Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 1998. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Carleton University, 1998. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2003. / Field problem. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry, 1983 (Dental Public Health). / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 27). / The American Dental Association has specified requirements for dental assisting students’ clinical experiences. Dental assisting programs which are not located within dental schooIs must utilize extramural clinical facilities to provide required clinical experience for their students. A survey of fifty five directors of dental assisting programs in the northeastern United States was conducted to gather information relevant to extramural clinical facilities. The results indicated that the majority of programs used extramural programs but there was a variation in the methods of clinical training. This study examined the type of extramural facilities utilized, the dental specialties practiced at each site, contractual and evaluation procedures, and clinical requirements of dental assistant students.

Thesis--University of Alabama. / Typescript.

The impact of AIDS and the dread of acquiring HIV infection from patients have led to the resurgence in infection-control practices among health care workers. Recent reports of blood-borne pathogen transmission in health care settings, including oral health, have caused considerable public health concern. Transmission has been reported from patient to patient, patient to health care workers, but rarely from health care worker to patient. The risks of dental clinicians acquiring serious infections have been well documented but the risk to dental assistants has received less attention, especially in South Africa. Aim: To assess infection-control practices of dental assistants and their level of adherence to universal precautions in public health care facilities in Limpopo Province. Objectives: To establish the prevalence and the type of occupational exposures among dental assistants working in public health care facilities in Limpopo Province. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among dental assistants in Limpopo Province in 2005. The study population comprised all 73 employees who performed the functions of a dental assistant in public dental facilities. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information regarding work experiences and training, infection-control practice and knowledge, and the nature, incidences and reporting of any occupational exposures they had experienced. A follow-up telephone call was made to these dental assistants, after they had received the questionnaire, to re-iterate the importance of the survey and to request them to complete and return the questionnaire in the prepaid envelope they had been given. The facilities were clustered according to the six districts in Limpopo Province. Ethical approval was given by the University of the Witwatersrand and the Department of Health and Welfare in Limpopo Province. Results: Fifty-nine dental assistants returned the completed questionnaire, giving a response rate of 80.8%. Epi Info Version 3.3.2 programme was used to analyze the data. The majority of respondents were female (95%), with a mean age of 40.2 years (age range 23-54). More than 90% of the respondents had no formal training for their occupation, half (49.1%) did not have any health training, 22% were auxiliary nurses, 18.6% were “correspondence-trained” assistants who had been trained via distance learning and had no practical clinical training and only 10.2% of the respondents had received training at a technikon or university . The majority of the dental facilities (57.6%) had one dental assistant working alone, followed by those with two or three assistants (39.5%). The number of respondents assisting more than two oral clinicians in a day was 93.3%. The mean number of clinicians assisted per day was 3.8. The total numbers of dental assistants who experienced occupational exposures while working at the various dental clinics were 26 (44.1%), with 11.5% experiencing multiple injuries within the preceding six months. Auxiliary nurses and trained assistants were significantly more likely than untrained assistants to be aware of universal precautions, their protective effects, needle stick protocols, and of the need for personal protective equipments to be worn for all procedures (p=0.001). Compliance with infection-control practices was low overall. More than twothirds of the assistants routinely wore gloves during procedures. The lowest compliance reported was the use of protective eye shields, whilst more than 62.7% were not vaccinated against hepatitis B virus. More than two-thirds of the assistants were injured in the process of removing and or cleaning instruments; 65.3% of the injuries were direct punctures. Twenty-three percent did not report the injury. The risk of injury for the untrained assistants was 9.9 times higher than that for auxiliary nurses, p=0.008. A small percentage (23.8%) of those with sharp injuries was placed on antiretroviral drugs. Surprisingly, a significant high percentage of respondents were given wound cleaning only as treatment of their occupational exposures (78.4%) and sharp injuries (83%). Conclusion and recommendation More than 90% of the respondents had no formal training for their occupation. Dental assistants were understaffed and had increased workload. The greatest incidence of injury was associated with the handling of sharp objects, and this included recapping used needles. Occupational exposures to infectious material were found to be relatively high whilst compliance to some basic infection-control guidelines was low among dental assistants. The training of dental assistants should be regulated. More suitably qualified dental assistants should be appointed and existing ones should be given inservice training on the importance of infection-control practices and compliance with universal precautions.