Purpose: To evaluate the perception of six esthetic components of the smile among dental students and whether such a perception was influenced by different education levels and gender. Materials and Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire was applied to all students (n=182) at clinical levels (year four and five) to evaluate a total of 6 ideal images (smile arc [SA], buccal corridor [BC], gingival display [GD], midline diastema [MD], crown length [CL] and width [CW]). In addition, students were asked to evaluate 20 altered images of these ideal images. A 10-point visual analogue scale was used to assess the ideal images, with the right end of the scale labeled “attractive smile” and represented by the number 10 and the left end of the scale labeled “unattractive smile” and represented by the number 0. The opposite scoring was applied for the altered esthetics smile images. Descriptive statistics was run to report sample characteristics, and the Mann-Whitney U-tests were performed to compare clinical levels and gender on aspects of esthetic smile. Results: The response rate was 80% (77 females and 68 males). Students at level five scored statistically significantly (p< 0.001) higher towered attractive esthetic smile in ideal SA, while students at level four scored statistically significantly (p=0.016 and 0.006, respectively) higher towered attractive esthetic smile in ideal GD and CL. At altered smile esthetics images evaluation, fifth year dental students scored statistically significantly (p=0.030, 0.026 and 0.028, respectively) higher towered unattractive esthetic smile in two altered images of SA and one of BC. In contrast, fourth year dental students scored statistically significantly (p=0.022, 0.048, 0.027, respectively) higher towered unattractive esthetic smile in one altered image of GD, midline diastema and crown width. Males in year four were more likely to score higher than females for ideal images meanwhile females in year five scored higher than males towards attractive smile in ideal images. Males and females differences in scoring ideal images on both levels were generally non-significant (P> 0.05) although males were statistically significantly to score higher than females towards unattractive images in both levels (p< 0.05). Conclusion: Dental students at the fifth-year level of study had higher perception of esthetic components of smile than those at the fourth-year level. At each level of study, female dental students apparently had higher perceptions of smile esthetics than males.

PURPOSE: To assess the impact of enamel surface treatment protocols and the types of adhesive materials on the shear bond strength (SBS) of brackets to eroded enamel substrate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty extracted premolars were randomly assigned to four main groups in which group C (no treatment) was the control group. The remaining groups were exposed to an erosion challenge through short-term acidic exposure to HCl solution (0.01 M, pH 2.3) for 30 s, with an agitation speed of 50 rpm at an environmental temperature of 25°C. The eroded enamel surface within each group was treated as follows: group N received no treatment; in group P, the eroded enamel was treated with 35% phosphoric acid (Ultradent Products, South Jordan, UT, USA) for 15 s, followed by a rinse for 10 s; and in group F, the eroded enamel was treated with fluoride gel (Bifluorid 12; Voco-GmbH, Cuxhaven, Germany) for 4 min. The brackets were bonded with either a resin composite adhesive (Transbond XT; light-cure adhesive, 3M Unitek, CA, USA) or resin-modified glass ionomer cement (Fuji Ortho LC-GC Corporation, Japan). The specimens were tested for SBS, and the bond failure was assessed according to the adhesive remnant index (ARI). Analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's post-hoc tests (P < 0.05) were used to compare the SBS of the groups. The ARI values between the groups were recorded. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found among the tested variables (P < 0.05). Group P showed the highest mean SBS values regardless of the type of adhesive used, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The application of the fluoride gel showed no statistically significant improvement in SBS values. The failure mode distribution among the test groups indicated that failures at the adhesive–bracket interface were predominant in group C compared with the other study groups. CONCLUSIONS: Fluoride pretreatment, which was used to remineralize the eroded enamel surfaces before bonding, resulted in a decrease in the SBS of the orthodontic brackets in vitro compared with the other treated groups. The use of fluoride-releasing adhesive also enhances bonding to the eroded enamel surfaces.

