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Introduction: The regard for dentistry as a profession has been declining over the recent years in light of the increasing number of dental students graduating per year with negligible improvement in the utilization of oral health care services. In this context, it is important to document the perceptions and apprehensions of the current dental students as these feelings would have an influence on the roles they assume as dentists in future. Aim: With this background, this study attempts to document the willingness of dental students from three South Indian states to re-choose dentistry given an opportunity. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among house surgeons from 12 dental institutions, 4 each from the southern Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamilnadu. The semi-structured questionnaire used in this study consisted of five primary questions along with details on the participants' gender, type of admission. It aimed at documenting the willingness to re-choose dentistry given an opportunity, and the reasons for their willingness or otherwise. A total of 822 students constituted the final sample. SPSS version 20 software was used to analyse the data. Results: Majority of the study participants were from Tamil Nadu, not reported dentistry as their primary career choice, and demonstrated reluctance in re-choosing dentistry given an opportunity. A significantly higher percentage of dental students from Tamil Nadu reported dentistry as their first professional choice. This observation persisted in the response of students for the question on their willingness to re-choose dentistry. Conclusion: The study results demonstrate the declining interest and regard for dentistry among the current dental students with nominal variations between students from the three South Indian states.

Background: Pediatricians are the custodians of the overall health of children and are the ideal healthcare personnel to impart information and instruction about oral health care. The aim of this survey was to evaluate awareness of pediatricians regarding oral health care and prevention of oral diseases in children. Methodology: The study participants consist of 102 young pediatricians working as Junior and Senior Residents. A questionnaire was formulated to evaluate their knowledge about oral diseases and their prevention. The questionnaire also tested the attitude and practices of pediatricians towards oral health of children with special health care needs. Results: Majority of the pediatricians had correct knowledge about dental caries (60%), bottle feeding (88.2%), tongue cleaning (83.3%) and medication causing gum enlargement (92.2%). Few had correct knowledge about recommended age to start tooth brushing (35.3%) and maximum recommended sugar exposures per day (35.3%). Although, majority (62.7%) had correct knowledge about fluoride and its role caries prevention, very few (2.9%) knew about recommended fluoride concentration in toothpaste for children. Conclusion: There was a lack of knowledge amongst pediatrician about oral health care, prevention, and appropriate referral. The study result necessitates the emphasis of improving oral health related knowledge among pediatrician.

Background: Access to oral health care refers to patient's ability to utilize oral health care. The availability of oral health services is very scarce in rural India; therefore, the unmet treatment needs of rural population are very high. Aim: We aimed to determine the dental service utilization and factors affecting the same among the 6–12-year-old government schoolchildren in Bangalore South-1, Karnataka, India. Methodology: In-depth interviews regarding access, utilization of dental services, and factors affecting them were conducted with 1080 parents/guardians of 6–12-year-old government schoolchildren from Bangalore South-1 in this cross-sectional analytical study. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression analysis were used for data analysis using SPSS version 20.0 (IBM Corp. Ltd.). Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Results: The most common ailment reported by parents was gum problem (17.5%). Only 7.80% of the parents visited dental facility in the past 12 months. Majority of the parents (62.1%) had access to private dental health services. The barriers to utilization of dental services majorly included financial constraints (45.19%) and parent's unawareness of the oral health-care facilities nearby (21.84%). Multiple regression analyses showed that the head of the household with middle school education and high school education (odds ratio = 1.55; 1.74) had a higher probability of having visited a dentist in the past 1 year. Conclusion: Dental service utilization rate was very low in the past 12 months. Relief from pain was the sole reason for visiting a dentist. Oral health-promoting programs and provision of government hospitals are required for increased utilization of dental services so as to improve the dental attitude, accessibility, and affordability and overcome the barriers among the parents.

The occurrence of multiple odontogenic cysts in jaw bones is not a very common entity. Such occurrence should be ruled out for any association with the Gorlin–Goltz syndromes. It is important to diagnose the lesion and their associations with other features of the syndrome. Oral health care professionals play a very important role in early diagnosis and help in multidisciplinary approach to manage the condition for betterment of the patient. This paper highlights the multiple clinical manifestations of the syndrome with appropriate management strategies and recall protocols.

