Dental Hygiene Commons^™

Biological Dental Hygiene: Principles, Educational Pathways, And Clinical Practice Considerations, Tara Newcomb

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Dental hygiene practice is rapidly evolving in response to emerging evidence on the oral–systemic health connection, advances in preventive technologies, and increased emphasis on individualized, minimally invasive care. A commitment to lifelong learning and continuing professional development is essential for maintaining clinical competence and integrating new scientific knowledge into practice. Biological dental hygiene has emerged as a complementary framework that emphasizes whole-body health, biocompatibility, reduction of toxic exposures, and prevention-centered care. This approach expands traditional dental hygiene practice by incorporating enhanced risk assessment, salivary diagnostics, targeted preventive strategies, as well as patient education focused on nutrition, inflammation reduction, and systemic …

Match Accuracy Of Burned Teeth: A Pilot Study Of Allied Dental Professionals, Brenda T. Bradshaw, Marsha A. Voelker, Samantha C. Vest, Sinjini Sikdar

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to assess allied dental professionals' match accuracy of burned teeth; a skill required by disaster victim identification (DVI) team members.

Methods: This cross-sectional study used a convenience sample of registered dental hygienists (RDH) (n=15) and dental assistants (DA) (n=15) to assess their match accuracy of burned teeth with simulated antemortem (AM) and postmortem (PM) images. Fifteen human teeth were heated at 400°C for 15 minutes. Prior to and following heat alteration, each tooth was photographed and radiographed. Images were presented to participants in randomized order, and they were instructed to correctly match …

Improving Dental Hygiene Students' Knowledge, Attitudes, And Confidence Toward Prenatal Oral Health Through Experiential Learning, Denise C. Mckinney, Sinjini Sikdar, Shillpa Naavaal

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose Maintaining optimal oral health is essential for maternal health as well as the health of their child. The purpose of this pilot study was to examine dental hygiene (DH) students' knowledge of prenatal oral health before and after receiving an asynchronous prenatal oral health care training (POHCT), and their attitudes and self-perceived confidence before and after receiving an experiential learning opportunity with a pregnant and/or post-partum client at a Women's Infants and Children nutrition program (WIC) clinic.

Methods A one-group pre/post-test design was used. This IRB-approved study (#2027439-4) utilized a convenience sample of DH student participants (n=37) in their …

Prevalence Of Sexuality Implicit Bias In Entry-Level Dental Hygiene Students, Monica Drew, Emily Ludwig, Jessica Suedbeck, Adaira Howell

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose Bias and discrimination may create barriers and affect the delivery of culturally competent care to sexual minorities. An awareness of biases early in education may promote more equitable oral health care delivery to diverse populations. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of sexuality-implicit attitudes in entry-level dental hygiene students at one university.

Methods This cross-sectional survey study included a convenience sample of dental hygiene students from one university (n=74). The Implicit Associations Test (IAT), a validated tool for measuring implicit bias, was modified for use in dentistry with permission from Project Implicit(®) The IAT requires …

Use Of Clinical Competency Examinations For Dental Hygiene Licensure, Jocelyn D. Weinhagen, Tara L. Newcomb, Brenda T. Bradshaw

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Dental hygiene licensure with a clinical competency examination (CCE) using a live patient has been required by state licensing boards since 1929. Clinical competency examinations were initially used when dental training was poorly developed, non-standardized, and largely based on the apprenticeship model. Currently, Canada and the state of California have removed the requirement of passing a CCE for dental hygiene licensure, provided certain requirements have been met. Dentistry is the last health care profession to mandate that graduates pass a CCE. The vast majority of dental licensing boards continue to require that third party testing agencies validate the clinical skills …

Examining Low-Income Caregivers' Knowledge And Comprehension Of The Dental Caries Process, Melissa Sullivan, Denise C. Mckinney, Deanne Shuman, Qi Zhang

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose Dental caries among young children remains a public health concern in the United States (US). Children of caregivers with low oral health literacy (OHL) tend to have greater unmet dental needs and poorer oral health status. The purpose of this study was to examine the understanding of pediatric dental terms associated with the dental caries process among low-income caregivers.

