was stronger. There was reported a very strong opposition to preceptorship in dental hygiene. The majority of Virginia dental hygienists agreed that they were educationally …

Ua66/4/2 Allied Health Department Newsletter Issue No. 3, Wku Allied Health

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about WKU Allied Health.

The Evaluation Of The School-Based Flouride Mouthrinse Program In A Fluoridated Community, Motoki Nakanaga

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a school-based fluoride mouthrinse program in a fluoridated community. Such an evaluation is important because the effect of such programs may decrease over time due to the widespread use of fluoride.

Two elementary schools were chosen. One had a fluoride mouthrinse program: the other did not. The subjects were children in grades one and six. Their caries experience was examined using dft. dfs. DFT, and DFS scores.

There were no statistically significant differences between the two schools. The program had no significant effect in the community studied.

Ua66/4/2 Allied Health Department Newsletter Issue No. 2, Wku Allied Health

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about WKU Allied Health.

Ua66/4/2 Allied Health Department Newsletter Issue No. 1, Wku Allied Health

WKU Administration Documents

Newsletter created by and about WKU Allied Health.

Dental Care In Long-Term Care Facilities Of Warren County, Kentucky, Lesa Dean

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Many physical changes occur as one ages, including changes associated with the oral cavity. A review of the literature suggests that the provision of dental care to institutionalized elderly patients presents problems due to a variety of factors. The purpose of this study is to assess the level or dental care provided to residents of long-term care facilities located in Warren County, Kentucky. In addition, secondary objectives Include the ascertainment of who provides dental care to residents and the amount or in-service dental training made available to staff members of the facility.

Each administrator of the long term care facilities …

Dental Insurance, Your Dentist And You (1978), American Dental Association

Patient Dental Health Education Materials 1929-1981

No abstract provided.

Dental Insurance, Your Dentist And You (1978), American Dental Association

Patient Dental Health Education Materials 1929-1981

No abstract provided.

Dental Insurance, Your Dentist And You (1974), American Dental Association

Patient Dental Health Education Materials 1929-1981

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Dental Hygiene Information And Consequation On Plaque Control, Janel R. Warner

Masters Theses

The research described in the present paper is based upon a parsimonious analysis of behavior which utilizes principles that have been empirically determined. These principles as discussed by Ullmann and Krasner (1966) and Ulrich, Stachnik, and Mabry (1966) have suggested the wide applicability of behavior modification techniques, not only with animals, but with human subjects in diverse settings. One setting that has previously been left unexplored by proponents of behavior modification, which promises to be an area of growing concern, is that of dental hygiene.

The problem that the present study concerns itself with is educating children in the· correct …

Tooth Decay: What To Do About It (1958), American Dental Association

Patient Dental Health Education Materials 1929-1981

No abstract provided.

Tooth Decay: What To Do About It (1955), American Dental Association

Patient Dental Health Education Materials 1929-1981

No abstract provided.