Richard Oliver

The effect of different methods of bracket removal onthe amount of residual adhesive

The amount of residual adhesive following three different methods of bracket removal was examined. The effects of tooth position, bracket base type, and composite mix were also examined. It was found that there was a nonsignificant trend for more composite to remain on upper anterior teeth and a highly statistically significant difference between a paste/paste and paste/liquid composite mix. Bracket base type showed no significant difference. One method of bracket removal resulted in significantly less composite remaining than the other two methods.

Different techniques of residual composite removal following debonding--time taken and surface enamel appearance.

Four different methods of in vitro residual composite removal following debonding performed by two different operators (an orthodontist and a hygienist) were assessed for enamel surface damage (using scanning electron microscopy) and the time involved. There was no difference in the quality of enamel surface appearance between the two operators, regardless of the method used for composite removal. There was a statistically significant difference (P < 0·05) for the time taken for composite removal between the two operators using a tungsten carbide bur method only. It is suggested that an expanded duties auxiliary with the practical skills of the hygienist would be able to remove residual composite debris and produce a satisfactory polished enamel surface using tungsten carbide burs and aluminium oxide polishing discs, thus becoming a safe and cost-effective member of the orthodontic team.

UK national curriculum for undergraduate oral surgery subgroup for teaching of the Association of British Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

This article describes a curriculum in oral surgery for undergraduate dental education in the United Kingdom prepared by the Education Subgroup of The British Academic Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. This group is made up of representatives from each of the 13 UK Dental Schools, one Irish Dental School and one Post-graduate Institute. The document represents a group consensus of an undergraduate UK oral surgery curriculum that is founded on the frameworks outlined by the General Dental Council, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education and the Association for Dental Education in Europe. Our curriculum document is more prescriptive than the information available in the aforementioned documents. It is based on UK undergraduate oral surgery experience and thus attempts to set achievable core competencies and, in a few areas, challenges the available curriculum and related documentation.

The Bologna Process and health science education: times are changing

Context  The Bologna Declaration of 1999 has led to the initiation of profound changes within the European Higher Education Area.

A clinical study of amount of adhesive remaining on enamel after debonding, comparing etch times of 15 and 60 seconds

This study is a follow-up of a previously reported trial that examined bond failures with either a 15- or 60-second enamel etch time. For the current study the same subjects were followed through to debonding at the end of active treatment. Two different methods of bond removal were used and an assessment of the amount of adhesive remaining was made by means of an Adhesive Remnant Index (ARI). ARI was not affected by etch time, age, sex, quadrant, or length of time on test; however, there was a statistically significant association with the position of the tooth in the arch, bracket type, debonding method, and operator. There would appear to be no clinical disadvantage with an enamel etch time of 15 seconds.

Surface Roughness and Droplet Contact Angle Measurement of Various Orthodontic Bonding Cements

Surface characteristics that are considered important for bacterial attachment to thirteen orthodontic bonding composite cements and one glass ionomer cement were examined in vitro before and after toothbrush abrasion. The surface roughness and contact angle measurements were found to be statistically significantly different between the materials, both before and after brushing, and there were also statistically significant changes within materials after brushing. There were low correlation coefficients between surface roughness and contact angle for both pre-and post-brushed materials.

Microbial Growth on the Surfaces of Various Orthodontic Bonding Cements

An experimental technique was developed to examine the adhesion of a strain of Streptococcus mutans to the surface of discs of selected orthodontic bonding composites and a glass ionomer cement. Colonization by the bacterium was assessed by weight gain and scanning electron microscopy. Initial colonization occurred after about 3 days, and the specimens were usually completely covered by the fourth day. There were statistically significant differences between materials for weight gain, a strong correlation between weight gain and surface free energy of the materials measured as droplet contact angle (r = −0·9) and a moderate correlation between weight gain and surface roughness (r = 0·6).

Competence, competency-based education, and undergraduate dental education: a discussion paper

INTRODUCTION The aim of undergraduate dental education is to provide competent dentists to serve societal needs and improve population oral healthcare. Competency-based education has influenced the development of dental education for decades but this term is problematic. This article explores components of competency-based undergraduate health professional education in order to help the dental profession have a better understanding of the context and purposes of undergraduate dental education. METHODS This is a discussion paper based on a wide reading of the literature on the education of health professionals with a specific focus on competency-based undergraduate education. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Competence comprises an integration of knowledge, skills and attitudes indicating a capability to perform professional tasks safely and ethically. The process of becoming a competent practitioner is complex. Four characteristics of competency-based education are: curriculum components and content shaped by societal needs; focused on student-centred learning; learning achievement; and limited attention to time-based training and numerical targets. Alongside a competency-based approach, undergraduate dental education can be influenced by institutional features and external factors but these receive little consideration in the literature. CONCLUSION Understanding competence, competency-based education, and institutional and external factors will help to improve educational quality, define roles and professional development for the dental educator, and inform further research.

A generic consensus assessment of undergraduate competence in forceps exodontia in the United Kingdom

UNLABELLED The assessment of competence in clinical skills has become more frequent in published healthcare curricula and syllabuses recently. There are agreed mechanisms for the assessment of competence in the post-graduate environment, but no consensus within the undergraduate curriculum. This paper seeks to develop an agreed generic checklist for the assessment of competence in forceps exodontia. MATERIALS AND METHODS A modified Delphi process was undertaken with representatives from all UK dental schools (n = 13) to develop a generic checklist for the assessment of competence in forceps exodontia. A content analysis of the assessments employed by each school was used to help discussion and inform the Delphi process. RESULTS Seven schools currently employ a summative assessment of competence in forceps exodontia, with the majority employing a structured clinical objective test (n = 6). From the seven assessments, there were a total of 29 putative items and 10 putative domains identified for a generic checklist. These were reduced to five domains and 19 items through the content analysis and Delphi process, and a generic overarching checklist was created. CONCLUSION Using this generic checklist, it may now be possible to pool data inter-institution to perform more powerful analyses on how our students obtain, or fail to obtain competence in forceps exodontia.

Lag Screw Fixation of Mandibular Symphysis Fractures Is Associated With Fewer Post-Operative Complications Compared to Plates and Screws

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Is lag screw fixation superior to plate fixation to treat fractures of the mandibular symphysis? Ellis E. J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2012;70:875-82. Reviewer Richard Oliver, BDS, BSc, PhD, FDSRCPS, FDS(OS)RCPS Purpose/Question The study examined the frequency and types of complications in two groups of patients having mandibular symphyseal fractures treated Source of Funding Information not available Type of Study/Design Cohort study (retrospective) Level of Evidence Level 2: Limited-quality, patient-oriented evidence Strength of Recommendation Grade Not applicable