Dissertation submitted in full compliance with the requirements of the degree of Master of Technology: Dental Technology, Durban University of Technology, 2012. / This study examined the perceptions of South African dental laboratory owners, dental technicians and dentists so as to understand their opinions and experiences regarding the outsourcing of dental prostheses in the industry. The study explored the legislative position of the South African Dental Technicians Council (SADTC). In addition, the study sought the Dental Technicians Association of South Africa (DENTASA) opinion regarding legislation and outsourcing practices in the dental laboratory industry. This is a post-positivist qualitative study conducted in the interpretive paradigm. The study was conducted in Gauteng as this province has the greatest concentration of technicians and dentists. Simple random sampling was used to select participants for individual semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted with three different groups of participants – laboratory owners, technicians and dentists. In addition, a representative of the SADTC and DENTASA, respectively, was interviewed. The data collected from interviews was analysed using thematic content analysis. Findings generated from the study revealed that where dental laboratory services are outsourced, no formal contractual relationship exists between parties. Contracts are verbal. The study concluded that the dental technology industry does not operate within clearly defined legal frameworks when outsourcing. It was established that offshore outsourcing occurs infrequently, therefore having minimal impact on the industry and labour market. Technicians interviewed failed to see the potential negative influence that enhanced outsourcing volumes could have on the labour market. The study established that domestic outsourcing is widely practised and dental laboratories receive significant quantities of imported work. The study briefly considered medical device legislation as the South African dental technician industry is reported to be required to comply with the International Standard of Operation (ISO 13485) which will legislate medical device legislation. Dentists stated, confirming a widely held dental technology industry belief that they did not believe that they were sufficiently qualified to carry out laboratory procedures. The study revealed that technicians regularly consult with patients with the consent of dentists. This is, currently, an illegal practice. Disclosure of who is doing the laboratory work does not always occur. It was established that economic consideration was not a driver when respondents considered outsourcing offshore. Quality was considered a more important factor than price. The study found that that no legislation exists in South Africa that regulates the dental laboratory materials used. Therefore, the possibility of inferior material filtering the South African market is real and the need for a regulatory body is indicated. Technicians felt that there is no need to regulate outsourcing in South Africa. Dentists, on the other hand, were ambivalent. In conclusion, it is postulated that dental technology industry is in a developmental stage and there is a need for the industry to understand itself better. This research showed that the dental technology industry has an inexperienced understanding of business practices. A greater emphasis on producing a well rounded dental technician with the knowledge and understanding of general business concepts and practices which include legislation, regulations and ethics related to the industry is indicated.

Submitted in fulfillment of requirements of the degree of Master in Health Sciences: Dental Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / Pumice is used in the polishing of dental appliances to remove surface irregularities. It is usually used in a slurry form that is pumice powder mixed with water. In Nigeria, the increased cost of pumice as a result of its limited supply into the country has encouraged dental technicians to re-use pumice slurry for longer periods than advocated when polishing acrylic dentures, whether new or old dentures which have been worn in the mouth. Consequently, this is likely to increase cross-infection of communicable diseases in the dental technology laboratory. Although materials such as white sand, black sand and porcelnite can be used, literature documents that these materials are less effective in the polishing of acrylic dentures (Areeg 2011). The focus of this study was to use eggshells, a natural waste product, to develop and test the quality of an alternative material to reduce the surface roughness of heat-cured acrylic resins. A quantitative research paradigm and an experimental research strategy were adopted. The research design included two phases. In phase one of this study, different characterisation techniques such as Brunnae-Emmer Teller (BET); Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR); X-ray Diffraction (XRD); Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM); Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM); Laser Scattering Particle Size Distribution Analyser (PSA); Thermo-Gravimetric Analysis (TGA); and Induction-Coupling-Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) were used to assess the suitability of the new abrasive material (NAM). In addition, the level of microbial contamination of the NAM was assessed in line with the specified microbial limits for cosmetic products. In contrast, phase two investigated the product-based quality of the NAM as an abrasive material for removable dental appliances. There were two sample groups, that is, the NAM (test group) and Pumice (control), and each sample group had 50 PMMA acrylic specimens. The surface roughness (Ra) was measured using a Talysurf profilometer. An Independent Tukey test was used to analyse the Ra values (p=0.05). A Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Optical Microscope (OEM) were further used to support the results of the profilometer in terms of the quality of surface finish and polish. Validity of the study was achieved following the ISO 20795-1 (2013) methods of preparation and fabrication of the acrylic specimens. The reliability was determined via reproducibility and repeatability of tests. The BET analysis showed that the NAM is predominantly a mesoporous powder. The FTIR and XRD analyses confirmed that the NAM is pure calcite with unique water absorbing characteristics, and is free of bacteria. The EDX and ICP-OES analyses revealed calcium, oxygen and carbon as the major elemental composition of the NAM. The SEM and TEM images revealed irregular shaped particles in the NAM. The PSA analysis of the particle distribution showed the NAM to be superfine (50nm to 0.3µm) and medium (44µm powder), respectively. The TGA analysis revealed a high-grade carbonate product in the NAM (>66.0 mass% of calcium carbonates). In addition, and in terms of in the qualities of the NAM in reducing the surface roughness of PMMA resins, the test group and the control group produced Ra values that were significant different (p<0.0001). The SEM and OEM analyses further confirmed the differences in the surfaces between the polished sample groups at different magnifications. Overall, the control showed the highest mean average (0.1056±0.03688µm), whereas the test group had the lowest Ra values (0.0476±0.01379). The lowest Ra values measured with the test group indicated that the NAM improves the surface smoothness of PMMA acrylic specimens. Notably, this study conclusively showed that the NAM effectively reduces the surface roughness to below the threshold limit value of 0.2µm. Significantly, and in associating the Ra values to the threshold limit value of 0.2µm, the NAM produced better results than pumice. Hence the use of the NAM as a polishing material for acrylic dentures is highly recommended. Finally and in line the NAM being a suitable alternative to pumice as it effectively reduces the surface roughness of PMMA specimens, future investigation into the use of eggshell nanoparticles to develop dental prophylaxes will be encouraged. / M

