Ancient Egyptian dentists come into the spotlight in this dissertation. While some scholars doubt their existence, it is indisputably shown that not only did they exist as a profession, but evidence is offered as to the various diagnoses and treatments they rendered. The Ebers medical papyrus together with other ancient similar medical ‘textbooks’ are analysed and prescriptions dealing with dental maladies are presented. Dentistry as a profession is elucidated in all its facets: diagnosing and treating dental diseases; prevention and care; and restorative and surgical treatment. This dissertation discusses dental anthropology as a vital part of bioarchaeology, which is the study of human remains in archaeological contexts in ancient Egypt. Dental enamel is the hardest material in the human body, and teeth are often preserved even when bones are not. Teeth are one of the most informative parts of the human body, and are incredibly well preserved archaeologically. Teeth provide insight into numerous issues that palaeodemography and historians are concerned with, including diet changes, general stress, how closely groups were related, and markers of social identity / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.A. (Ancient and Near Eastern Studies)

This study examined if dental students could increase their level of reflective skills over time through composing reflective blogs during their introduction to patient care in their course, Clinical Practice of Dentistry I, and to document and analyze student perceptions of the use of reflective blogs, particularly pertaining to the clinical and metacognitive skills. The participants of this study included 69 third-year dental students. Reflective blogs were analyzed using a reflective rubric adapted from Wetmore, Boyd, Bowen & Patillio, 2010. Student perceptions regarding the use of reflective blogs were documented through a 14-question Likert-opinion survey and focus group interviews. Findings indicated reflective thought level increased significantly in all six reflective thought categories across the three assessed blogs. Overall, student perceptions of the use of reflective blogs were positive as based on a five-point Likert scale survey. They reported particularly high percentages for "I feel comfortable about reflecting on my clinical experiences" at ~ 90% Agree, "Reflective journals allow me to focus and think things over" at ~ 83% Agree, followed by "Reflective journals develop my ability to monitor and reflect on my own thinking processes"~ 74%. Both the qualitative and quantitative results of this study provide favorable evidence that reflective journaling is effective and in large measure is appreciated by students in their clinical phase of dental medical education.

Ancient Egyptian dentists come into the spotlight in this dissertation. While some scholars doubt their existence, it is indisputably shown that not only did they exist as a profession, but evidence is offered as to the various diagnoses and treatments they rendered. The Ebers medical papyrus together with other ancient similar medical ‘textbooks’ are analysed and prescriptions dealing with dental maladies are presented. Dentistry as a profession is elucidated in all its facets: diagnosing and treating dental diseases; prevention and care; and restorative and surgical treatment. This dissertation discusses dental anthropology as a vital part of bioarchaeology, which is the study of human remains in archaeological contexts in ancient Egypt. Dental enamel is the hardest material in the human body, and teeth are often preserved even when bones are not. Teeth are one of the most informative parts of the human body, and are incredibly well preserved archaeologically. Teeth provide insight into numerous issues that palaeodemography and historians are concerned with, including diet changes, general stress, how closely groups were related, and markers of social identity / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M.A. (Ancient and Near Eastern Studies)

