Background: The school dental screening program has been in existence from the beginning of 20 ^th century. Its value in encouraging attendance among school children is not fully established. Aim: The aim was to determine the effectiveness of school dental screening on stimulating dental attendance rates among school children in Vikarabad town. Objectives: (a) To compare the dental attendance rates between 6-9 and 10-13 years old age groups, among male and female school children in Vikarabad town. (b) To identify the type of dental treatment received by the school children. Materials and Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted among school children aged 6-13 years old from 16 schools that were randomly selected and divided into two groups. Eight schools had a dental screening program (study group = 300 children) and had blanket referral cards and 8 schools that did not have the intervention (control group = 300). The dental attendance rates were determined after 3 months of follow-up period by evaluating the blanket referral cards for the study group and by an oral questionnaire for the control group. Results: The dental attendance rate was 27% for the study group and 18% for the control group which is statistically significant. The attendance rate was higher among 10-13 years of children both in test group and control groups. Among the children who visited the dentist, 53% in the control group and 69% from the test group got simple amalgam and glass ionomer cement restorations. Conclusion: The dental attendance rates were improved following school dental screening.

Background: Primary dental care can be a way of achieving good oral health for the community. This can be achieved by integration of oral health care with the existing primary health care activities through training of primary health care workers on aspects of oral health. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of oral health education among primary health care workers at the primary health center (PHC) in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh. Materials and Methods: Descriptive longitudinal study was conducted from June 2010 to August 2010 at a PHC. Knowledge about oral health among primary health care workers was pretested using a self-administered questionnaire prepared in local language (Telugu). Later after a month health education was provided to the health workers, and pamphlets with information on oral health were distributed. Posttest assessment was done 1-month after providing health education using the same questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS 12.0 software, Student's t-test was used to compare knowledge scores between pre and posttests. Results: A total of 118 Primary Health Care Workers with the majority in the 20-30 years age group participated in the study. Posttest assessment showed a change in knowledge level with an overall increase in knowledge level of primary health care workers with a mean difference of 12.56 ± 3.23, which was highly significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The knowledge about oral health was poor, and it improved after providing health education to primary health care workers. Change in knowledge was appreciable and may play a key role in oral health promotion of the vast majority of the rural population.

Background: The oral cavity is vulnerable to external agents and some occupational exposures are associated with oral changes in both hard and soft tissues. Objectives: To assess oral health status in battery factory workers of Kanpur city and to describe the prevalence and nature of oral health problems among workers. Materials and Methods: A total of 70 battery workers were enrolled and divided into study and control groups based on acid exposure. The data was recorded on a modified World Health Organization 1997 proforma. The data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 15.0. The categorical variables were compared using Chi-square test for proportions while the quantitative ordinal variables were compared using Mann-Whitney U-test. Quantitative continuous variables were compared using Independent samples t-test. Results: The mean age of all the workers surveyed was 36.24 years. Differences in the erosion, oral hygiene and gingival index scores among the two groups were highly significant (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Oral health status was poor and significantly associated with dental erosion.

Background: Oral disorders can have a negative impact on the functional, social and psychological well-being of children and their families. Oral health and dental treatment may have an impact on eating, speaking and appearance, thereby affecting quality of life. Thus, there has been a greater focus on the measurement of quality of life as a complement to the clinical measures. Objective: The aim was to assess the prevalence, characteristics and severity of oral impacts in south Indian school children using Child-Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (Child-OIDP) index as a measure of oral health related quality of life. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was undertaken among the six government, and six private school children aged 11-12 years, of Karnataka, South India randomly selected as cluster, and all their 563 children were invited to participate. A cross culturally adapted and validated oral health-related quality of life measure; Child-OIDP was used to assess oral impacts. Results: The common perceived oral health problems were tooth ache reported by 342 children, a sensitive tooth reported by 230 children, tooth decay - hole in the tooth reported by 226 children. Eating was the most common performance affected (68.3%). The severity of impacts was high for eating and cleaning mouth and low for the study and social contact performances. Conclusion: The study reveals that oral health impacts on quality of life of school children of Karnataka aged 11-12 years. Oral impacts were prevalent, but not severe. The impacts mainly related to difficulty eating. Toothache, a sensitive tooth, tooth decay and bleeding gums contributed largely to the incidence of oral impacts.

Background and Objectives: Preventive approach in dental practice has been cited as a reason for the decline in oral diseases and as a predominant part of the service-mix of dental practices in the future. Dental faculty's knowledge and attitude toward prevention are important, since they have exceptionally important direct and indirect roles in shaping student's preventive orientation and also potentially influencing their patient's ability to take care of their teeth. Thus, this study was conducted to assess knowledge and attitudes toward preventive dental care among dental faculties and their relation to demographic and professional characteristics. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among dental faculties in Bangalore city. Of 17 dental colleges, 4 were selected by simple random sampling. A total of 218 dental faculties was individually asked to complete a pretested questionnaire. The questionnaire requested information on dental faculty's demographic and professional characteristics and their knowledge and attitudes toward preventive dental care. Descriptive, Chi-square tests, and ANOVA were used to analyze the data. Results: The highest knowledge was seen among dental faculties regarding prevention of malocclusion (3.51 ± 1.02) followed by oral cancer (2.95 ± 1.09) and periodontal diseases (2.86 ± 1.02). The least knowledge was seen for the prevention of caries (2.63 ± 1.35). The most positive attitudes regarding preventive dentistry was characterized as being essential (6.34 ± 1.05), useful (6.32 ± 1.07) and valuable (6.27 ± 1.00). Statistically significant differences were found in relation to knowledge and attitudes for all demographic and professional characteristics except for gender and Department of Teaching. Conclusion: Dental faculty seems to have differing levels of knowledge regarding oral diseases with positive attitudes seen regarding preventive dentistry. Continuing education activities and placing emphasis on prevention-related research are recommended.

