BACKGROUND: Tooth extraction procedures often lead to bone resorption, which can have adverse effects on the dimensions of the alveolar ridge. Research has shown that socket preservation techniques using bone graft substitutes can effectively minimize early bone loss in such cases. α-calcium sulfate hemihydrate (α-CSH) has garnered significant attention as a potential bone graft material due to its favorable properties, including osteoconductivity, angiogenic potential, and biocompatibility. Considering these facts, we developed a preliminary protocol for applying α-CSH in addressing alveolar bone loss following tooth extraction.
OBJECTIVE: This research\'s general objective is to evaluate the feasibility and initial effectiveness of α-CSH as bone-inducing graft material for socket preservation after tooth extraction.
METHODS: This preliminary clinical trial will involve 30 fresh extraction sockets from individuals aged 18-35 years. The participants will be divided into 2 groups: one group will receive α-CSH graft material after tooth extraction for socket preservation, while the other group will not receive any graft material. Throughout the study, the participants will be closely monitored for safety measures, which will include clinical examinations, radiographic imaging, and blood tests. Radiographic imaging will be used extensively to assist the progress of bone formation.
RESULTS: The study commenced enrollment in August 2022 and is scheduled to conclude post assessments and analyses by the end of 2023. The results of the study are anticipated to be accessible in late 2024.
CONCLUSIONS: This clinical study represents the initial investigation in humans to assess the feasibility and efficacy of α-CSH in alveolar bone regeneration. We hypothesize that the inclusion of α-CSH can greatly expedite the process of bone formation within fresh sockets, resulting in a swift restoration of bone height without the disadvantages associated with harvesting autogenous bone graft.
BACKGROUND: Indonesia Registry Center INA-D02FAHP; https://tinyurl.com/2jnf6n3s.
UNASSIGNED: DERR1-10.2196/49922.

BACKGROUND: Interprofessional education (IPE) facilitates interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) to encourage teamwork among dental care professionals and is increasingly becoming a part of training programs for dental and dental technology students. However, the focus of previous IPE and IPCP studies has largely been on subjective student and instructor perceptions without including objective assessments of collaborative practice as an outcome measure.
OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to develop the framework for a novel virtual and interprofessional objective structured clinical examination (viOSCE) applicable to dental and dental technology students, to assess the effectiveness of the framework as a tool for measuring the outcomes of IPE, and to promote IPCP among dental and dental technology students.
METHODS: The framework of the proposed novel viOSCE was developed using the modified Delphi method and then piloted. The lead researcher and a group of experts determined the content and scoring system. Subjective data were collected using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale and a self-made scale, and objective data were collected using examiner ratings. Data were analyzed using nonparametric tests.
RESULTS: We successfully developed a viOSCE framework applicable to dental and dental technology students. Of 50 students, 32 (64%) participated in the pilot study and completed the questionnaires. On the basis of the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale, the subjective evaluation indicated that teamwork skills were improved, and the only statistically significant difference in participant motivation between the 2 professional groups was in the mutual evaluation scale (P=.004). For the viOSCE evaluation scale, the difference between the professional groups in removable prosthodontics was statistically significant, and a trend for negative correlation between subjective and objective scores was noted, but it was not statistically significant.
CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm that viOSCE can be used as an objective evaluation tool to assess the outcomes of IPE and IPCP. This study also revealed an interesting relationship between mutual evaluation and IPCP results, further demonstrating that the IPE and IPCP results urgently need to be supplemented with objective evaluation tools. Therefore, the implementation of viOSCE as part of a large and more complete objective structured clinical examination to test the ability of students to meet undergraduate graduation requirements will be the focus of our future studies.