Methods This study included 14 caregivers with children enrolled in a Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) in the Southeastern US. Through structured phone interviews, the validated Oral Health Literacy Inventory for Parents (OH-LIP) was used …

Pressing Issues For Oral Care Quality Improvement: Findings From The Eu Deliver Project, Paulo Melo, Leonor Frey-Furtado, Daniela Correia, Stefan Listl, Michael Lorenz, Nagihan Bostanci, Álvaro Azevedo, Maria Lurdes Pereira

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: While oral health often takes a backseat to other health domains, it silently affects nearly half of the Worldwide population. The DELIVER project, funded by the EU's Horizon Europe program, seeks to develop a blueprint model for improving the quality of oral health care for everyone.

METHODS: Applying the Nominal Group Technique (NGT), 17 stakeholders from various backgrounds participated in identifying pressing issues for oral care quality improvement across practice, community, and policy levels.

RESULTS: The results revealed significant differences at the different levels, with accessibility emerging as a prominent issue, encompassing affordability, availability, and acceptability of oral healthcare …

The Impact Of Scaling And Root Planning Combined With Mouthwash During Pregnancy On Preterm Birth And Low Birth Weight: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, May Salama, Abdullah Al-Taiar, Denise C. Mckinney, Estiar Rahman, Anwar T. Merchant

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

The effect of treating periodontal disease (PD) during pregnancy on adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth (PTB) and/or low birth weight (LBW), remains unclear. This is partially due to the fact that Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) have used different combinations of treatment approaches to test this hypothesis. In this meta-analysis of RCTs, we assessed the impact of treating PD during pregnancy with scaling and root planning (SRP) and mouthwash use on PTB and LBW.

Background

The effect of treating periodontal disease (PD) during pregnancy on adverse birth outcomes, such as preterm birth (PTB) and/or low birth weight (LBW), remains …

The Importance Of Family Oral Health Education In Promoting Children's Oral Health, Denise C. Mckinney, Melissa Sullivan

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

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 …

Effects Of Ultrasonic Use On Hearing Loss In Dental Hygienists: A Matched Pairs Design Study, Jessica Suedbeck, Emily A. Ludwig, James Blando, Nathan Michalak

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Dental professionals are exposed to hazardous noise levels on a daily basis in clinical practice. The purpose of this study was to compare the hearing status of dental hygienists who utilize ultrasonic scalers in the workplace compared to age-matched control participants (non-dental hygienists) who were not exposed to ultrasonic noise.

Methods: A convenience sample of nineteen dental hygienists (experimental) and nineteen non-dental hygienists (control) was recruited for this study. A matched pairs design was utilized; participants in each group were matched based on age and gender to eliminate confounding variables. The testing procedure consisted of an audiologist performing a …

Pinch Force Generation During Scaling By Dental Professionals: A Systematic Review, Jessica R. Suedbeck, Emily A. Ludwig

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Objective

The objective of this review was to examine the impact of instrument designs on pinch force generation during scaling by dental professionals.

Methods

Three databases were utilized from September 2019 to November 2021 in addition to hand-searching specific journals and reference lists. Research articles that examined pinch force generation in dental professionals during scaling with manual instruments only were included. Bias was assessed in the individual articles.

Results

Six research articles were included with sample populations that varied from 12 to 24 participants. Four articles evaluated instrument designs in relation to pinch force generation during scaling by dental professionals. …

Pediatric Oral Health: Advances And Challenges, Denise M. Claiborne

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Population Variations Of Cheiloscopy Patterns: A Cross-Sectional Observation Pilot Study, Emily Smith Regan, Brenda T. Bradshaw, Ann M. Bruhn, Walter Melvin, Sinjini Sikdar

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose Lip prints are unique and have potential for use as a human identifier. The purpose of this study was to observe possible cheiloscopy differences of individuals with and without parafunctional oral habits such as smoking, vaping, playing a wind instrument or using an asthma inhaler.

