Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Despite substantial increases in dental benefits and improvements in the use of dental services among children and adolescents in the United States, oral health disparities according to dental insurance payer type persist. METHODS:The authors used an all-payer claims (2013-2017) database to perform a comparative analysis of the provision and treatment outcomes of an endodontic procedure (root canal therapy) in the permanent teeth of a pediatric population aged 6 through 18 years, according to dental insurance payer type. Statistical analyses, including logistic regression, Cox proportional hazards regression, and the Kaplan-Meier method, were performed at person and tooth levels. RESULTS:Compared with privately insured children and adolescents, public-payer children and adolescent beneficiaries were more likely to have had root canal therapy (adjusted odds ratio, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.73 to 2.11) and had poorer treatment outcomes associated with the procedure (adjusted hazard ratio, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.53 to 3.14; P < .0001) during the study period. Those enrolled in private insurance were more likely to receive treatment from an endodontist (specialist in providing root canal therapy) (P < .0001). Amounts allowed and paid by the insurer were significantly higher for private payers (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS:There were significant differences in the provision and outcomes of endodontic treatment between privately and publicly insured children and adolescents. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS:Despite ostensibly equal access to care, differences in the provision of oral health care exist between privately and publicly insured patients. These differences may be contributing to persisting oral health disparities.

BACKGROUND:Previously published epidemiological outcome studies of root canal therapy (NSRCT) in the Unites States utilize data only from a single, private dental insurer for adult populations. AIM/OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to investigate outcomes of initial NSRCT, performed on permanent teeth, in a publicly insured pediatric population. DESIGN/METHODS:New York State Medicaid administrative claims were used to follow 77,741 endodontic procedures in 51,545 patients aged 6-18, from the time of initial NSRCT until occurrence of an untoward event (retreatment, apicoectomy, extraction). Initial treatment and untoward events were identified by Current Dental Terminology codes. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were calculated at 1, 3, and 5 years. Hazard ratios for time to permanent restoration and restoration type were calculated using Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS:Median follow-up time was 44 months [range:12-158 months]. Procedural, NSRCT, survival was 98% at 1 year, 93% at 3 years, and 88% at 5 years. Extraction was the most common untoward event. Teeth permanently restored with cuspal coverage had the most favorable treatment outcomes. CONCLUSIONS:Overall, 89% of teeth were retained and remained functional over a minimum follow-up time of 5 years. These results elucidate expected outcomes of NSRCT in permanent teeth for pediatric patients with public-payer dental benefits.

BACKGROUND:Dental care expenses are reported to present higher financial barriers than any other type of health care service in the United States. Social media platforms such as Twitter have become a source of public health communication and surveillance. Previous studies have demonstrated the usefulness of Twitter in exploring public opinion on aspects of dental care. To date, no studies have leveraged Twitter to examine public sentiments regarding dental care affordability in the United States. OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study is to understand public perceptions of dental care affordability in the United States on the social media site, Twitter. METHODS:Tweets posted between September 1, 2017, and September 30, 2021, were collected using the Snscrape application. Query terms were selected a priori to represent dentistry and financial aspects associated with dental treatment. Data were analyzed qualitatively using both deductive and inductive approaches. In total, 8% (440/5500) of all included tweets were coded to identify prominent themes and subthemes. The entire sample of included tweets were then independently coded into thematic categories. Quantitative data analyses included geographic distribution of tweets by state, volume analysis of tweets over time, and distribution of tweets by content theme. RESULTS:A final sample of 5314 tweets were included in the study. Thematic analysis identified the following prominent themes: (1) general sentiments (1614 tweets, 30.4%); (2) delaying or forgoing dental care (1190 tweets, 22.4%); (3) payment strategies (1019 tweets, 19.2%); (4) insurance (767 tweets, 14.4%); and (5) policy statements (724 tweets, 13.6%). Geographic distributions of the tweets established California, Texas, Florida, and New York as the states with the most tweets. Qualitative analysis revealed barriers faced by individuals to accessing dental care, strategies taken to cope with dental pain, and public perceptions on aspects of dental care policy. The volume and thematic trends of the tweets corresponded to relevant societal events, including the COVID-19 pandemic and debates on health care policy resulting from the election of President Joseph R. Biden. CONCLUSIONS:The findings illustrate the real-time sentiment of social media users toward the cost of dental treatment and suggest shortcomings in funding that may be representative of greater systemic failures in the provision of dental care. Thus, this study provides insights for policy makers and dental professionals who strive to increase access to dental care.

