Search

A lack of contemporary dental literature exists on evaluating dental residents in postgraduate education, with no standardized criteria or information on technology adoption. This study aims to understand current evaluation methods in dental residency programs and compare them to existing literature. A survey with 22 questions was sent to program directors of 749 ADA/CODA (American Dental Association/Commission on Dental Accreditation)‐accredited postgraduate dental residencies. The questions focused on evaluation frequency, faculty involvement, submission methods, and electronic software usage. The survey response rate was 30.2% (226 responses). Results show that 98% of program directors are involved in evaluations, but require more support from auxiliary faculty. Evaluations are typically submitted twice or four times a year, with 12% of programs wanting increased frequency. Face‐to‐face delivery of feedback is considered crucial. While desktop computers are widely used for evaluation submission, 55% of programs utilize mobile devices, which correlates with higher program director satisfaction. The most popular evaluation software includes New Innovations, MEd Hub, and Qualtrics. Overall, 86.96% of program directors are satisfied with current evaluation practices. Areas needing improvement are non‐program director faculty involvement, resident response/feedback, and software navigation. This study found that a majority of program directors of the postgraduate dental education system are using electronic technology for their resident evaluation systems and are satisfied with their current mechanism of evaluation.

White spot lesions (WSLs) are opaque white lesions on smooth tooth surfaces as a result of demineralization. Proven methods of prevention and resolution of these lesions are available yet the incidence rate, especially in orthodontic patients, is still high. Perhaps the way dental schools are educating students on the topic is insufficient. The purpose of this study was to determine if and how predoctoral dental students are taught about the prevention and resolution of WSLs. An electronic survey was developed and sent out to each of the 66 accredited dental schools in the United States and Puerto Rico. The survey consisted of 13 questions and inquired about whether the school includes instruction of WSLs in its predoctoral curriculum. If the school indicated instruction WSLs was in the predoctoral curriculum, further questions were asked pertaining to the content and method of the instruction. Demographic data was also gathered from each institution. Twenty‐eight of the 66 schools responded for a 42% response rate. Eighty‐two percent of schools indicated they were teaching about prevention of WSLs, while 50% indicated they were teaching about resolution, or treatment, of WSLs. The most commonly taught methods were patient education, over‐the‐counter fluoride mouthrinse, toothpaste, or gel, and high fluoride content toothpaste. The majority of responding dental schools are at least including some instruction of WSLs in the predoctoral curriculum. Many of the known prevention and treatment measures available, however, are not routinely taught.

The aim of this study was to determine if there are differences between the shear bond strengths of 3 types of ceramic brackets when bonded to different ceramic substrates using an aluminium oxide air abrasion etchant protocol.

Uncivil behavior by a faculty member or student can threaten a classroom environment and make it less conducive to learning. The aim of this study was to explore faculty behaviors that dental faculty and students perceive to be uncivil when exhibited in the classroom and clinic. In 2015, all faculty, administrators, and students at a single academic dental institution were invited to participate in an electronic survey that used a five‐point Likert scale for respondents to indicate their agreement that 33 faculty behaviors were uncivil. Response rates were 49% for faculty and 59% for students. Significant differences were found between student and faculty responses on 22 of the 33 behavioral items. None of the three category composite scores differed significantly for students compared to faculty respondents. The category composite scores were not significantly associated with gender, ethnicity, or age for faculty or students. Overall, this study found significant differences between students and faculty about perceived uncivil faculty behaviors, though not for categories of behaviors.

Students and faculty members in the health professions classroom are expected to exhibit professional behaviors that are conducive to maintaining a positive learning environment, but there is little published research concerning incivility in the area of dental education. The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in perceptions of incivility between dental faculty and students, between students in different courses of study, and between students in different years of dental study. The study utilized an anonymous electronic survey of all dental faculty and administrators and all dental, dental hygiene, and dental laboratory technology students at a single institution. The survey instrument contained questions concerning perceived uncivil behavior in the classroom and clinical settings. Response rates were 54% for faculty and administrators and ranged from 60% to 97% for students in various years and programs. The results were analyzed based on gender, course of study, year of study, and ethnicity. Significant differences were found regarding perceptions of civil behaviour between faculty and students, male and female students, the year of study, and the course of study. These differences point to the need for further research as well as administrative leadership and faculty development to define guidelines in this area in order to ensure a positive learning environment.

The professional dental literature is lacking in information concerning the use of technology in evaluation procedures utilized in postgraduate dental education. The purpose of this study was to identify the methods of evaluation of U.S. postgraduate specialty residents currently in place. The study also sought to determine if there were any patterns among programs more likely to utilize electronic submission in the evaluation process. An electronic survey consisting of eighteen questions was sent to the program directors of all accredited U.S. dental specialty programs (n=416). The survey yielded 150 responses, for a 36 percent response rate. The results showed that the majority of responding program directors (68 percent) evaluate their residents using a hardcopy evaluation instrument, while a minority of directors (32 percent) reported using an electronic evaluation instrument. The majority of respondents (58 percent) said they require faculty members to formally evaluate residents semiannually. Fifty percent of responding program directors reported a need for improvement in their current evaluation system. Those reporting a need for improvement were less likely to be using an electronic format. There was no statistical significance between faculty responsiveness and the mode of evaluation used. With many program directors reporting room for improvement in their current evaluation system, innovation in the evaluation systems of postgraduate dental education is needed.

Devastated by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, the New Orleans campus of the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry was closed for two years. With help from the university's Systems Office, the school created a temporary campus in Baton Rouge, seventy‐five miles from the New Orleans campus. The eight postdoctoral education programs, however, were forced to find clinic and seminar space in other facilities and cities. Of the seventy‐nine students in these programs, only sixteen did not continue after the storm. This article describes how each program maintained its curriculum while the main campus was closed. By comparing numbers of student applications to these programs in each year since Hurricane Katrina with the average baseline for each in the ten years preceding the storm, this article illustrates the current viability of these residency programs. Total applications in 2005–07 were significantly lower than baseline measures, but applications in 2008 and 2009 have returned to pre‐storm levels. A comparison of these application numbers with national trends also demonstrates that these programs have rebounded from the effects of Hurricane Katrina.

The various reasons for the current and projected shortages of dental faculty members in the United States have received much attention. Dental school deans have reported that the top three factors impacting their ability to fill faculty positions are meeting the requirements of the position, lack of response to position announcement, and salary/budget limitations. An electronic survey sent to program directors of specialty programs at all accredited U.S. dental schools inquired about the number of vacant positions, advertised vacant positions, reasons for not advertising, selection of advertising medium, results of advertising, and assistance from professional dental organizations. A total of seventy‐three permanently funded full‐time faculty positions were reported vacant, with 89.0 percent of these positions having been advertised in nationally recognized professional journals and newsletters. Networking or word‐of‐mouth was reported as the most successful method for advertising. The majority of those responding reported that professional dental organizations did not help with filling vacant faculty positions, but that they would utilize the American Dental Association's website or their specialty organization's website to post faculty positions if they were easy to use and update.

This study sought to determine the bond strength of the Symetri Clear™ bracket after rebonding (reused) for a second and third time.