In the Theoretical Thursdays Blog it our objective to bring dental hygienists current peer-reviewed articles that you may find of interest. While we cannot post the article we will provide the citation, describe it to you and tell you where on the internet you can find it if it is an open access article, email it to you for personal use if allowed by the publisher, or if a librarian is not available we will help you locate the article. Please contact us with the journal title for assistance.

Citation:

Amin, M.S. (2010). Utilization of dental services by children in low-income families in Alberta. J Can Dent Assoc; 77:b57

This article is available online at http://www.jcda.ca/uploads/b57/b57.pdf

This article reports the results of a telephone survey questionnaire with 820 randomly chosen client families who have access to the Alberta Child Health Benefit and the Alberta Adult Health Benefit programs to assess utilization. Response rates were high and clients agreed that the programs were beneficial however only 54.8% of the adults and 57.4% of families with children access services. Among the conclusions is the consideration that making people aware of funding is not sufficient for them to access the services.

The article is well written with many tables to easily see the breakdown of data and a thorough discussion.

In the Theoretical Thursdays Blog it our objective to bring dental hygienists current peer-reviewed articles that you may find of interest. While we cannot post the article we will provide the citation, describe it to you and tell you where on the internet you can find it if it is an open access article, email it to you for personal use if allowed by the publisher, or if a librarian is not available we will help you locate the article. Please contact us with the journal title for assistance.

Citation:

Kleiner, M.M., & Won Park, K. (Nov. 2010). Battles among licensed occupations: Analyzing government regulations on labor market outcomes for dentists and hygienists. NBER, Working Paper No. 16560.

The full paper cited here is an indepth study 42 pages long which we have acquired. We have opted to use the National Bureau of Economic Research’s summary as permission is granted to do so rather than summarize these very interesting results for you.

The Effect of Licensing on Dentists and Hygienists

States that require dental hygienists to be supervised by dentists suffer a 1 percent annual reduction in the output of dental services.

U.S. states require occupational licenses for everyone from surgeons to interior decorators. Licensing in effect creates a regulatory barrier to entry into licensed occupations, and thus results in higher income for those with licenses.

In Battles among Licensed Occupations: Analyzing Government Regulations on Labor Market Outcomes for Dentists and Hygienists (NBER Working Paper No. 16560), co-authors Morris Kleiner and Kyoung Won Park use state variations in dental hygienists' licensing, along with data from the 2001-2007 American Community Survey, to estimate the value created by limiting occupational competition through licensing.

Like dentists, dental hygienists clean teeth, apply sealants, take X-rays, and screen for dental problems. Because dentists are in the majority on the state licensing boards that license dental hygienists in most states, they can in theory create rules that limit the extent to which dental hygienists can compete with them. In fact, most states require dental hygienists to practice under the direct supervision of a dentist, but some allow dental hygienists to own their own practices, clean teeth, and apply sealants.

The authors find that in states that allow dental hygienists to have their own practices, hygienist employment is about 6 percent higher than in other states, and hygienist earnings are about 10 percent higher. At the same time, the growth rate of dentists’ employment is lower – 1.5 percent per year versus 2 percent – in these states.

Assuming that less stringent regulation of dental hygienists has no effect on the quality of services they provide to patients, the authors calculate that reducing regulation would reallocate about $1.34 billion from dentists to dental hygienists and would reduce the output losses caused by restricting employment by $80 million. Overall, Kleiner and Park estimate, states that require dental hygienists to be supervised by dentists suffer a 1 percent annual reduction in the output of dental services.

--Linda Gorman

The Digest is not copyrighted and may be reproduced freely with appropriate attribution of source.

http://www.nber.org/digest/jun11/w16560.html

In the Theoretical Thursdays Blog it our objective to bring dental hygienists current peer-reviewed articles that you may find of interest. While we cannot post the article we will provide the citation, describe it to you and tell you where on the internet you can find it if it is an open access article, email it to you for personal use if allowed by the publisher, or if a librarian is not available we will help you locate the article. Please contact us with the journal title for assistance.