M. Tech. Business Administration / The key objective of the study was to identify and quantify factors that affect the perception held by the general public on the quality of services provided by dental practitioners in the Gauteng Province. It was based on a stratified random sample of size n=100 respondents who were selected from the dental industry in the Gauteng Province.

Syfte: Undersöka om det är möjligt att utveckla en mobilapplikation som utbildar personal och studenter inom det tandtekniska yrket kring avfallshantering av dentala material på ett lättförståeligt, visuellt tilltalande och motiverande sätt.   Metod: Produkter som kan användas vid såväl konstruktionsframställning som städning på tandtekniska laboratorium och på Odontologiska fakulteten fotograferades, och redigerades därefter genom flera redigeringsprogram. Med assistans av apputvecklare skapades en mobilapplikation där deltagarna erhöll sig lärandeinsatser för korrekt avfallshantering. Applikationen inkluderar sammanlagt 12 nivåer med totalt 118 olika produkter och objekt, fördelade över sju avfallstyper per nivå. Endast testgrupperna använde applikationen.   Kunskapsprov med totalt 20 quizfrågor indelat i två delar sammansattes, Single Best Answer och Multiple Choice Questions. Utvärderingsenkäten sammansattes med totalt 27 frågor.        Det anordnades två träffar med deltagarna. Första träffen: kunskapsprovet genomfördes för att fastställa utgångspunkten för samtliga deltagares kunskapsnivå, samt utlämning av studiematerial och APP. Andra träffen: kunskapsprovet genomfördes igen för att fastställa kunskapsutvecklingen inom ämnet samt utvärderingsenkät av momentet genomfördes.   Resultat: Resultatet visade en sämre prestation på kunskapsproven för både kontroll- och testgrupper efter utlämning av studiematerial och APP. Provresultaten uppvisade ingen statistisk signifikant skillnad mellan grupperna.   Slutsats: Varken tillgång till säkerhetsdatablad eller mobilapplikation för utbildning i avfallshantering förbättrar kunskaperna för avfallshantering av dentala material. Den utvecklade mobilapplikationen upplevdes som motiverande, lättförståeligt och visuellt tilltalande av deltagarna. Samtliga deltagare var statistiskt enade att studiens ämne var intressant samt var positivt inställda till spelbaserat lärande. / Purpose: Investigate whether it is possible to develop a mobile application that educates staff and students in the dental technology profession in waste management of dental materials.   Method: Products utilized in dental laboratories were photographed then edited. Collaborating with an app developer, an application was created with educational materials on waste management. The application included 12 levels, featuring a total of 118 different products, distributed over seven waste types per level. Only the test groups used the application.   A knowledge test of 20 questions divided into two parts was developed: Single Best Answer and Multiple Choice Questions. A review form was developed, with a total of 27 questions.   Two sessions were scheduled with the participants. First session: the knowledge test was carried out to determine the baseline of knowledge, and study material and the APP were distributed. Second session: the test was carried out again to assess knowledge progression, and a review of the exercise was conducted.   Results: The results show worse performance for both test and control groups on the tests after handing over study material and APP. The test results showed no statistically significant difference between the groups.   Conclusion: Neither access to safety data sheets nor mobile application for education in waste management improves knowledge in waste management of dental materials. The developed mobile application was perceived as motivating, easy to understand and visually appealing by the participants. All participants were statistically in agreement that the study’s subject was interesting and had a positive attitude towards game-based learning.