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Objectives: To explore dental clinics' performance on periodontal education by comparing knowledge about periodontal health of regular and inconsistent dental attenders. Subjects and Methods: A population‐based study with a cross‐sectional design was performed in Galicia (Northwestern Spain). Participants were randomly selected from 16 different areas and a questionnaire applied face‐to‐face. The survey included items on socio‐demographic features, habits and routines, periodontal status and periodontal health knowledge. Participants were grouped according to the median of overall knowledge, and a logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the relationship between good periodontal knowledge and frequency of dental visits. Results: A total of 8,206 individuals were invited to enter the study, and 3,553 of them accepted the invitation (43.3%). Most participants (59.3%; n = 1,945) fit within the regular dental attenders' group. Younger women holding a university degree and visiting their dentist regularly elicited higher knowledge about periodontal health. Regular use of dental services increased the chances of being in the higher knowledge group (OR: 1.67; 95% CI: 1.40–2.00). Conclusions: Reported regular dental attendance is related to periodontal health knowledge. Specific interventions for promoting tailored patient education on periodontal topics during routine dental visits may have a positive effect on laypersons' knowledge about periodontal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. In this study, the authors assessed the readability of online endodontic information in English and Spanish. Methods. The authors performed a systematic search in Google in May 2016. Search queries were "root canal treatment" and "¿Qué es una endodoncia?" without limits or filters. The authors assessed English readability by using Flesch-Kincaid Reading Grade Level, Flesch Reading Ease Score, Gunning Fog Index, Coleman-Liau index, automated readability index, and Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) index. The authors calculated readability for Spanish by using the Fernández-Huerta index and INFLESZ (Ines-Barrio). Results. The authors assessed the first 100 consecutive sites identified with each search strategy and selected 117 sites. Readability scores for English-language sites were in the category of normal to read, easily understood by 13- through 15-year-old students (Flesch Reading Ease Score, 63, interquartile range (IQR) [53.9-66.2]; Gunning Fog Index, 10.4, IQR [8.8-12]; Coleman-Liau index, 12.5, IQR [U.6-13.3]; and automated readability index, 8.6, IQR [6.7-9.8]). SMOG results led to the estimation that only 7 years of education would be needed to understand these contents (SMOG, 7.6, IQR [6.5-8.8]). Spanish-language sites had a readability index normal for an adult, equivalent to a seventh or eighth school year (Fernandez-Huerta, 62.3, IQR [59.7-66.6]; INFLESZ, 57.5, IQR [55.1-62.1]). The authors found that 36.6% of English-language sites had some degree of difficulty for readers to understand their contents, whereas 23% of Spanish-language sites had some degree of difficulty (14.46; 95% confidence interval, -3.16 to 30.08). Conclusions. Spanish- and English-language electronic health information about endodontic treatment is acceptable to read, but--particularly for English-language sites--there is an important proportion of sites scoring difficulty levels well above the recommendations. Practical Implications. The internet is a useful tool for communicating with patients, but available endodontic information is difficult for laypeople to understand. Endodontists should produce relevant materials in plain language to overcome this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article “A Stab-and-Roll Biopsy Technique to Maintain Gingival Epithelium for Desquamative Gingivitis” by Rees Endo et al. in the 2014 issue.

Introduction: Oral status has a clear impact on systemic health, a key component of successful aging. Awareness of oral disorders permits early diagnoses and treatments. This study investigates oral disorders awareness among community-dwelling elders. Methods: Community-based survey through face-to-face interviews undertaken in four cities at busy commercial and administrative areas. Results: A total of 789 people were recruited, mostly nonsmoker (60.3%) males (56.9%) with basic education (65.6%). The most frequently recalled disorder was bruxism, followed by periodontal diseases and ulcerations/aphthae. Caries was mentioned by 3.91%. Dentate participants were more aware of dental-related disorders, such as bruxism ( p  = .001) and periodontitis ( p  = .010), except for caries ( p  = .100). Caries awareness was related to educational level ( p  = .018) and smoking ( p  = .020), as was oral cancer ( p  = .019) with former smokers more aware of this neoplasm. Education was strongly related with periodontal awareness ( p  = .001). Conclusion: Awareness of the main oral disorders is worryingly poor among the elderly population and immediate action is required by taking advantage of the position of family nurses in the treatment of systemic chronic disorders and through educational interventions on this population subgroup to ease preventive behaviors, favor early diagnoses, and promote simpler, more effective treatments with a lower financial burden.

Objective: To describe family nurses self-reported oral hygiene practices and to compare them with those of their potential patients in a public, free, and universal primary healthcare system., Material and Methods: Cross-sectional study using an anonymous questionnaire applied to randomly selected participants and their family nurses., Results: A total of 1,394 people entered the study (1,326 laypersons, 66 nurses). Not all nurses reported to brush their teeth daily. Daily interdental cleaning scored percentages lower than mouthwashes. Devices like oral irrigators or tongue scrappers were not used by family nurses., Conclusions: Nurses' oral self-care routines are similar to those of university graduates, with poor reported interdental cleaning. Oral health promotion activities may contribute to nurse's oral health and could have a positive effect on their patients.

Objectives: To describe a new bench model for oral precancer/cancer biopsy training and to assess its effectiveness in terms of trainees' perception., Study Design: Cross-sectional, descriptive, performed on 424 general dental practitioners (GDP) who undertook biopsies on a pig tongue. The participants were assessed by direct observation for 2.5 hours using specific check-lists and by means of a self-applied questionnaire., Results: The workshop was perceived as "very interesting" even by those with previous surgical experience (Xi - Xj = 0.07; 95%CI= -0.20-0.09). Most GDPs considered themselves able to undertake oral biopsies on real patients after the workshop. Those who had previously received theoretical continuous education courses on oral biopsy scored higher values within the group (Xi - Xj = 0.20; 95%CI= 0.04-0.37)., Conclusions: There is a need for including clinical abilities workshops when instructing on oral biopsy techniques. More studies are needed to validate the procedure and to address cognitive and communication skills.