BACKGROUND:One challenge in dental education is new faculty members can be hired with limited teaching experience or understanding of pedagogy. Recent publications document increasing initiatives of faculty development in US and Canadian dental schools. This study evaluates full-time faculty perspectives of their develop and academic environment. METHODS:A 33-item questionnaire distributed to senior administrators and forwarded to faculty, collected data on demographics and satisfaction, utilizing a 5-item Likert scale, multiple choice, and binary yes/no questions. Responses were descriptively and statistically analyzed utilizing an analysis of variance, chi-square, and two-sample t-test. RESULTS:There were 183 faculty respondents (37.7% male/62.3% female), age ranges were 20-29 (2.2%), 30-39 (53.5%), and 41-49(44.3). Respondents reported race/ethnicity: Caucasian (60.7%), Asian (19.1%), Hispanic (12.6%), Black/African American (5.5%), two or more races (2.2%), and Native American 0%. Length of employment was significantly associated with primary responsibility (p = 0.0023), recent publications (p < 0.0011), and short-term intent to remain in academia (p = 0.046). There was a statistically significant difference between age and satisfaction with professional development (p = 0.0411), achieving career objectives (p = 0.0151), well-being (p = 0.0492), access to resources for scholarly interests (p = 0.0114), communication (p = 0.0058), and assessment training (p = 0.0249). Non-Caucasian faculty reported greater dissatisfaction with being treated respectfully (p = 0.0302), departmental commitment to diversity and inclusion (p = 0.0075), and departmental cooperation/teamwork (p = 0.0323). CONCLUSIONS:A significant number of junior faculty have interest in academic dental careers. Institutions should invest in improving onboarding and professional development. Improve the early experiences of faculty, and foster diversity and inclusion and faculty well-being.

BACKGROUND:A comprehensive effort to evaluate outcomes of primary root canal treatment (RCT) between 1966 and 2002 was published by Ng et al. (2007, 2008). Changes in endodontic materials and treatment methods warrants an updated analysis of outcomes. OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:This study aimed to 1) quantify the success rates of primary RCT published between 2003 and 2020; and 2) investigate the influence of some characteristics known/ suspected to be associated with treatment outcomes. METHODS:An electronic search was performed in the following databases (01-01-2003 to 12-31-2020): Pubmed, Embase, CINHAL, Cochrane and Web of Science. Included study designs were longitudinal clinical studies (randomized control trials, cohort studies, retrospective observational studies). Studies with at least twelve-months of post-operative review and success rates based on clinical and radiographic criteria were analyzed. The terms 'strict' (complete resolution of periapical lesion) or 'loose' (reduction in size of existing periapical lesion) were used to describe the outcome criteria. Weighted, pooled success rates were calculated. Random effects meta-regression models were used to investigate potential sources of statistical heterogeneity. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to evaluate for quality assessment of the included studies. RESULTS:Forty-two studies were included in the review. Meta-analyses showed that the weighted pooled success rates were estimated to be 92.6% (95% CI: 90.5-94.8%) under 'loose criteria' and 82.0% (95% CI: 79.3-84.8%) under 'strict' criteria. The most significant areas of study heterogeneity were year of publication and qualification of operator. The majority (64.29%) of studies were considered to be of low quality of evidence. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS:Biological factors continue to have the most significant impact on RCT outcomes. The technological method of instrumentation had no significant effect. The quality of evidence, was based primarily on study design and only randomized control trials were considered to be "high" quality of evidence. CONCLUSIONS:The reported success rates show improvement over time. Weighted success rates for studies with a minimum of four-year follow-up had better outcomes, compared to those with less than four years, when 'strict criteria' were used.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:The goal of the present study was to examine perceived barriers to achieving clinical competence in endodontics and explain how YouTube is used to supplement formal education in this discipline. METHODS:Postgraduate endodontic students conducted focus groups with fourth-year dental students at NYU College of Dentistry. The discussion was facilitated by a semistructured interview guide. Open-ended questions about participants' perceived barriers to clinical competency in endodontics, experiences using YouTube to learn about clinical endodontics, and preferences for video format learning were asked. Demographic information was gathered. Thematic analysis of data was conducted and data collection was terminated once saturation was achieved. RESULTS:Thirty fourth-year dental students were enrolled in the study. The majority, 96.7%, reported using YouTube as a learning tool for dental procedures and 83.3% to learn about endodontics, specifically. The following domains were explored during data analysis: barriers to clinical competency, YouTube uses/experiences, and content preferences. The following themes within barriers to clinical competency were identified: psychological, educational, and clinical. Within the YouTube domain, the following themes were examined: goals of use, timing and frequency of use, search strategies, benefit/ shortcomings of YouTube, and validity of content. Students primarily used YouTube to enhance confidence and understand procedural flow. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:YouTube videos were primarily used to help students overcome perceived educational and psychological barriers that resulted in gaps in confidence and knowledge of performing endodontic procedures. Dental students placed high value on easily accessible video content of limited duration, where clinical procedures were performed on live patients.