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--Boston University, Henry M. Goldman School of Graduate Dentistry, 1985 (Dental Public Health). / Includes bibliographical references: (leaves 70-74). / The purpose of this study was to determine whether the changes currently evolving in the delivery of dental care are affecting the way in which dental assistants are being utilized and, if so, whether the training offered in accredited dental assisting programs is meeting the needs and demands of　the system. It was intended that the results of this study would be useful in determining future directions for dental assisting as a career, and in invoking changes in dental assisting education to improve satisfaction of both dentists and dental assistants. The research was conducted via survey questionnaires which were mailed to 300 randomly selected dentists in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Boston, Massachusetts.　The survey items focused on the dentists’ backgrounds and attitudes toward dental assistant utilization; numbers and credentials of dental assistants employed; and current utilization patterns of dental assistants. The results were summarized with descriptive statistics, frequencies and distributions, and analyzed using chi-square and tests of correlation. It appeared　that　changes in dental education and in modes of delivery of dental services had little effect on patterns of dental assistant utilization and, moreover, that the emphasis of the A.D.A. accreditation standards for dental assisting education programs was congruent with the demands of　the surveyed dental practitioners. It was further apparent that although dentists had positive attitudes　toward dental assistant utilization, they appeared to be unaware of the status of state regulations governing utilization of dental auxiliaries, and generally underutilize the skills of trained assistants. This paper addresses these and other issues of concern to dental assistants, dental assisting educators and dentists.　The results of　this study provide a foundation for many areas of future research.

This study examines aspects of how dental therapy began and developed, since it was introduced as one of the first public health occupations in New Zealand, in 1921. Dental therapy began as dental nursing, and was introduced by visionary dentists in order to treat widespread dental disease within the New Zealand population. The occupation gained international recognition. Dental nurses performed their tasks under the direct supervision and direction of a public health dentist and the occupation was restricted to females and child-patients. Investigating issues that have influenced the development of dental therapy is critical in today�s climate. Background research in the thesis reveals an interplay of issues relating to gender, professional development and measures of how successful the occupation has been in relation to oral health need. The latter is particularly questionable for our indigenous people in New Zealand. How has the role of the dental therapist in New Zealand been utilised? Has the delivery of care been based on sound knowledge and dental need? Has the role progressed in order to provide effective and appropriate care within a publicly funded system? These issues are important issues, particularly when New Zealand�s dental therapy profession becomes one of the many health professions that will be affected by the new Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act when it is implented over the following year. In order to improve oral health for the population, it is vital that the dental therapist is appropriately and effectively utilised. How oral health workers perceive the past role and future role in achieving oral health gain is investigated in this study by using interviews and postal surveys, and the results are discussed. The findings show that the dental therapist has not always been utilised and developed using sound epidemiological evidence. Elements of professional protection by the dental profession coupled with depleted health funding rather than dental need have appeared as driving factors. Furthermore, the dental therapy profession has remained in a sub-ordinate role to the dental profession. The findings of this study show that a large number of the current dental therapy workforce do not feel that they are ready to provide dental care autonomously. Information in the thesis argues that past legislation and subordination to the dental profession has largely affected the development of dental therapy, and whether this has always assisted in improving oral health for the New Zealand population is questioned in this work. With a depleted number in the workforce, the role has become focussed on a reparative form of care, not one that promotes and improves oral health. This is not acceptable in a publicly funded system. Implementing changes to the dental therapy role must be undertaken, but undertaken with caution and based on progressive health-promoting ideology.