Citation:

Draper, C. (2011). Pediatric Oral Health -- Care Considerations for Dental Hygiene. Journal of the California Dental Hygienists' Association, 26(1), 8-13.

This article is a very readable article that is written like a course with learning objectives. The importance of perinatal oral health, periodontal diseases that affect children, barriers to good oral health in children, and strategies for improving pediatric oral health are all covered.

The article can be found at: http://www.cdha.org/downloads/ce_courses/homestudy_PediatricOralHealth.pdf

In the Theoretical Thursdays Blog it our objective to bring dental hygienists current peer-reviewed articles that you may find of interest. While we cannot post the article we will provide the citation, describe it to you and tell you where on the internet you can find it if it is an open access article, email it to you for personal use if allowed by the publisher, or if a librarian is not available we will help you locate the article. Please contact us with the journal title for assistance.

Citation:

Warren, N. (2010). Causes of musculoskeletal disorders in dental hygienists and dental hygiene students: a study of combined biomechanical and psychosocial risk factors. Work, 35(4), 441-454.

This study addresses the high incidence of musculoskeletal disorders in dental hygienists and dental hygiene students. The study is unique in that it includes psychosocial risk factors.  Ninety-four dental hygienists and 66 students took part in this longitudinal study. The method included an extensive survey, a detailed medical exam, and instrumented physiologic measures. The article has 9 tables of results as well as a copy of the survey tool.

Take away messages “Biomechanical exposures tend to be associated with negative outcomes in identifiable body areas, whereas job stress had fewer identifiable associations with outcomes by body area” p. 441. However, psychosocial factors in the workplace such as stress and factors outside of the workplace such as family balance, socio-demographic, and cultural factors also play a factor in musculoskeletal health.

In the Theoretical Thursdays Blog it our objective to bring dental hygienists current peer-reviewed articles that you may find of interest. While we cannot post the article we will provide the citation, describe it to you and tell you where on the internet you can find it if it is an open access article, email it to you for personal use if allowed by the publisher, or if a librarian is not available we will help you locate the article. Please contact us with the journal title for assistance.

Citation:

Frazao, P. (March 22, 2011). Effectiveness of the bucco-lingual technique within a school-based supervised toothbrushing program on preventing caries: a randomized controlled trial.  BMC Oral Health, 11, p.11. Retrieved April 21, 2011

Note this is an open access journal. You can locate the article here http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6831/11/11

This study is a community-based intervention of the bucco-lingual toothbrushing technique using fluoridated toothpaste in a preschool population of five-year-old children.  The Brazilian children were from low-income families and lived in fluoridated communities. Within the six preschools chosen, three schools were assigned to the control group. The control group received a visit by a dental assistant four times per year who provided oral health education, dental plaque dying, and supervised toothbrushing with fluoride toothpaste. Other than the four visits, the children received indirect supervision of brushing from their teachers.

In contrast, the intervention group received a professional cross-brushing on molar surfaces by a specially trained dental assistant. At 18 month follow-up the program showed positive results for the boys, who at baseline had a higher caries rate than the girls.

In the Theoretical Thursdays Blog it our objective to bring dental hygienists current peer-reviewed articles that you may find of interest. While we cannot post the article we will provide the citation, describe it to you and tell you where on the internet you can find it if it is an open access article, email it to you for personal use if allowed by the publisher, or if a librarian is not available we will help you locate the article. Please contact us with the journal title for assistance.

Citation:

Howell, J. C. G., & Hicks, M. J. (2010). Dental hygienists' role in patient assessments and clinical examinations in U.S. dental practices: A review of the literature. Journal of Allied Health, 39(1), E1.

This article is called a research note and is a literature review and call to action for dental hygienists as opposed to a clinical study. The article is engaging drawing a chronological progression of research into the use of assessments and clinical examinations by dental hygienists in dental practices in the US. The issues raised in the article are ones heard across the continent. There is no standardization of scope of practice, what employers expect in the workplace vary widely, and workplace expectations and regulatory professional standards are often out of sync.