Dental graduates have a variety of career-path choices. After graduation, they may join private dental practice, government- or hospital-based dental care services, research groups, academia, business or industry. With globalization and frequent international exchange, dental graduates nowadays can explore careers outside their home country. However, dental education systems and job opportunities vary widely across different regions and countries. Diversity of accreditation in dental education, different licensure requirements, and lack of global competencies in dental care often limit the globalization, operation and survival of dental practice and education worldwide. The requirements for professional education and practice can be quite diverse, and these differences will be barriers to dental graduates seeking career development outside their home home country. Fresh dental graduates have minimal experience in job hunting. More specifically, they are unfamiliar with potential career paths. This paper was based on the 4th trilateral symposium 2022 organized by The University of Hong Kong, Tohoku University, and Fujian Medical University, which offered a lecture to discuss career paths for dental graduates in Hong Kong, Japan, and mainland China. The aim of this paper was to provide dentists, particularly fresh graduated dental students, with practical insight into different career paths in Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China, SAR), Japan and mainland China, and factors that may influence their career options. It assists dental students in exploring possibilities in dentistry and preparing for their career development after graduation from dental school.

Background: The epidemic infection of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may have a profound impact on dentistry, mainly due to the mode of transmission of the pathogen, which poses a risk to almost all dental operations. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of anxiety, depression, perceived stress, and acute stress disorder among dental medical staff in emergency situations during the COVID-19 epidemic. Methods: From April 3, 2020, to April 10, 20204, a multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among 808 first-line dental professionals at an emergency department in mainland China. A self-designed questionnaire was used to collect general demographic information. The 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7), 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Acute Stress Disorder Scale (ASDS) were used to assess the severity of symptoms of anxiety, depression, perceived stress, and acute stress disorder (ASD), respectively. Results: The prevalence rates of depression, anxiety, perceived pressure, and ASD among the frontline dental medical staff were 46.4, 36.3, 65.2, and 1.1%, respectively. The frontline dental medical staff who were working in the Wuhan area reported experiencing more anxiety (p = 0.038) and perceived stress (p < 0.001) compared with those who were not working in the Wuhan area. The frontline dental medical staff who were working in a general hospital reported experiencing more dissociation symptoms (p = 0.001) compared with those working in a specialized or private hospital. Individuals with a past medical history reported experiencing more anxiety (p = 0.009), depression (p < 0.001), and perceived stress (p = 0.003) than those without, and individuals with lower levels of education showed higher levels of anxiety (p = 0.038). Binary logistic regression analysis results (after controlling for other confounders) suggested that having a past medical history was a risk factor for both anxiety (p = 0.002; OR = 2.441; 95% CI, 1.384-4.306) and perceived stress (p = 0.001; OR = 1.417; 95% CI, 1.145-1.754). Conclusions: The prevalence of mental symptoms was high among the first-line emergency dental staff. Male sex, working in the Wuhan area, working in a general hospital, a past medical history, and lower levels of education were risk factors. Therefore, we need to pay close attention to the mental health problems of frontline dentists during the COVID-19 outbreak and adopt active preventive strategies to maintain their physical and mental health.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present investigation was to describe the distribution, structure and allocation of oral health services personnel, evaluate oral health service capacity and predict the needs for oral health services in northern China over the coming 10 years.
METHODS: The questionnaires were sent to all the dental medical institutions included in this study directly from the Sanitation Bureau and the Health Supervision Station. All the institutions and dental personnel were asked to fill out the questionnaires, and then, the questionnaires were collected through postal service and email.
RESULTS: In Liaoning Province, which is in northern China, there are a total of 5617 dentists in total, 87.8% of whom are located in urban areas. Dentists in rural areas were found to be less educated and specialized. The ratio of dentists to nurses to technicians was about 6:2:1, and the ratio of dentists to total population was 1:7682. It was predicted that, in 2020, the number of dentists could reach 13 207. This would meet the area\'s needs for oral health services.
CONCLUSIONS: Currently, in northern China, the oral health infrastructure suffers from an insufficient number of dental professionals, disproportionate distribution and inappropriate structure. To improve social equity, it is necessary to adjust the distribution of dental personnel capable of performing for oral health services.