Faculty Bibliography

The relationship between chewing gum and short-term learning was investigated as prior studies had reported conflicting results. Incoming 1st-yr dental students were assigned by stratified randomization to either a group who chewed gum during lectures and examinations or a group that did not chew gum. The research subjects listened to a taped lecture on dental anatomy and then completed 2 examinations: a test of specific knowledge which was a multiple-choice test on the dental anatomy lecture material; and a test of generalized knowledge which was a standardized reading comprehension exam. Statistical analysis of the results showed that in a group of graduate students with a history of high academic performance, there was no difference in learning between research subjects who chewed gum compared with those who did not chew gum, as measured by performance on either test

Over the past 140 years, dentistry has matured from the original tenets of GV Black by moving from 'extension for prevention' to a minimal intervention approach. This is part of an evolution that stresses a medical, rather than a surgical model for caries management. This transition has been facilitated by the introduction and advancement of adhesive dentistry, which encourages preservation of tooth structure. Even with these changes, some of the original writings of Black are still relevant today: 'The day is surely coming...when we will be engaged in practicing preventive, rather than reparative, dentistry.'

The purposes of this pilot study were: 1. to compare two methods of teaching dental anatomy-CD + lab vs. standard lecture + lab; and 2. to determine whether actively chewing gum during lecture, lab and studying would have an effect on learning. Only the written examination average scores for the gum vs. no gum chewing groups showed differences that appear to be educationally meaningful, though not statistically significant because of the limited number of subjects in this pilot study. This pilot study suggests that: 1. the cost-effective method of using a self-study CD is as educationally effective as a standard lecture; 2. gum chewing resulted in higher scores in the written examination; and 3. future, full-sized studies should be conducted to confirm these findings

BACKGROUND: The authors describe a new rotary polymer instrument that selectively removes infected dentin. This instrument has the potential to prepare selected cavities without the need for local anesthesia (LA). Patient acceptance has not been investigated in a clinical trial. METHODS: In this open-label clinical study, the authors enrolled 20 subjects with two Class I carious lesions and randomly assigned them to receive one restoration with the polymer instrument and no LA and the second restoration with a carbide bur and LA. Both procedures were completed in one appointment. Subjects completed dental history, dental anxiety and situational pain questionnaires. At specific points during the procedure, subjects rated their perception of the intensity of cold, heat, pain, pressure, vibration, fear and anxiety. On completion of the restorative procedures and at 48-hour and one-week telephone contacts, subjects indicated which procedure they preferred. RESULTS: During treatment with the polymer instrument, subjects indicated that they experienced slightly more pain, pressure, vibration and anxiety, but not more heat, cold or fear. Immediately after the procedure, 14 (70 percent) of 20 respondents (binomial test; P = .11) said that they would prefer having no LA and use of the polymer instrument for future dental work. The number of subjects indicating this preference increased to 15 (P < .05) at both the 48-hour and one-week contacts. One subject requested rescue LA during the polymer instrument treatment. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of subjects preferred the rotary polymer instrumentation with no LA to the carbide bur instrumentation with LA. They held this preference despite experiencing slightly, but reliably, more pain and pressure when treated with the polymer instrument. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: A polymer (bur-like) rotary instrument with cutting ability limited to infected dentin can be used in Class I cavity preparations without the need for LA

Computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacture (CAD/CAM) technology has made steady inroads into the practice of dentistry. The CEREC CAD/CAM system can be used chairside to fabricate porcelain and composite inlays, onlays, and crowns and porcelain veneers. The latest incarnation of the CEREC system is the CEREC 3D, which provides a versatile, relatively simple, user-friendly method for fabricating esthetic restorations chairside without involving a dental laboratory. CEREC 3D may be the system that allows the average general dentist to provide chairside porcelain restorations during single-visit appointments, eliminating the need for an elastomeric impression or an interim restoration as well as the expense of a laboratory fee

Faced with the challenge of restructuring a preclinical curriculum to provide a stronger background in general dentistry, a clinical simulation program that emphasizes critical thinking in clinical decision-making was developed and implemented at New York University College of Dentistry. The program offers an integrated program in clinical sciences focused on the faculty-defined outcomes for a general dentist. The curriculum was developed using outcomes that must be met before full patient care privileges are extended. The curriculum is centered around a series of patients with differing profiles of risk, disease, and treatment needs. Students are required to think globally, collect data that leads to an accurate assessment of the patient's risk, plan prevention and health promotion, and define a treatment plan. The student then demonstrates proficiency in executing treatment, evaluates the results, and speculates about the long-term impact of the treatment provided. Student and faculty evaluations are discussed as well as the strengths and shortcomings of the curriculum

As part of the new integrated curriculum at the New York University College of Dentistry, a pilot program uses composite resins to teach dental anatomy. The Department of Biomaterials and Biomimetics, in conjunction with the Department of Cariology and Operative Dentistry, has created a teaching module to replicate the morphology of a central incisor through the manipulation and placement of a composite resin