This study examines aspects of how dental therapy began and developed, since it was introduced as one of the first public health occupations in New Zealand, in 1921. Dental therapy began as dental nursing, and was introduced by visionary dentists in order to treat widespread dental disease within the New Zealand population. The occupation gained international recognition. Dental nurses performed their tasks under the direct supervision and direction of a public health dentist and the occupation was restricted to females and child-patients. Investigating issues that have influenced the development of dental therapy is critical in today�s climate. Background research in the thesis reveals an interplay of issues relating to gender, professional development and measures of how successful the occupation has been in relation to oral health need. The latter is particularly questionable for our indigenous people in New Zealand. How has the role of the dental therapist in New Zealand been utilised? Has the delivery of care been based on sound knowledge and dental need? Has the role progressed in order to provide effective and appropriate care within a publicly funded system? These issues are important issues, particularly when New Zealand�s dental therapy profession becomes one of the many health professions that will be affected by the new Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act when it is implented over the following year. In order to improve oral health for the population, it is vital that the dental therapist is appropriately and effectively utilised. How oral health workers perceive the past role and future role in achieving oral health gain is investigated in this study by using interviews and postal surveys, and the results are discussed. The findings show that the dental therapist has not always been utilised and developed using sound epidemiological evidence. Elements of professional protection by the dental profession coupled with depleted health funding rather than dental need have appeared as driving factors. Furthermore, the dental therapy profession has remained in a sub-ordinate role to the dental profession. The findings of this study show that a large number of the current dental therapy workforce do not feel that they are ready to provide dental care autonomously. Information in the thesis argues that past legislation and subordination to the dental profession has largely affected the development of dental therapy, and whether this has always assisted in improving oral health for the New Zealand population is questioned in this work. With a depleted number in the workforce, the role has become focussed on a reparative form of care, not one that promotes and improves oral health. This is not acceptable in a publicly funded system. Implementing changes to the dental therapy role must be undertaken, but undertaken with caution and based on progressive health-promoting ideology.

Foi realizada uma pesquisa com cirurgiões-dentistas (CDs) e auxiliares odontológicos (AOs) das redes pública e privada, no município de Ribeirão Preto,SP – Brasil, com os objetivos de: 1. avaliar a cobertura vacinal e a efetividade da vacinação contra a hepatite B; 2. verificar o uso de equipamentos de proteção individual (EPIs) na rotina de trabalho; 3. verificar a prevalência de marcadores sorológicos do HBV; 4. analisar possíveis associações entre marcadores sorológicos do HBV e alguns fatores de risco de infecção pelo vírus. A pesquisa contou com 338 participantes, de consultórios e clínicas odontológicas – 201 CDs(26 da rede pública e 175 da rede privada) e 137 AOs (23 da rede pública e 114 da rede privada). Foi aplicado um questionário individual para obter informações referentes a características dos participantes, vacinação contra a hepatite B e fatores de risco relacionados à infecção pelo HBV. Simultaneamente, coletou-se uma amostra de 8 ml de sangue para a pesquisa dos seguintes marcadores sorológicos do HBV: HBsAg, anti-HBc e anti-HBs. Todos os exames foram feitos, através de técnicas imunoenzimáticas, no Laboratório de Sorologia do Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto - USP. Estavam vacinados com três doses ou mais da vacina contra a hepatite B 80,6% dos CDs (80,8% da rede pública e 80,6% da rede privada) e 24,8% dos AOS(82,6% da rede pública e 13,2% da rede privada). A prevalência de anti-HBs entre os vacinados com três doses ou mais da vacina foi de 84,3% - 84,6% entre CDs e 82,8% entre AOs. A prevalência