The client assessment is one of the most important aspects of client care and the implementation of this assessment can be hindered by employment conditions. One of the studies reviewed introduces a measurement tool the DHPPI or dental hygienist professional practice index which looks like a very interesting tool for up and coming dental hygiene researchers.  The authors provoke the reader by suggestion that it is time for dental hygienists to “step up to the plate in the 21^st century” p. e4. It is time to close the gap between what dental hygienists learn and are able to practice and what they are allowed to practice for the health of the populous.  Dental hygienists need adequate time to work with clients and adequate compensation for the valuable work they do.

In the Theoretical Thursdays Blog it our objective to bring dental hygienists current peer-reviewed articles that you may find of interest. While we cannot post the article we will provide the citation, describe it to you and tell you where on the internet you can find it if it is an open access article, email it to you for personal use if allowed by the publisher, or if a librarian is not available we will help you locate the article. Please contact us with the journal title for assistance.

Citation:

Simmer-Beck, M., & Branson, B. (2010). An evidence-based review of ergonomic features of dental hygiene instruments. Work, 35(4), 477-485.

This journal allows the article to be shared by email for personal use.

This study used Medline and Cinahl to locate studies that explored the prevalence of musculoskeletal problems in dental hygienists during a 10 year period ending in 2008. Risk factors and structural design of the common tools for dental hygienists were reviewed for potential ergonomic re-design. Twenty-one instrument and grip combinations as well as 22 mirror and grip combinations were described. While optimal length of instrument was not defined in the literature, optimal diameter of instruments and mirrors was noted to be at least 10mm weighing 15g or less. Padding was also noted to decrease muscle activity.

The study is well written and presented with numerous tables that facilitate understanding the content. Specific brand names of instruments are noted in the tables. The unfortunate part of this article is that the peer review process through to publication is extended. The article was submitted in May of 2008 and was not published until 2010 delaying the time this valuable information was available to dental hygienists. A good read to assist with prevention of repetitive strain injuries.

In the Theoretical Thursdays Blog it our objective to bring dental hygienists current peer-reviewed articles that you may find of interest. While we cannot post the article we will provide the citation, describe it to you and tell you where on the internet you can find it if it is an open access article or if a librarian is not available we will help you locate it if you contact us.

Citation:

Loncar, B., Stipetic, M. M., Baricevic, M., & Risovic, D. (March 2011). The effect of low-level laser therapy on salivary glands in patients with xerostomia. Photomedicine and Laser Surgery, 29, 3. p.171(5).

Xerostomia, or dry mouth, is a common problem in elderly people which can lead to increased caries, fungal infections and oral discomfort. Furthermore there are multiple secondary health problems attributable to dry mouth including swallowing difficulties which may result in malnutrition or aspiration of food particles. Xerostomia, a decrease in normal salivary secretion, is not a disease process itself but may be caused by many factors including drug side-effects, cancer treatments, or autoimmune diseases. While it is often treated through the primary cause of the xerostomia, the condition may be treated directly for optimum results. Unfortunately the current treatments of salivary flow stimulation including “chewing of hard foods and gum, use of systemic sialogogues, electric stimulation, acupuncture, and use of saliva substitutes” (p. 171) are limited in their success due to the temporary nature of the relief.

This controlled study of 34 Croatian patients with xerostomia compared the salivary gland performance through saliva production in two groups. The control group were treated with 15ml of a citric acid mouth rinse for 10 days. The treatment group received Ga-As laser pulsed light intraorally on the sublingual gland area. Results showed that the low-level laser therapy on the salivary glands not only stimulated saliva production but also demonstrated a regenerative effect which was seen as a linear increase in salivary amount over time. The study provides encouraging results for those affected by and treating patients with xerostomia.

To read more about the difficulties with xerostomia in the elderly read Nutrition Therapy http://www.dhpro.ca/nutrition-therapy