Nadia Mohamed

Introducing dental students to e-learning at a South African University

Background. This article reports on the introduction of an innovative ‘blended learning’ approach in the Paediatric Dentistry Department at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) in Cape Town, South Africa. This intervention was the first of its kind to be introduced at UWC’s dentistry faculty. Methods. Educational resources were placed online to supplement didactic and clinical teaching and thus compensate for the lack of chair-side teaching. An online learning platform was therefore provided for students to engage with. Results. Forty-seven per cent of students accessed the site. The evaluation of the course by these 4th- and 5th-year students was mostly positive. Students who did not access the site provided a variety of reasons for not doing so, the main reasons being ‘lack of time’ (40%) and ‘lack of IT resources’ (41%). Conclusion. This intervention highlighted the fact that ‘blended learning’ definitely has its place in the dentistry curriculum, especially if minor issues such as access to resources can be addressed. The Paediatric Dentistry Department at UWC is continually pursuing current trends in teaching to provide an education that is on par with global standards.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (Kap) Regarding Early Childhood Caries among Nurses Working in a Low Socio-Economic Area

The high prevalence of ECC (71.6%) amongst children from a lower socio-economic sub-district in Cape Town implies that important information regarding oral health is not filtering through to these communities. The situation regarding the awareness and knowledge of primary health care workers in this economically disadvantaged area was unknown. Nurses at these facilities where the high prevalence of ECC was recorded were therefore targeted at the subjects of the present investigation. A survey was therefore carried out among these nursing professionals at various community-based clinics, day hospitals, immunization clinics, well-baby clinics and the pediatric ward of a hospital in order to assess their knowledge of these professionals regarding oral health matters.

Early childhood caries and dental treatment need in low socio-economic communities in Cape Town, South Africa

Background Early childhood caries (ECC) is a particularly severe problem in low socio-economic communities which impacts the overall health and well-being of children. The extensive waiting lists for general anaesthesia and sedation services at the only tertiary dental care centre in the study area for the treatment of children with ECC were an indication of the extent of the problem. The true extent of the problem in this area was, however, not known. This information is crucial in order to plan and execute remedial measures. Aim To assess the prevalence of oral and dental problems, especially ECC, in children under six years of age in the study population, and ascertain their need for dental treatment. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 659 children from selected schools and clinics in the study area was carried out between 2010 and 2013. Results A caries prevalence of 71.6% (472/659) was recorded. Of these, 67.5% (445/659) of children were in need of dental treatment. Conclusion Over the last decade, there has been no improvement in the caries status of children in the study population, and no organised measures have been put in place to address this problem. Awareness needs to be raised so that governments, especially in developing countries, can take appropriate measures to alleviate this public health problem. Time and resources have to be invested in the education of all health professionals dealing with children, by raising their awareness of the early stages of the disease so that timeous referrals can be made.

In vitro analysis of the marginal adaptation and discrepancy of stainless steel crowns

Abstract Aim: The purpose of the study was to assess the marginal adaptation and discrepancy of SSC’s. Differences in adaptation and discrepancy between the four surfaces (mesial, lingual, distal, and buccal) were evaluated. Methods: The placement of stainless steel crowns were completed on a phantom head in accordance with the clinical technique. The ideal tooth preparation was made and this ‘master tooth’ duplicated to achieve a sample size of 15. The stainless steel crowns were placed, trimmed, and cemented as per the clinical technique. The cemented stainless crowns were analyzed under 100× stereomicroscope magnification. The marginal adaptation and discrepancy of each specimen was measured every 2 µm. Results: All the specimens showed marginal adaptation and discrepancy. The lingual margin had a significantly better adaptation (p < .0001) over the other surfaces. The buccal surface was the only surface that had an appropriate supra-CEJ level with a significance of p < .0001. Conclusion: The marginal discrepancies occur during the trimming procedure and assessment of the gingival approximation of the SSC margin. The inspection of stainless steel crown adaptation and discrepancy is an essential clinical step.