Methods This IRB approved blinded cross-sectional observation pilot study collected lip prints from sixty-six individuals, three of which were excluded. Participants cleansed their lips, then lipstick was applied to the vermillion zones of the upper and lower lips. Adhesive tape was applied to the lips and prints were transferred to white bond paper for …

Dental Hygiene And Dental Assistant Students' Simulated Dvi Radiographic Match Accuracy: A Pilot Study, Samantha C. Vest, Brenda T. Bradshaw, Marsha A. Voelker, Ann M. Bruhn, Tara L. Newcomb, Sinjini Sikdar

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose Allied dental health care professionals have served on disaster victim identification (DVI) teams; however, the literature is void of statistical measures regarding transferable skills and disaster preparedness. The purpose of this study was to assess second year dental hygiene and dental assistant students’ match accuracy for simulated DVI radiographs and compare the match accuracy between the student groups.

Methods Five patient cases were chosen at random to retrospectively collect sets of digital bitewing radiographs from two time periods. The five retrospectively selected sets of images served as simulated antemortem (AM) and postmortem (PM) radiographs. A convenience sample of second …

Color-Blind Racial Attitudes In Practicing Dental Hygienists, Emily A. Ludwig, Susan L. Tolle, Jessica R. Suedbeck

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Individuals who subscribe to a color-blind racial ideology may not be aware of differences or differential treatment based on race which may be related to racial inequality in the delivery of oral health care. The purpose of this study was to determine color-blind racial attitudes in a convenience sample of clinical dental hygienists.

Methods: A convenience sample of practicing dental hygienists recruited through social media via snowball sampling was invited to participate in this cross-sectional survey study. The Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale (CoBRAS), a valid and reliable measuring instrument, was used to determine unawareness of racial attitudes and stereotyping. …

Oral Health Literacy Inventories For Caregivers Of Preschool-Aged Children: A Systematic Review, Melissa L. Sullivan, Denise M. Claiborne, Deanne Shuman

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to describe the oral health literacy (OHL) inventories that have been used among caregivers of preschool-aged children.

Methods: Four databases were searched (CINAHL, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Dentistry & Oral Sciences Source, PubMed), to identify peer-reviewed, full-text studies published in English on the oral health literacy among caregivers of preschool-aged children from 2010-2021. All studies were assessed for eligibility using PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were experimental, non-experimental, or mixed methods peer-reviewed studies, conducted in the United States. Eligible studies were independently evaluated using the Effective Public Health Practice Project's Quality Assessment …

Occupational Health Practices Among Dental Care Professionals Before And During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sean Banaee, Denise M. Claiborne, Muge Akpinar-Elci

Community & Environmental Health Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a substantial burden on dental care professionals. While dentistry is known as one of the most exposed and high-risk professions, dental care professionals are indeed at even greater risk.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, occupational health practices, personal protective equipment usage, and mental stressors during COVID-19 pandemic among dental care professionals.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dental care professionals who were subscribers to a dental hygiene journal using a self-administered online survey (n = 1047 respondents). Cross-tabulations were performed to determine differences in the responses to …

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 …

Innovative Collaborative Service-Learning Experience Among Dental Hygiene And Nurse Practitioner Students: A Pediatric Oral Health Pilot Study, Denise M. Claiborne, Rebecca Poston, Ahlam Joufi

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

Purpose: Preventive oral health behaviors are essential for children during early stages of development. The purpose of this study was to pilot an innovative, collaborative service-learning (ICSL) experience for dental hygiene (DH) and primary care nurse practitioner (NP) students to address pediatric oral health.

Methods: A convenience sample of DH and NP students (n=12) participated in the development, planning and delivery of an ICSL activity focusing on pediatric oral health to 44 pre-school aged children. A learning management system was used for the communicating, planning and evaluating the ICSL activity. The interprofessional socialization of the participants was measured using the …