JADA Continuing Education

JADA December 2017
No evidence-based guidelines exist for preventive dental care before radiation therapy (RT) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). An ongoing multicenter, prospective cohort study, Clinical Registry of Dental Outcomes in Head and Neck Cancer Patients (OraRad), is addressing this knowledge gap. The authors evaluated the level of dental disease before RT in the OraRad cohort, factors associated with dental disease, and dental treatment recommendations made before RT. As part of OraRad, the authors assessed caries, periodontal disease, dental recommendations, and dental interventions performed before RT.

Key Words: Radiation therapy; dentistry; caries; periodontal diseases; head and neck neoplasms.

JADA December 2017
The authors updated a previously published systematic review to assess the effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on reducing complications after the removal of impacted mandibular third molars. The authors searched for randomized clinical trials in which the investigators evaluated the efficacy of LLLT compared with that of placebo or no treatment. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias. The authors used random effects model meta-analysis and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach to rate the certainty of evidence.

Key Words : Impacted mandibular third molar; systematic review; postsurgical complications; pain; swelling; trismus.

JADA December 2017
A lesion on an occlusal tooth surface with no cavitation and no radiographic radiolucency but in which caries is suspected owing to surface roughness, opacities, or staining can be defined as a suspicious occlusal carious lesion (SOCL). The authors’ objective was to quantify the characteristics of SOCLs and their relationship to lesion depth and activity after these lesions were opened surgically. Ninety-three dentists participated in the study. When a consenting patient had an SOCL, information was recorded about the tooth, lesion, treatment provided, and, if the SOCL was opened surgically, its lesion depth. The Rao-Scott cluster-adjusted c2 test was used to evaluate associations between lesion depth and color, roughness, patient risk, and luster.

Key Words: Evidence-based dentistry; carious lesions; dentin.

JADA December 2016
The authors of this study evaluated the effects of lasers on the outcome of direct pulp capping by means of a meta-analysis. The authors completed a literature search on PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, as well as a manual search of the reference lists of all identified articles since the introduction of lasers in endodontics in 1971 through May 30, 2016. The authors systematically evaluated the studies that met the inclusion criteria and performed a meta-analysis.

JADA December 2016
The authors studied the effects of nonnutritive sucking behavior (NNSB) on malocclusions through a systematic review of association (etiology). The authors performed a 3-step search strategy, including electronic searches. Studies of healthy participants with a history of active or previous NNSB, for whom specific malocclusion outcomes had been assessed, were eligible for inclusion. The authors considered before-and-after studies, prospective and retrospective (longitudinal) studies, case-control studies, and analytical cross-sectional studies. They excluded reviews, text and opinion-based articles, conference abstracts, case reports, case-series, and descriptive cross-sectional studies. The authors, using standardized instruments, independently assessed methodological quality and extracted data from the included studies. In situations for which there were sufficient studies, the authors conducted meta-analyses using the random-effects model, supplemented with the fixed-effects model in situations for which statistical heterogeneity was less than 50%, which the authors assessed using the I2 statistic.

JADA December 2015
To determine the effectiveness of a mobile phone–based remote oral cancer surveillance program (Oncogrid) connecting primary care dental practitioners and frontline health care workers (FHW) with oral cancer specialists. The study population (N = 3,440) included a targeted cohort (n = 2,000) and an opportunistic cohort (n = 1,440) screened by FHW and dental professionals, respectively. The authors compared the screening efficacy in both groups, with specialist diagnosis considered the reference standard. The outcomes measured were lesion detection and capture of interpretable images of the oral cavity.

Abstract:

Part 4: Leading Your Patients- In this webinar, the dentist and team will discover the keys to converting a tenuous new patient inquiry to a committed first appointment and beyond. Patients will pay any fee if they like you, understand why treatment is being diagnosed and are committed to their care, because they felt partnered with and listened to!

JADA December 2015
A prospective cohort study that included dentists in The National Dental Practice-Based Research Network was conducted to quantify 12-month failures of restorations that were repaired or replaced at baseline. The study tested the hypothesis that no significant differences exist in failure percentages between repaired and replaced restorations after 12 months. It also tested the hypothesis that certain dentist, patient, and restoration characteristics are significantly associated with the incidence of restoration failure. Dentists recorded data for 50 or more consecutive defective restorations. The restorations that were either repaired or replaced were recalled after 12 months and characterized for developing defects.

JADA December 2015
The authors used a large community sample of methamphetamine (MA) users to verify the patterns and severity of dental disease and establish a hierarchy of caries susceptibility by tooth type and tooth surface. Using a stratified sampling approach, 571 MA users received comprehensive oral examinations and psychosocial assessments. Three calibrated dentists characterized dental and periodontal disease by using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey protocols. The authors also collected data on substance use history and other attributes linked to dental disease.

Abstract:

Part 4: Leading Your Patients- In this webinar, the dentist and team will discover the keys to converting a tenuous new patient inquiry to a committed first appointment and beyond. Patients will pay any fee if they like you, understand why treatment is being diagnosed and are committed to their care, because they felt partnered with and listened to!

JADA December 2018

Background: The prescribing practices of dental professionals may play an important role in the opioid epidemic. The authors performed a scoping review of the current original research literature on dental professionals’ prescribing practices for opioid analgesics published from 2000 through 2017.

Key Words:  Dental professionals’ opioid prescribing; opioid prescription practice; opioids; dental pain.