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T13:44:59Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rafael Barbosa Mariano.pdf: 962597 bytes, checksum: d7e2f41996c6c22a3075cc23f16bd536 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-04-20 / The existing ergonomic studies concerning dentists work of are largely oriented to posture issues, to the use of ergonomic equipment, to the ensuing diseases and other approaches that seek to intervene mainly in dentist physical activity. As best part of researches are conduced on said focus, gaps are created in this study field, since other relevant aspects are could be lift from this universe. In this sense, seeking to expand knowledge in this area, this research goal was to identify the attributes and the main subjective characteristics that permeate the relationship between professionals and patients and what are the implications for the both. To this end, was carried out a qualitative research methodology which was based on a specific french ergonomic analytical apparatus the Ergonomic Work Analysis (EWA) - and used for research development its theoretical framework, semi-structured interviews and direct observation in study field. Twenty people were choosen for study, being sixteen patients and four professionals, selected using age and gender criteria. The monitoring of the professionals was performed at their workplace and lasted one week each. For ease in understanding the results, the most important aspects were divided into two groups, named patients and professionals. For patients the most relevant points were related to fear going to the dentist, to the high cost charged by professionals, to the criteria used by them to choose the professional or to continue the treatment with the choosen one, and, finally, the factors influencing trust building. For professionals, the most relevant aspects of the relationship with patients relates to perceived devaluation of their activity, stressing situations, pressures and constraints experienced in daily work and, finally, the seniority (experience) factor, also mentioning the need of academic courses teaching how to deal with such situations. It was concluded that the relationship between the dentist and the patient is complex and has implications that go far beyond what happens within the physical environment of the office, affecting not only professional, but personal life of patients and dentists / Os estudos ergonômicos existentes sobre o trabalho dos odontólogos são, em grande parte, orientados para questões relativas à postura, ao uso de equipamentos ergonômicos, ao acometimento por doenças e a outras abordagens que procuram intervir principalmente em aspectos físicos da atividade do dentista. Ao serem realizadas pesquisas cujo foco predominante seja esse, criam-se lacunas no campo de estudo em relação a outros conhecimentos que poderiam advir deste universo. Nesse sentido, buscando ampliar tal conhecimento, o objetivo dessa pesquisa foi identificar os atributos e as principais características subjetivas que permeiam a relação estabelecida entre o profissional e o paciente e quais são as suas implicações para o profissional e para os pacientes. Para tanto, realizou-se uma pesquisa de cunho qualitativo que se baseou na metodologia própria da ergonomia de linha francesa a Análise Ergonômica do Trabalho (AET) , que se utilizou de referencial teórico, entrevistas de roteiro semi-estruturado e observação direta no campo de estudo para seu desenvolvimento. Foram escolhidos vinte sujeitos de pesquisa, sendo dezesseis pacientes e quatro profissionais, que foram selecionados utilizando-se critérios de idade e gênero. O acompanhamento dos profissionais se deu no seu local de trabalho (consultórios ou clínicas odontológicas) e tiveram a duração de uma semana em cada um. Para maior facilidade na compreensão dos resultados obtidos nas entrevistas e nas observações no campo, os aspectos mais importantes foram divididos em dois grupos, o dos pacientes e o dos profissionais. Para os pacientes os pontos mais importantes se relacionaram ao medo de ir ao dentista, aos altos valores cobrados pelos profissionais, aos critérios utilizados pelos mesmos para escolherem ou continuarem indo ao profissional que os estavam atendendo e aos fatores que determinaram a confiança no dentista. Para os profissionais, os aspectos mais relevantes da relação estabelecida com os pacientes dizem respeito à desvalorização percebida na sua atividade de trabalho, às situações que geram estresse, à pressão e aos constrangimentos experimentados no dia a dia de trabalho e ao fator experiência e ensino acadêmico para lidar com tais situações. Concluiu-se que a relação estabelecida entre o odontólogo e o paciente é complexa e tem implicações que vão muito além do que acontece dentro do ambiente físico do consultório, afetando não só a vida profissional, mas a vida pessoal de pacientes e dentistas

Zugl.: Regensburg, Univ., Diss. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 158-164).

Submitted in full compliance with the requirements for a Master’s degree in Technology: Dental Technology at the Durban University of Technology, 2009. / The Dental Technology profession in South Africa is currently undergoing a possible role transformation. In the past, Dental Technicians were restricted to laboratory work only and were not permitted to have direct contact with patients. Due to a demand for oral care, and a gap that is perceived to exist in service delivery, Clinical Dental Technology has emerged as a possible new profession in South Africa. The 1997 amendment to the Dental Technicians Act allows Dental Technicians to broaden their scope of practice through further education into the clinical aspects of the profession. South Africa is one of few countries that have an enabling legislation in terms of the recognition of Clinical Dental Technology. However, there is to date no training programme or curriculum for people who would like to practise as Clinical Dental Technicians. The three institutions in South Africa that provide training for Dental Technicians do not provide training to those technicians who would like to pursue a clinical career path. Internationally, Dentists have argued that Dental Technicians have insufficient clinical capabilities. They feel that technicians do not have sufficient knowledge and experience in dealing directly with patients, and consequently have identified a need for further training of Dental Technicians before they are recognised as Clinical Dental Technicians. The aim of this study was to evaluate educational institutions’ readiness in terms of the role transformation of Dental Technicians and to establish perceptions about the introduction of this new profession by Dentists, Dental Technicians and Dental Technology lecturers. The views of these three stakeholders have implications not only in terms of the development of a new curriculum, but were also found to raise serious concerns about the implementation of this profession in South Africa. Data was collected by means of questionnaires and personal interviews with Dentists, Dental Technicians and Dental Technology lecturers in South Africa. The responses were transcribed and then coded according to pertinent themes for interpretation purposes. The data revealed major differences in the perceptions of the proposed profession by the three sectors. This has important implications for the likely success of Clinical Dental Technology, given the need for these sectors to work together as members of the dental team. The data also reveals concerns about the type of training that would need to be incorporated into the curriculum and who would be able to provide such training. By using an overview of curriculum theory, this study also raises concerns that clinical aspects might be infused into the curriculum as simply the acquisition of additional technical skills, rather than as a significant shift in professional identity to incorporate patient care.