Introduction: There are accessibility problems for rural Indian population with respect to oral health care. Dental Council of India envisioned that establishment of satellite clinics would be a beneficial strategy for rural population to have better access to oral health care, curtailing the accessibility problems and financial barriers for oral health care utilization to some extent. Aim and Objective: The aim of this study was to procure data on the functioning of these satellite clinics and evaluate an oral health promotion program in a satellite clinic located in a South Indian university. Materials and Methods: A total of 301 participants were selected through two-stage random sampling to evaluate the functioning of a dental satellite clinic located in a South Indian university. The data collected include demographics, utilization of services at the satellite clinics, and self-reported oral and general health status. Results: The utilization of services was only 9.3%, and a majority of the participants were not aware of the existence of the clinic. Promotion of available services and provision of oral health education were the major suggestions received from the study participants. Conclusion: Evaluation of satellite clinics both from the students’ perspective and with regard to oral health status of concerned populations must be seriously undertaken.

Background: The aim of the study was to assess the oral health status and treatment needs and correlation between dental caries susceptibility and salivary pH, buffering capacity and total antioxidant capacity among students attending special schools of Mangalore city. Materials and Methods: In this study 361 subjects in the age range of 12–18 years were divided into normal (n = 84), physically challenged (n = 68), and mentally challenged (n = 209) groups. Their oral health status and treatment needs were recorded using the modified WHO oral health assessment proforma. Saliva was collected to estimate the salivary parameters. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 17. Chicago. Results: On examining, the dentition status of the study subjects, the mean number of decayed teeth was 1.57 for the normal, 2.54 for the physically challenged and 4.41 for the mentally challenged study subjects. These results were highly statistically significant (P < 0.001). The treatment needs of the study subjects revealed that the mean number of teeth requiring pulp care and restoration were 1 for the normal, 0.12 for the physically challenged, and 1.21 for the mentally challenged study subjects. These results were highly statistically significant (P < 0.001). The mean salivary pH and buffering capacity were found to be lowest among the mentally challenged subjects. Physically challenged group had the lowest mean total antioxidant capacity among the study subjects. Among the study subjects, normal students had the highest mean salivary pH, buffering capacity, and total antioxidant capacity. These results were highly statistically significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: This better dentition status of the normal compared to the physically and mentally challenged study subjects could be due to their improved quality of oral health practices. The difference in the treatment needs could be due to the higher prevalence of untreated dental caries and also due to the neglected oral health care among the mentally challenged study subjects. The salivary pH and buffering capacity were comparatively lower among the physically and mentally challenged study subjects which could contribute to their increased caries experience compared to the normal study subjects. However, further studies are needed to establish a more conclusive result on the total anti‑oxidant capacity of the saliva and dental caries. Key Words: Dental caries, education, oral health, saliva, statistics susceptibility

Background: Lobular capillary hemangioma is a common benign vascular tumor seen in the oral cavity. It occurs in response to various stimuli such as low-grade local irritation, traumatic insult, and hormonal factors or as a response to a wide variety of drugs. Materials and Methods: All patients presenting to the Department of Dentistry, Shyam Shah Medical College, Rewa, Madhya Pradesh during July 2014 to June 2016, who were diagnosed by histopathologic confirmation as oral lobular capillary hemangioma (OLCH), were evaluated for the area involved, clinicopathologic presentation, demographic features, and treatment. Results: A total of 94 cases were identified as OLCH by histopathologic confirmation during this period. The lesion occurred most commonly in the age group of 21–30 years. A characteristic female predominance (female: male ratio of 2.24:1) was seen. Anterior maxillary labial gingiva was most frequently involved (34.04%) followed by posterior maxillary buccal gingiva (14.89%). Conclusion: The clinicopathologic picture of OLCH found in this study was similar to other studies conducted on same as well different ethnic and geographical populations. Poor oral-dental-hygiene was observed in majority of patients (87.23%) dental health education should be an integral component of imparting oral health care by health providers. Surgical excision as a treatment modality renders good results with low recurrence rate.

