Faculty Bibliography

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the caries relapse rate for a cohort of 2- to 4-year-old children at high risk of early childhood caries when treated with an intensive fluoride varnish (FV) regimen. METHODS:Eighty paediatric patients were recruited. Forty of these patients were high risk and received the FV treatment (three applications within 2 weeks and additional applications at 1 and 3 months) during 2009-2010. Mutans streptococci (MS) levels in the saliva were evaluated during the treatment period. A comparative group of 40 children, selected from an electronic record search at the New York University College of Dentistry to be of similar age, gender, and ethnicity, but not at elevated risk for ECC, received the standard of care (semi-annual FV treatment). Detailed caries examination and treatment records were obtained for all patients from 2009 to 2014. RESULTS:A significant reduction (P < 0.001) in MS levels was observed in the intensive FV treatment group at the 3-month visit compared with baseline. There was no effect of the intensive FV treatment on caries outcome in the anterior teeth, and the overall caries scores were significantly increased on the posterior teeth. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The intensive FV regimen appears insufficient to prevent caries relapse in children at high risk for caries.

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to differentiate anxious from nonanxious adolescents and evaluate gender differences in anxiety with respect to previous negative dental and medical experiences. The purpose was also to evaluate a causative relationship between child medical fear and dental anxiety. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:This study sampled 113 Croatian adolescents from 15 to18 years of age. Children's Fear Survey Schedule - Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) was used for the assessment of child dental anxiety regarding visits to the dentist and receiving dental treatment. A modified version of Child Medical Fear Questionnaire (CMFQ-M) was used for evaluation of child medical fear related to medical treatment and doctors in general. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The results showed significantly higher dental anxiety (CFSS-DS) and medical fear (CMFQ-M) in adolscent girls (p<0,001) as compared to adolescent boys. A significantly strong correlation between medical fear and dental anxiety in adolescent girls was proved by Pearson's correlation coefficient (p < 0,01). In this study, CMFQ-M and CFSS-DS questionnaires were standardized in the Croatian adolescent population and proved reliable in the estimation of anxious behaviour with respect to specific medical and dental situations.

Over the past seven years, the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) and the Advanced Practice: Pediatrics and the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) program at New York University College of Nursing (NYUCN) have engaged in a program of formal educational activities with the specific goals of advancing interprofessional education, evidence-based practice, and interprofessional strategies to improve the oral-systemic health of infants and young children. Mentoring interprofessional students in all health care professions to collaboratively assess, analyze, and care-manage patients demands that faculty reflect on current practices and determine ways to enhance the curriculum to include evidence-based scholarly activities, opportunities for interprofessional education and practice, and interprofessional socialization. Through the processes of interprofessional education and practice, the pediatric nursing and dental faculty identified interprofessional performance and affective oral health core competencies for all dental and pediatric primary care providers. Students demonstrated achievement of interprofessional core competencies, after completing the interprofessional educational clinical practice activities at Head Start programs that included interprofessional evidence-based collaborative practice, case analyses, and presentations with scholarly discussions that explored ways to improve the oral health of diverse pediatric populations. The goal of improving the oral health of all children begins with interprofessional education that lays the foundations for interprofessional practice.

AIM: This in vitro study aimed to test the fracture resistance of 4 different posts used in the restoration of severely decayed primary incisors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty primary incisors were selected for this study and sectioned 1 mm above the CEJ. After filing and irrigation of the root canal space, the canals were obturated with Metapex and 3 mm of post space was prepared inside the canals. Intact glass fiber posts, split-ended glass fiber posts, composite resin posts, and orthodontic gamma 'gamma' wire posts were used as intracanal posts and the final composite resin restoration was placed using a paediatric strip crown. After thermocycling of the specimens, the fracture resistance was measured using a universal testing machine. RESULTS: The mean fracture resistance of split- ended glass fiber posts was higher than the other groups, however, there was no significant difference between any of the groups (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: Split-ended glass fiber posts seem to be a more appropriate option for full coverage restorations in primary incisors.

Objectives: We evaluated the relationship between child dental anxiety and selected child and parental characteristics. Study design: Children and their parents were interviewed at the New York University, College of Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry Clinic. The Children's Fear Survey Schedule - Dental Subscale (CFSS-DS) evaluated child self-reported anxiety; the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS) measured self-reported parental anxiety when the parent received dental treatment. Results: Ninety-three children and their parents completed the questionnaires. Mean CFSS-DS scores were higher for girls than boys (32.5 vs. 26.3, p=0.003) and for children whose accompanying parents had MDAS scores of 11+ vs. <11 (32.8 vs. 26.6, p=0.001). There was little difference in mean CFSS-DS scores among those aged 6-10 yrs. vs. 11-14 yrs. (30.1 vs. 29.3). Significant correlations were found between CFSS-DS and both gender (Spearman's rho, rs=0.31) and MDAS scores (rs=0.33), but not between CFSS-DS and child age (rs=-0.05). Controlling simultaneously for gender, MDAS score and child age, a high CFSS-DS score (38+ vs. <38) was positively associated with girls (ORadj=3.76, 95% CI: 1.13-12.54) and an MDAS score of </=15 vs. <11 (ORadj=2.50, 0.73-8.54), but weakly and inversely associated with age (ORadj=0.80, 0.25-2.52). Conclusion: Child gender and parental anxiety are indicators of child dental anxiety.

A comprehensive oral health care program for Head Start children in New York City is described. Head Start is a federally funded pre-school program for low-income families and their children. It provides activities that help children grow mentally, socially, emotionally and physically. In 1994, a public-private partnership was created between New York Administration for Children's Services and New York University College of Dentistry. The program consists of periodic visits to different Head Start centers by a dental team composed of pediatric dentists, residents, hygienists and students. At the center, the team provides diagnostic and preventive services to children and oral health education to children, parents and staff. Referrals are then made to the College of Dentistry or to a community provider for treatment and follow-up. Free transportation is provided between Head Start centers and the college clinic. Over 13 years, 25,000 children have received diagnostic, preventive and treatment services

The purpose of this project was to define education and training requirements for hospital-based dentists to efficiently and meaningfully participate in a hospital disaster response. Eight dental faculty with hospital-based training and/or military command and CBRNE (chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive) expertise were recruited as an expert panel. A consensus set of recommended educational objectives for hospital-based dentists was established using the following process: 1) identify assumptions supported by all expert panelists, 2) determine current advanced dental educational training requirements, and 3) conduct additional training and literature review by various panelists and discussions with other content and systems experts. Using this three-step process, educational objectives that the development group believed necessary for hospital-based dentists to be effective in treatment or management roles in times of a catastrophic event were established. These educational objectives are categorized into five thematic areas: 1) disaster systems, 2) triage/medical assessment, 3) blast and burn injuries, 4) chemical agents, and 5) biological agents. Creation of training programs to help dentists acquire these educational objectives would benefit hospital-based dental training programs and strengthen hospital surge manpower needs. The proposed educational objectives are designed to stimulate discussion and debate among dental, medical, and public health professionals about the roles of dentists in meeting hospital surge manpower needs.

The author describes two examples of a 'smiley-face tooth.'