Background: Understanding public attitude towards dentists and dental services helps both dental service providers and planners. Hence, this study was conducted to assess public attitude toward dentists and dental services in Bangalore city, India. Methods: Two thousand residents of Bangalore city were selected through multistage cluster sampling method. A structured questionnaire containing statements pertaining to public attitude toward dentists and dental services in Bangalore city was administered to the subjects. Five point Likert scale was used to measure the attitude. Results: About 67.8% of the study subjects had visited a dentist in their lifetime. Negative attitudes were observed regarding waiting time, cleanliness of instruments and dentist advising patients to give up unhealthy practices such as smoking, drinking and pan chewing. Positive attitude was found regarding availability of dental services near place of residence or work, modern equipments being used for treatment and the nobleness of the dental professionals. About 67% of study subjects felt that dental services are expensive. Only 65% agree that regular check-ups prevent dental diseases and 33% of the study subjects agree that dental treatment can be delayed if there are other expenses. Conclusions: Subjects generally had positive attitude toward dentists and dental services. Certain factors like waiting time and cleanliness elicited negative response.

Introduction: The professional profile of the public health dentist is made up of a number of competencies. Evaluation of the student's performance in relation to the specified competencies is an important task for purposes of student evaluation and for assessing the curriculum and making necessary revisions. Aim: The aim was to assess the level of self-perceived competency in dental public health among postgraduate (PG) students in India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done among the PG students in the specialty of public health dentistry in India. Their competency was assessed by a questionnaire sent through E-mail. Students assessed their competence in these dental public health functions using a 3 point ordinal scale, 0 indicating "not at all competent," 1 as "competent," and 2 as "very competent." Chi-square has been used for categorical variables. Results: One-hundred and twenty-four PG students responded to the questionnaire. Comparison was made for gender and academic year. Males were significantly competent to comply infection control policies and procedures (P < 0.040*). Third year PG students were significantly competent to comply infection control policies and procedures (P < 0.017) and to adapt their dental practice to the existing laws and regulations (P < 0.45). Conclusion: In the present study, the PG students considered themselves more competent to elaborate the socioeconomic-cultural diagnosis of the community, to participate in epidemiological surveillance system and less competent to adopt ethical principles in all aspects of community oral health activities, to take up initiatives in advocacy issues for health policy and using media effectively.

Introduction: Motives for choosing a career are complex, and a choice of dentistry as a career is no exception. It is expected that the person should have some expectations in terms of their future, and the fulfillment of these expectations should give some amount of satisfaction. Aim: The aim was to explore factors influencing dental professional career: Attitudes, perceptions, and motivations. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in May and June 2013, among 445 interns working in the dental colleges of Bangalore using a self-administered validated questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 18. Descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA and Pearson's correlation test were used (P < 0.05). Results: The most popular reason for choosing dentistry as a career was to serve people (81.3%). Majority of them enjoyed helping people (92.8%); appeared to be satisfied with their doctor-patient relationship (92.4%); appreciated the independence in the profession (92.1%); aspired to enhance clinical skills (94.2%) and realized the importance of higher education (87%) in the future. Private practice (81.4%) was the most preferred future career plan. Attitudes and perceptions significantly correlated with future career plans (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Service to mankind coupled with autonomy, self-efficacy and inclination to excel in one's own field appeared to influence dental careers in India.

Objective: To assess the knowledge of dietitians regarding diet and oral health in Bengaluru city. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the life members of Indian Dietetic Association, Bangalore chapter. A close ended, self-administered 23 item questionnaire was distributed and collected after 10 min. The data was subjected to statistical analysis. Results: About 36% felt dietary supplements can prevent oral mucosal diseases, and only 12% were aware that high content of fluoride in water leads to abnormal tooth defects. Overall knowledge of dietitians pertaining diet and oral health was 56.48%. Conclusion: Study highlights the deficiency of knowledge of dietitians regarding oral health. The multifaceted interactions between diet and oral health in practice, education and research in both dietetics and dentistry merit detailed delineation.

Introduction: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess and compare self-perceived and normative dental needs among teaching faculty of Visveswarapura Group of Institutions, Bangalore, India. Materials and Methods: The study population included 217 teaching faculty from four Visveswarapura Group of Institutions namely Arts and Commerce, Law, Science College and Engineering College. The study population was subjected to a self-administered closed-ended questionnaire inquiring about their socioeconomic status, Oral health status and treatment needs. Clinical examinations, employing WHO dentition status and community periodontal index were performed to determine normative status and needs. Perceived and normative assessments were compared for sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values using Kappa statistics. Results: The degree of agreement (κ values) and sensitivity was seen in filled teeth (0.839, 80%), missing teeth (0.696, 85.2%), and mobile teeth (0.57, 55.6%). However, the disagreement was seen with all other questions with average κ = 0.20. Regarding overall proportions, a large discrepancy was found between self-perceived and normative needs for both dental and periodontal health status. Conclusion: Self-assessment questionnaires were of low value in evaluating oral health status and treatment needs compared with clinical examination.