Introduction: Early childhood caries (ECC) is one of the rapidly emerging oral health problems requiring anticipatory guidance. Pediatricians are in the unique and ideal position to advice parents about the prevention and treatment of ECC in their children. Aim: To assess the knowledge, practices, and training regarding ECC and infant oral health care among pediatricians in Bhubaneswar city, Odisha, India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 pediatricians in Bhubaneswar city using a self-administered questionnaire. Analysis of variance and Student's t -test were used to find the significance of study parameters. Any value ≤0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Knowledge about ECC and child oral health was found to be significantly higher among male pediatricians ( P = 0.03) and those practicing in urban localities ( P = 0.007). Confidence of diagnosing ( P = 0.006) and practice patterns ( P = 0.003) was found to be significantly higher with increasing hours of patient care per week. Conclusions: Most of the pediatricians had better knowledge were confident and performed better practices.

Dental assessments and evaluations for children during their 1st year of life have been recommended by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry and the American Association of Pediatrics. Early dental intervention evaluates a child's risk status based on parental interviews and oral examinations. These early screenings present an opportunity to educate parents about the medical, dental, and cost benefits of preventive rather than restorative care and may be more effective in reducing early childhood caries than traditional infectious disease models. A comprehensive infant oral care program includes: (1) risk assessments at regularly scheduled dental visits, (2) preventive treatments such as fluoride varnishes or sealants, (3) parental education on the correct methods to clean the baby's mouth, and (4) establishment of dental home and use of anticipatory guidance. The present article highlights the important guidelines of infant oral health care.

Introduction: Dental care for chronically ill and nonambulatory patients has an impact on the clinical outcomes and well-being. Poor oral care can result in nutritional deficiency, infections and can have an adverse effect on quality of life. Hence, oral hygiene of these patients is a basic responsibility of nurses. Aim: This study aims to assess the attitudes and practices among nurses regarding the oral health care of nonambulatory patients in hospitals of Warangal city, Telangana. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at five private and one government hospitals of Warangal city, Telangana. Data were collected among 208 nurses using pretested self-administered questionnaire regarding attitude and practices of nurses toward oral health care of nonambulatory patients. Responses were coded and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20. Results: Majority of the nurses (45.2%) stated that trained nurses carry out the oral care in wards. About 53.8% nurses reported that uncooperative patients hinder them in performing oral care, 47% considered cleaning the oral cavity of the patients as an unpleasant task, and 70.2% nurses felt that checking the oral cavity and its status of the patient is their responsibility. Conclusion: Practices and attitudes of nurses on oral health care toward nonambulatory patients are found to be satisfactory.

Xerostomia is a subjective sensation of dry mouth with objective evidence of decreased salivary flow. It is a multifactorial condition which increases the risk of oral diseases and has a significant effect on the person's quality of life. So, these patients need special care for maintenance of oral and general health. We, being oral health care professionals, it is our responsibility to diagnose and treat the condition accordingly using a multidisciplinary approach. This paper enlightens the etiology and management of xerostomia.

Apert's syndrome is a rare type I acrocephalosyndactyly syndrome characterized by craniosynostosis, severe syndactyly of the hands and feet, and dysmorphic facial features. The purpose of this report is to present an Apert's syndrome patient by highlighting the craniofacial characteristics and oral health care measures for these patients.

