<p> Background and objectives: Early dental visits provide the opportunity to reduce the prevalence of early childhood caries through risk assessment, counseling, and provision of specific preventive measures. Despite the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry&rsquo;s recommendation that the first dental visit should occur by 1 year of age, many children are not receiving care until much later. Evidence that early dental visits improve dental outcomes is vital to educate parents and health care providers. Hence, this study examined the association between a child&rsquo;s age at the first dental visit and dental outcomes, parents&rsquo; awareness of the recommendation for the first dental visit, and perceived barriers to dental care. A secondary aim examined pediatric dentists&rsquo; perceived barriers to children&rsquo;s early dental care in West Virginia. </p><p> Methods: A cross-sectional survey was used to collect data from parents of children &le; 6 years of age, and under the care of a pediatric dentist. Pearson correlation was used to examine the association between age at first dental visit and age at caries onset. Chi-square analyses were used to test the association between (1) age at first dental visit and history of caries, (2) age at first dental visit and history of an adverse dental outcome, and (3) reason for the first dental visit and history of an adverse dental outcome. A binary logistic regression model was used to evaluate the extent to which age at the first dental visit explained caries history. For the qualitative study component, pediatric dentists responded to questions regarding barriers to the establishment of a dental home for West Virginia children. </p><p> Results: A significant association was noted between a child&rsquo;s age at the first dental visit and age at caries onset, r (29) = 0.65, p &lt;.0001 [95% CI=0.39, 0.82]. No significant association was noted between age at the first dental visit and history of caries, or between age at first visit and history of adverse outcome (p >.05). However, children whose first visit was for a problem with the teeth or mouth were significantly more likely to have had an adverse outcome, &chi;² (1, n = 160) = 7.60, p = .0058. The adjusted odds ratio for age at first dental visit in the logistic regression model predicting caries history was 1.10, [95% CI= 1.04, 1.17], p =.0013. Pediatric dentists perceived the limited dental workforce in West Virginia to be the greatest barrier to early dental visits for children. </p><p> Conclusions: This pilot study demonstrates that parent reported dental outcomes may be useful in studies evaluating the association between early dental visits and dental outcomes. There remains a need to educate parents about the recommended first dental visit by age 1 year.</p>

<p> <u>Aim &amp; Hypothesis:</u> The experimental aims of the study were to use the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) dataset to test and confirm the following hypotheses: 1) Characterize the periodontal condition among never smokers, former smokers and current smokers, 2) Analyze the association of time since quitting smoking and the periodontal condition among former smokers as a function of smoking history, 3) Analyze the association of duration of smoking and the periodontal condition among current smokers as a function of smoking history.</p><p> <u>Materials &amp; Methods:</u> This study analyzed data collected in the NHANES 2012 survey and included respondents for whom a periodontal exam and smoking status were obtained. Aim 1 was a descriptive analysis were used to characterize the sample. For Aim 2, unconditional logistic regression was conducted with time since quitting as the exposure and presence of periodontitis as the outcome, and included adjustment for confounders. Aim 3 analyses also used unconditional logistic regression, but included only current smokers, with duration of smoking habit as the exposure and periodontitis status as the outcome, adjusted for confounders.</p><p> <u>Results:</u> Smoking status was statistically significantly associated with periodontal status (chi-square p &lt; 0.0001). Among former smokers, after adjusting for confounders, each additional year since quitting smoking was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the odds ratio (OR) for periodontitis by 2.5%. Among current smokers, duration of smoking was not statistically significantly associated with periodontal status.</p><p> <u>Conclusions:</u> Rates of periodontitis were highest in current smokers, lower in former smokers, and lowest in never smokers. Among former smokers, longer time since quitting was associated with lower likelihood of periodontitis. Among current smokers, the duration of smoking was not associated with likelihood of periodontitis. These findings support the notion that dental practitioners have a public health mandate to help their periodontal patients quit smoking. Future research should determine the best strategies for facilitating smoking cessation in dental patients. </p>

Thesis (doctoral)--Münster in Westfalen, 1934.

Thesis (doctoral)--Münster in Westfalen, 1934.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Münster, 1933. / At head of title: Aus der sozial-hygienischen Abteilung des hygienischen Institutes der Westfälischen Wilhelms-Universität zu Münster i. Westf. "Lebenslauf": p. 27. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1946.

Issued also as thesis, Columbia University. / Bibliographical references in foot-notes at end of most of the chapters.

Issued also as thesis, Columbia University. / Bibliographical references in foot-notes at end of most of the chapters.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1946.

Secondary school students in Nigeria face challenges regarding their oral health. Few researchers have investigated oral health knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in Nigerian populations. The purpose of this study was to assess the level of oral health knowledge, behaviors, and practices among secondary school students in Enugu State, Nigeria, in relation to their oral health status. The theoretical framework of this study was based on the health belief model. A cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data from 12 secondary schools in Enugu State, using a close-ended questionnaire as well as oral examination (dental caries and periodontal diseases) of the students who attended junior secondary (JSS) I, II, and III classes. A total stratified sample of 671 students was included in the study. Bivariate nonparametric tests and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. According to the results of the study, the levels of dental caries and periodontal diseases were relatively low. However, only one fourth of the students had received professional fluoridation, and almost 50% of the participants had never visited a dentist. Students from a missionary school had lower levels of periodontal diseases than those from public schools, with an odds ratio of 0.612 (95% CI [0.402, 0.934]). Students from JSS III class tended to have a lower level of periodontal diseases than those of JSS I class (OR: 0.567, 95% CI [0.363, 0.886]). The social change implications of this study can be the development and incorporation of oral health promotion programs into the school curriculum. These programs may increase the adoption of preventive oral health strategies by students, such as regular dental attendance, to maintain their good oral health for a life time.