Nurse Practitioners (NPs) comprise a significant portion of the U.S. primary care workforce and play an essential role in patients' health awareness, prevention strategies, disease management, and in providing appropriate provider referrals. Nurse Practitioners receive education on the oral-systemic connection, yet there have been limited studies on the clinical practice of NPs assessing the oral cavity to evaluate the condition of the teeth and the oral tissues. The purpose of this study was to explore the nurse practitioners’ knowledge and practice habits of assessing the oral cavity for diseases or abnormalities in the mouth that can, in turn, affect overall health. A total of 66 NPs were included in the study, primarily female (91%) with master’s degrees (77%). While knowledge and education were not significantly associated, this research found significant associations between confidence and assessments, less than one-third (30.3%) were confident in their knowledge and ability to evaluate oral abnormalities.

Aim: To evaluate different parameters potentially affecting the efficacy of air-polishing devices in disinfecting implant surfaces in a non-surgical treatment approach of peri-implantitis lesions. Material and method: Altogether, 56 turned and 56 moderately rough implants were coated with a simulated biofilm. The implants were mounted in customized resin models simulating peri-implant 30° bone-defects, 3- and 5-mm deep; soft tissues were simulated with ballistic gelatin. Each implant was cleaned for 30 or 90 seconds in total (6 sites pr. implant; 5 or 15 seconds pr. site) with one of two different air-polishing devices (W&H and EMS). Implants were photographed in three different angulations and the amount of residual biofilm on the implant surface was measured digitally. Beta-regression models were used to assess the outcome. Results: Implant surface, treatment time and air-polishing device significantly affected the amount of residual biofilm. Turned implant surface, longer treatment time, and using the EMS device resulted in significantly less residual biofilm. In the most apical part of the defect, both air-polishing devices performed similarly, however, this was also the area with most biofilm left compared to more coronal aspects. Defect depth had no significant effect.  Conclusion: Superior biofilm removal is achieved at implants with turned surface, and when applying longer treatment time. At the deepest aspect of the defect, implant decontamination is compromised. / Syfte: Syftet med denna laborativa studie är att utvärdera olika parametrar som potentiellt kan påverka effekten av air-polishing maskiner vid icke-kirurgisk rengöring av implantat för behandling av peri-implantit. Material och metod: Sammanlagt, 56 turned (maskin bearbetade) och 56 moderately rough (måttlig ytråhet) implantat var belagda med en biofilmimitation. Implantaten var placerade i en specialgjord resin-modell som simulerar en 30° bendefektmodell med 3- respektive 5 mm defektdjup; mjukvävnaden simulerades med ballistiskt gelatin. Varje implantat rengjordes i totalt 30 eller 90 sekunder (6 sidor per implantat; 5 eller 15 sekunder per sida) med en av två air-polishing maskiner (W&H och EMS). Implantaten fotograferades sedan ur tre olika vinklar för att digitalt bedöma kvarstående biofilm. Implantatyta, tillverkare, defektdjup och behandlingstid analyserades som prediktionsvariabler för kvarstående biofilm (%). Beta-regressionsanalys användes för att bedöma resultatet. Resultat: Implantat-yta, tillverkare och behandlingstid påverkade mängden kvarvarande biofilmsimulation signifikant. Maskinbearbetade implantatytor, en längre behandlingstid, användande av EMS maskinen, resulterade alla i signifikant mindre kvarvarande biofilm. De två tillverkarna presterade endast lika i de mest apikala delarna av defekten, men detta var också det område med mest kvarvarande biofilm jämfört med mer koronala aspekter. Defekt djup hade ingen signifikant effekt på resultatet. Slutsats: Man kan förvänta sig bättre borttagning av biofilm när man behandlar maskinbearbetade implantatytor samt när man använder en längre behandlingstid.Vid den djupaste aspekten av defekten, äventyras dekontaminering av implantat