dos marcadores sorológicos do HBV ficou assim distribuída: HBsAg, 0,5% entre CDs, não encontrado entre AOs; anti-HBc, 9,5% entre CDs (IC 95%: 5,4% - 13,5%) e 2,9% entre AOs (IC 95%: 0,1% - 5,7%);anti-HBs, 78,1% entre CDs (IC 95%: 72,3% - 83,8%) e 29,9% entre AOs (IC 95%: 22,2 - 37,6%). Os EPIs mais utilizados pelos CDs eram as luvas, com percentual de 98,0%, e a máscara, com 96,5%, no atendimento de todos os pacientes. Os CDs da rede privada utilizavam os seguintes EPIs: luvas, 97,7%; máscara, 96,0%; óculos de proteção, 70,3%; avental, 55,4%; gorro 32,6%. Os CDs da rede pública usavam os seguintes EPIs: luvas e máscaras, 100,0%; avental, 88,5%; óculos de proteção, 65,4%; gorro, 30,8%. O EPI mais utilizado pelos AOs eram as luvas, com percentual de 97,1%. Os AOs da rede pública utilizavam: luvas, 100,0%; avental, 95,7%; máscara, 78,3%; óculos de proteção; 34,8%; gorro, 17,4%. Os AOs da rede privada utilizavam: luvas, 96,5%; máscara, 37,7%; avental, 28,1%; óculos de proteção, 11,4%; gorro, 10,5%. Dos AOs da rede privada, 3,5% referiram não usar nenhum EPI. O estudo mostrou que a prevalência dos marcadores sorológicos do HBV entre CDs e AOs é semelhante à da população de pacientes de Unidades de Saúde de Ribeirão Preto e que parte dos profissionais, especialmente os AOs, negligenciam a proteção pela imunização ativa e uso de EPIs. / A survey was carried out among dentists (D) and dental assistants (DA) of the public and the private sectors in the city of Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil, in order to a) evaluate the vaccine coverage as well as the effectiveness of the vaccination against hepatitis B; b) check for the presence of serological markers of the hepatitis B virus(HBV)infection; assess the use of individual protection equipments (IPE). The survey,involving 338 participants working in dentist private offices or in dental clinics, comprised 201 D (26 of the public sector and 175 of the private sector) and 137 DA(23 of the public sector and 114 of private practices). Individual survey questionnaires were used to gather information regarding the participants, the vaccination against hepatitis B, and the risk factors related to the HBV infection. Blood samples (8 ml) were collected to assess the following serological markers for the HBV infections: HBsAg, Anti-HBc, and Anti-HBs. All essays were done with the immunoenzimatic technique by the Serological Laboratory of the Hospital das Clinicas of the University of São Paulo Medical School, at Ribeirão Preto. A higher proportion of the D compared to the DA were vaccinated with three or more doses of the hepatitis B: 80.6% of the D (80.8% of the public sector and 80.6% of the private sector) but only 24,8% of the DA (82.6% of the public sector and 13,2% of the private sector). Among those vaccinated with three or more doses 84.3% (84.6% for D and 82.8% for DA) presented positive tests for the anti-HBs marker. Considering the whole population evaluated, the occurrence of serological markers for HBV infection was distributed as follows: HBsAg, 0.5% in D and zero in DA; anti-HBc, 9.5% in D (95% CI: 5.4% to 13.5%) and 2.9% in DA (95% CI: 0.1% to 5.7%); and anti-HBs, 78.1% in D (95% CI: 72.3% to 83.8%) and 29.9% in DA (95% CI: 22.2% to 37.6%). Most dentists make use of some IPE when treating patients: 98.0% wore gloves and 96.5% face masks. There was little difference in use of IPE between dentists working in the private and the public sectors: for the former 97.7% wore gloves, 96.0% face masks, 70.3% protective eyewear, 55.4% protective uniform, and 32.6% caps; for the later, 100% wore gloves and face masks, 88.5% protective uniform, 65.4% protective eyewear, and 30.8% caps. A high percentage of the DA also wore IPEs, although the numbers were lower for those of the private sector. Among the former group 100% wore gloves, 95.7% protective uniform, 78.3% face masks, 34.8% protective eyewear, and 17.4% caps. The corresponding figures for the DA of the private dental offices and clinics were: 96.5% wore gloves, 37.7% face masks, 28.1% protective uniform, 11.4% protective eyewear, and 10.5% caps. A small percentage (3.5%) of the DA working in the private sector did not report the use of any IPE. The study showed that the occurrence of serological markers for infection with HBV in dental professionals is similar to that of the population as a whole, and that part of the professionals, especially the DAs, neglect to secure protection by active immunization and use of IPEs.