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:Diagnosis and treatment of non-odontogenic pain is challenging for endodontists. The purpose of the study was to investigate the outcomes of referrals to orofacial pain specialists made for patients with suspected non-odontogenic pain, after evaluation and/or treatment by an endodontist. MATERIALS AND METHODS/METHODS:A retrospective review of dental records was conducted for 60 patients referred from a postgraduate endodontic clinic to an orofacial pain clinic. Patient demographics, pain history, endodontic, and orofacial pain diagnoses were collected. Number of visits, length of treatment, and treatments prescribed were recorded. For analysis of outcomes, data pertinent to resolution/persistence of symptoms and patient compliance were analyzed. RESULTS:Thirty-five patients were included in the study. The most frequent pulpal and periapical diagnoses were previously treated (62%) and symptomatic apical periodontitis (72%), respectively. The most common orofacial pain diagnosis was temporomandibular disorder. The average time spent to diagnose and treat the pain was 17 months. Pain reduction varied and was documented for 51% of patients. Indications of non-compliance with orofacial pain appointments and treatments were documented for 66% of patients. CONCLUSIONS:Non-odontogenic pain diagnosis and treatment are challenging. Patients may have an increased predilection for developing persistent pain after endodontic treatment and/or have an undiagnosed, chronic orofacial pain condition as a true source of their chief complaint. It may be helpful for endodontists to set expectations of typical treatment times/plans when referring patients for evaluation and treatment of non-odontogenic pain.

OBJECTIVES/UNASSIGNED:This study investigated differences in the provision of root canal therapy and outcomes in a publicly insured cohort of children and adolescents. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:New York State Medicaid administrative claims from 2006 to 2018 were analyzed. Enrollees aged 6-18 were included in the study if they had initial non-surgical root canal therapy (NSRCT), in the permanent dentition, that allowed for at least 1 year of post-treatment follow-up. Descriptive analyses, multivariable logistic regression, and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the association between demographic variables (gender, age, race/ethnicity, and area-based factors) and dental treatment provision and outcomes. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:Male gender was associated with having more than one initial NSRCT (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02-1.10), as was rurality (aOR = 1.15; 95% CI = 1.06-1.24). Black/African American (AA) and Hispanic children were less likely than non-Hispanic white children to have multiple NSRCTs (aOR = 0.88; 95% CI = 0.83-0.93 and aOR = 0.78; 95% CI = 0.74-0.83). Being older or female conferred a lower hazard of an untoward event (aHR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.92-0.94 and aHR = 0.86; 95% CI = 0.81-0.91). Compared to non-Hispanic white children, Hispanic and Black/AA children had a higher risk of untoward event (aHR = 1.31; 95% CI = 1.21-1.41 and aHR = 1.55; 95% CI = 1.43-1.67) while children of Asian descent had a lower incidence after initial NSRCT (aHR = 0.79; 95% CI = 0.71-0.88). CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:Race/ethnicity was the strongest demographic predictor of provision of initial non-surgical root canal therapy, subsequent placement of a permanent restoration and the occurrence of an untoward event after NSRCT in this cohort.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:This study describes and evaluates efforts to transition an established pre-dental pipeline program to a remote platform, in response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. METHODS:The semester-long pipeline program, Saturday Academy at New York University College of Dentistry, was conducted remotely through Zoom, and materials for hands-on, pre-clinical activities, were mailed to participants. Saturday Academy aims to educate underrepresented minority and low-income high school students about the college application process and the dental profession. After the program's completion, program applications and engagement data were analyzed. An anonymous online survey was administered to the high school student participants. The survey questions included topics about their interest in the profession of dentistry, satisfaction with the Saturday Academy programming, and program engagement. RESULTS:In its remote format, Saturday Academy had an average attendance of 87.8% at each session. All (60/60, 100%) of the high school student participants responded to the anonymous program satisfaction survey. Sixty-seven percent reported an interest in the profession of dentistry before participating in the program and 82% after participating in the program. Ninety-eight percent agreed with the statement "I enjoyed my experience participating in Saturday Academy." Additionally, 97% agreed with the statement "Saturday Academy's virtual programming was effective." There were no statistically significant differences in program satisfaction when data from the virtual program were compared to 2 years of in-person program satisfaction data. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Challenges to fulfilling the missions of dental institutions in response to the coronavirus pandemic impact service and recruitment efforts, in addition to formal dental education. Transitioning pipeline programming efforts, with hands-on components, to a remote format is possible and was met with favorable engagement and responses from program participants.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to increase the understanding of perceived barriers to applying to dental school experienced by underrepresented minority (URM), pipeline program alumni. METHODS:A qualitative study of alumni of New York University College of Dentistry pipeline programs, aimed at increasing the number of URM and low-income students in the dental profession, was conducted in 2020. Focus groups were convened to examine perceived barriers to applying to dental school and identified through a combination inductive and deductive thematic analysis. RESULTS:Twenty-three pipeline program alumni, ranging in age from 18 to 30 years old, participated in focus groups held between January and April 2020. All students identified as underrepresented minorities and 78% were first generation college students. Fifteen (65%) of the participants had not yet applied to dental school. Eight participants (35%) had applied to dental school, 3 (13%) were currently enrolled in dental school, and 5 (22%) were matriculating into dental school in Fall 2020. The following themes emerged as the most prominent challenges to applying to dental school: pre-health advisors (e.g., lack of knowledge about the pre-dental process and discouragement), and the cost of the application process (e.g., application fees, DAT and DAT preparation course costs, and interview costs). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Through pre-dental pipeline programs, participants have access to informational resources and mentorship; however, despite participation in these programs, perceived barriers are still prevalent. Identification of the alumni's perceived barriers offer targeted areas where increased intervention may be helpful to reduce challenges and strengthen the pipeline.