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Introduction The biomedical sciences (BMS) are a central part of the dental curriculum that underpins teaching and clinical practice in all areas of dentistry. Although some specialist groups have proposed curricula in their particular topic areas, there is currently no over-arching view of what should be included in a BMS curriculum for undergraduate dental programmes. To address this, the Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE) convened a Special Interest Group (SIG) with representatives from across Europe to develop a consensus BMS curriculum for dental programmes. Curriculum This paper summarises the outcome of the deliberations of this SIG, and details a consensus view from the SIG of what a BMS curriculum should include. Conclusions Given the broad nature of BMS applied to dentistry, this curriculum framework is advisory and seeks to provide programme planners with an indicative list of topics which can be mapped to specific learning objectives within their own curricula. As dentistry becomes increasingly specialised these will change, or some elements of the undergraduate curriculum may move to the postgraduate setting. So, this document should be seen as a beginning and it will need regular review as BMS curricula in dentistry evolve.

Objective: In the Netherlands, the Individual Health Care Professions Act (IHCP Act) allows dental students, amongst other non-qualified individuals, to work under certain conditions in a dental practice. The aim of the study was to determine how many dental students have part-time employment in dental practice and which professional tasks they carry out. We also asked the dental students their opinion about the IHCP Act. Material and methods: All the enrolled dental students at the Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA) in the Netherlands received a questionnaire by e-mail. Within 1 month, two reminders were sent. Results: The response was 44% (427 students). Of the responding students, 71% had paid employment in addition to their study. Twenty-five per cent of all students worked in a dental practice, usually 8 h a week. Study year and age were positively related to working part-time in dental practice. Activities frequently performed were providing chair side assistance, giving oral hygiene instruction, fluoride applications, scaling and root planning. The self-reported knowledge about the IHCP Act was positively related to study year and working in a dental practice. Hardly any information about the requirements of the IHCP Act with regard to delegation of tasks was provided by the employer. Conclusion: Many Dutch dental students work in a dental practice, taking over a variety of tasks. Although the self-reported knowledge about the IHCP Act was relatively high, many dental students expressed the need for more detailed information about the legal aspects of their tasks.

Objectives: To explore the consumption pattern of a specific type of acidic solid candy, the so-called jawbreakers, by primary school children and determine the erosive potential of this type of candy in vivo. Methods: A questionnaire about jawbreaker consumption was distributed among 10-12 year-old-children (n = 302). Subsequently, 19 healthy volunteers tested four different jawbreakers in vivo. Whole saliva was collected 5 min before, 3 min during and 11 min after consumption. Salivary flow rate and pH were determined. Results: Two-thirds of the children reported a history of jawbreaker consumption, 18% during the last week. More than half of the children estimated their average time for consumption of one jawbreaker to be more than 15 min. In vivo, the jawbreakers induced 8.6-13.9-fold increase in salivary flow rate. Sucking on sour, jumbo and strawberry jawbreakers induced a drop in salivary pH to values below pH 5.5. During consumption of fireball jawbreakers, the intra-oral pH hardly changed. Conclusions: Jawbreakers are frequently used by children, who keep this candy in their mouth for a long time. Jawbreakers differ considerable in erosive potential, with sour and jumbo jawbreakers > strawberry jawbreaker >> fireball jawbreaker. This information is of use for dental hygienists counselling juvenile patients with dental erosion.

Objective: To measure the levels of anxiety, self-perception of preparation and expectation for success induced by an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), a written examination and a preclinical preparation test, and to examine the effects of the three predictive variables on the outcome of the assessments. Materials and methods: Test anxiety was measured with Spielberger's state anxiety inventory. Preparation for the assessment and expectation to succeed were quantified with 4-point Likert scales. The questionnaire was completed during an OSCE, a written examination, a preclinical crown and bridge preparation test and a non-examination situation. Results: The OSCE was a most anxiety-provoking assessment method and students prepared more for the OSCE than for the other examinations. The expectation to succeed was also higher for the OSCE. State anxiety during the OSCE was associated with the level of preparation but not with scores obtained. The state anxiety during a written examination showed a positive relation with the scores obtained, but not with preparation or expectation to succeed. During the preclinical test, state anxiety showed a positive association with the preparation and expectation to succeed, but not with the scores for this test. No significant gender effects were observed for the state anxiety, level of preparation or the expectation to pass the examination. In the written examination female students scored significantly higher than male students. Such a gender effect was not found for the scores of the OSCE or the preclinical test. Conclusion: State anxiety was elevated during all three assessment methods. However, anxiety was not predictive of performance outcome in the OSCE, written examination or preclinical preparation test.

Background Subjects with natural gingivitis and periodontitis have elevated levels of salivary cystatins compared to periodontally healthy individuals. Experimental gingivitis studies, however, have yielded conflicting results. Aim The present study investigated whether experimentally induced gingivitis is associated with changes in salivary cystatin levels. Material & methods Plaque scores, bleeding indexes and whole saliva samples of 35 non-smoking young adults were collected at the start and at the end of an experimental gingivitis trial, and 3 weeks after resuming oral hygiene. The saliva samples were assayed for protein concentrations, cystatin activity and cystatin C concentration. Results During experimental gingivitis, plaque and bleeding scores increased significantly in all subjects and subsequently decreased significantly after reinstalment of oral hygiene procedures. No significant changes were observed for the protein concentration, cystatin activity and cystatin C concentration. No significant relation could be established between these salivary parameters and bleeding on marginal probing. Conclusion The present study confirms earlier results from Lie et al. (2001) that no significant changes occur in salivary cystatin activity and cystatin C concentration during and after experimental gingivitis.

Saliva is increasingly used for diagnostic purposes, but little is known about the potential effect of toothbrushing on the composition of saliva. Therefore, saliva collected before and 0, 15, 30 and 45 min after toothbrushing according to the Bass method was analysed for relevant protein composition. The flow rate initially increased (+15%) after toothbrushing, followed by a decrease after 15 min (-15%). The concentration of salivary immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) decreased (-40%) whereas the albumin concentration increased (+400%) within 20 min. Flow rate and S-IgA concentration returned to baseline values within 30 min. The albumin concentration, however, was still increased after 45 min. No significant increases were observed in the concentrations of total protein and amylase. Our results show that toothbrushing has a significant effect on the protein composition of saliva, by contamination with serum constituents. This should be taken into account when saliva is used for diagnostic purposes.