WORK-RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS AMONG DENTISTS AND ORTHODONTISTS A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry at Virginia Commonwealth University. by Natalie R. La Rochelle Thesis Director: Dr. Eser Tüfekçi, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., M.S.H.A. Professor, Department of Orthodontics Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia May 2017 The practice of dentistry is physically demanding due to static and dynamic postures sustained daily throughout careers. Previous literature suggests that work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) are not solely the result of work habits, but also due to the individual, his or her physical makeup, genetics, and personal lifestyle. A 33-question survey was distributed to 1000 general dentists and 2300 orthodontists. The overall prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders was greater among dentists and most often reported as self-limiting. Dentists were three times more likely than orthodontists to report WMSD; females were twice as likely to report WMSD than males; those who sought alternative medical remedies were two times more likely to have WMSD; and practitioners 6-10 years in practice were least likely to report WMSD. Dentists reported sitting in static positions longer than orthodontists; and those with WMSD indicated exercising, stretching, and seeking alternative health remedies more than dentists without WMSD.

The purpose of this study was to identify and compare preferences and perceptions of orthodontists and general dentists when restoring peg-shaped lateral incisors. The investigation sought to summarize these preferences with regard to treatment planning, tooth preparation and interdisciplinary communication. A pair of mailed and electronic surveys was distributed to 1,500 general dentists and orthodontists, respectively. The results indicated that general dentists perceived that general dentists held the primary decision-making responsibility, while orthodontists disagreed (P<0.0001). Orthodontists prioritized the treatment goals of Class I canine relationship and overbite/overjet more significantly than general dentists, whom valued tooth proportions more highly (P<0.0001). General dentists reported receiving significantly less input than orthodontists report seeking (P<0.0001).The consensus of both groups showed that the tooth should be positioned centered mesiodistally and guided by the gingival margins incisogingivally. Both groups agree that orthodontists must improve communication to improve treatment results.

Recently, soft tissue lasers have been introduced into orthodontic practice to perform procedures that were traditionally referred to other dental professionals. The purpose of this study was to compare the attitudes of orthodontists, periodontists, and general dentists regarding the use of soft tissue lasers by orthodontists. The ultimate goal was to facilitate communication among dental professionals and improve the care of orthodontic patients requiring management of soft tissues. A survey was developed to evaluate and compare the current opinions of orthodontists (n=330), periodontists (n=171), and general dentists (n=77) regarding orthodontists’ use of soft tissue lasers. When compared to orthodontists and general dentists, a lower percentage of periodontists indicated that soft tissue laser use by orthodontists was appropriate (P = 0.001). Also, for each of the 8 specific soft tissue laser procedures investigated, periodontists reported a significantly lower level (P = 0.001) of appropriateness than did orthodontists and general dentists.

Analysis and forecast of the number and demographic structure of dentists in the Czech Republic Abstract Demographic aging and the associated fear of shortage of dentists in the near future is currently frequent topic. This problem is caused in the late seventies and early eighties, when unusually large number of graduates of dental disciplines finished studium and became dentists. In the next few years, the number of graduates declined significantly, and then held for decades at a constant level. This dominant age category of dentists has currently reached retirement age. A large number of old dentists provoked a reaction in the form of re-increase university capacity and current number of graduates is comparable with numbers in the period before 35-40 years ago. The purpose of this paper is to examine this changes and decide, if this changes were sufficient to keep current situation in the field of dental health care. Keywords: dentists, aging of dentists, forecast, age structure, Czech republic