Introduction: The greatest burden of oral diseases is on the disadvantaged and socially marginalized populations. In developing countries like India, the availability and accessibility of oral health services in rural areas are limited, and the provision of oral health care is also very limited. Aims and Objectives: To assess the factors affecting the utilization of oral health services among the rural population of western Rajasthan, India. Materials and Methods: A structured self-administered questionnaire was employed as the instrument for data collection. Study was carried out for a period of 1 year in the rural areas of western Rajasthan, India. A total of 5476 people were selected. The questionnaire was explained to all the participants before the distribution, and the participants returned questionnaires after it was completed. Results: Among the total study group of 5476 subjects, 3934 were males and 1542 females. The study group was divided into five equal age groups from 20 to 60 years and above. It was found that 31.57% were illiterate and only 1.53% were graduates. One thousand, four hundred and thirty-six participants (26.22%) stated that cost of dental treatment was the major factor, followed by 1386 (25.31%) who believed in myths associated with dental treatment. Conclusion: Utilization of oral health services among the rural population has been found to be influenced by socio-demographic factors. Improving access to oral health care is a critical and very important first step to improving oral health outcomes and reducing disparities.

Aim: The aim of the present study is to assess the prevalence of Kennedy's classification, status of existing prosthodontic appliances if any, awareness of the subjects regarding various treatment options, and treatment needs in a group of elderly institutionalized residents. Materials and Methods: The subjects were selected from various old age homes present in Mangalore city, with ages ranging from 60 to 80 years. The subjects were interviewed and examined by a single trained examiner and findings were recorded on a clinical case history report sheet. Results: Kennedy's class I was most prevalent and class IV the least. Among the subjects examined, only 12.4% were wearing prosthesis. Based on the Nevalainen's index and Karslon's index, most of the prosthodontic appliances were found to be in poor condition. 86% of the subjects were in need of prosthodontic treatment. 75% of the subjects interviewed were unaware of the treatment options available. Conclusion: The elderly patients living in institutions do not achieve a deserving and satisfactory oral health care. The oral care assistance in institutionalized elderly patients has been an unfulfilled service.

Background: Pregnant women seek preventive, interventional and rehabilitative oral health-care for their oral health and protection of their fetus and babies after delivery. The objective of the study was to determine the Nigerian Dentist's knowledge, attitude and belief pertaining to the oral health-care of pregnant women. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional of Nigerian dentist was conducted between June and December, 2011 using Huebner et al., modified dentist's attitude to the pregnant women questionnaire Results: The overall response rate of 92.5% (149/160). Receipt of continuing medical education (CME) was reported among the participants on periodontal disease of pregnant patients (22.1%), oral hygiene of pregnant patients (20.1%), early childhood caries (35.6%) and general dental problem (51.0%). The majority (92.6%) agreed that Dentists have the skill to counsel pregnant patients, But only 73.8% of them provided oral hygiene instruction frequently to pregnant patients and even fewer (6.0%) were involved in educational advice on oral health for young women. Many of the participants agreed that counseling pregnant patients about periodontal disease and its effect on the developing baby is of utmost importance. Participants also dominantly agreed that dental treatment should be part of prenatal care and 97.3% of them opined that physician recommendation will increase the likelihood of pregnant seeking dental care. More than half (56.4%) of the participants reported that Dentists should be concerned about being sued if something goes wrong with the pregnancy. The recommended ways to improve oral health-care of pregnant women among the participants were through CME (92.6%), provision of educational materials on oral health-care of pregnant women (93.3%) and information on ways to counsel pregnant women (98.0%). Conclusion: Data from this study revealed high preparedness, positive attitude and favorable disposition in dental care provision for pregnant women among the studied Nigerian Dentists.

A syndrome is a set of signs and symptoms that tend to occur together and reflect the presence of a particular disease or an increased chance of developing to a particular disease. There are numerous orofacial syndromes and a thorough knowledge of their manifestations and implications is pertinent in good oral health care delivery. The aim of this review is to describe collective esoteric knowledge, about various malformations and syndromes associated with orofacial region.

Objectives: Little data are available on the initiative shown by the parents for dental health care of their preschool children in India. This study was conducted to evaluate the status of oral health awareness in parents of preschool children. Materials and Methods: A total of 230 preschool children were included in the study and their parents were analyzed for their child dental awareness by holding free dental checkups and interactive meetings with the help of their respective schools. Results and Conclusion: Results revealed that there is a low initiation of the parents when oral health care of small children is concerned; however, an active collective effort of the school and dental team can make awareness program effective.