This study sought to examine the effectiveness of hybrid learning utilizing WhatsApp as an adjunct to traditional learning in delivering knowledge to and supporting the learning of undergraduate dental students and investigate learner perceptions of WhatsApp use in educational contexts. The 3-month prospective analytical interventional study sampled 85 undergraduate students from the Department of Preventive Dental Sciences. A WhatsApp group was created, information was sent to the male and female groups, and a written assignment was used as a performance benchmark of knowledge acquisition and application. Perceptions of e-learning through WhatsApp were assessed using a previously validated and published questionnaire. Collected data underwent descriptive and bivariate analyses (unpaired t-test). The average assignment scores of the 85 hybrid learners were statistically significantly higher than those of traditional learners from the previous academic year (34 ± 1 vs 26 ± 3; p < 0.05, respectively). Meanwhile, 57 hybrid learners completed the survey, and 73% agreed/strongly agreed that introducing a new method of teaching via WhatsApp was useful, 70% reported that a professional and comfortable learning environment was created, and 70% felt that group distractions were handled appropriately. The top advantages of learning through WhatsApp were availability/immediacy (94.7%) and being simple to operate (91.2%). Males (40.4%) were significantly more likely to report a sense of belonging to the group than females (33.3%, p = 0.01). Respondents agreed that high expectations of teacher availability (71.9%) and some students making no effort (52.6%) were challenges. Message flooding (45.6%) and time-consuming nature of WhatsApp (36.8%) were identified as technical challenges. The findings showed significant improvements in student performance using the hybrid learning tool, as reflected in assignment scores. Positive perceptions of hybrid learning and improved academic performance indicate that WhatsApp is a convenient new teaching tool. The results of this study may be applicable to other clinical dental disciplines.

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess adult levels of knowledge, awareness of malocclusion and barriers to the uptake of orthodontic care alongside the associated factors (sex and gender). Methods: A convenience sample aged 18 years and above, residing in Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, Saudi Arabia, was recruited. A self-administrated validated questionnaire was used to collect the data, and data descriptive and inferential statistical analysis were performed. Results: Of the 700 distributed questionnaires, 554 usable were returned (response rate = 79%). The mean±SD age of participants was 26.40 (±7.87) years and 55.2% were females. Over 60% of the participants reported high oral health knowledge with respect to the alignment of teeth being important for esthetics and neglected malocclusion had consequences, eg, caries. Likewise, high percentages were having knowledge that thumb sucking (80%) contributed to malocclusion although early extraction of primary teeth and genetics was reported by just 52% and 40%, respectively. Awareness of the importance of teeth alignment was reported by 81.6%; however, 37.7% were only advised for orthodontic treatment. Notably, most of the aforementioned knowledge and awareness was statistically significantly higher among females compared to counterpart males (p < 0.05). As for barriers, high orthodontic treatment fees were the barrier for 80% of the total participants irrespective of age and gender. Females were statistically significantly more likely to report barriers for orthodontic care, eg, accessibility and length of treatment (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The majority of the participants scored high levels of knowledge and awareness of oral health-specific conditions in relation to malocclusion. Although females were significantly knowledgeable and aware of malocclusion compared to males, social and orthodontic treatment factors were perceived as barriers to uptake of orthodontic care.

In November 2002, a virus known as SARS-CoV was identified in Guangdong, China, and it was implicated as the etiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome. Seventeen years later, in the same month of November, a similar disease with more dramatic outcomes was identified in neighboring Wuhan. It has been six months since the identification of first cases of COVID-19 pandemic; however, unveiling clinical characteristics and modes of transmission of the disease are taking longer than expected. This overview aims to highlight some important points regarding the mode of transmission for which continuously surprising facts are being revealed every day. We also raise some vital questions to alert the scientific community to find the right answers and minimize the drastic fatal outcomes of this disease. It can be stated that SARS-CoV-2 could be transmitted as aerosol infection as well as through contacting infected surfaces. The possible role of abdominal gases as a route of spread of the virus should be considered and a fecal sample might be a useful diagnostic tool. Moreover, medical face masks are not protective from virus transmission during treating COVID-19 patients in settings where aerosol-generating procedures are performed. Doffing of PPE for healthcare workers needs more attention as this might be a source of infection unless additional measures of PPE disinfection are employed before doffing.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the association between sleep bruxism (SB) among children and parental sociodemographic characteristics and SB risk factors (eg, nose obstruction). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 250 parents of children under the age of 13 who visited pediatric dental clinics. Data were collected through a questionnaire completed by parents. Sociodemographic characteristics, the child’s medical history, sleep patterns and parents’ awareness of bruxism and its symptoms were investigated. Descriptive, bivariate and binary logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: The response rate was 85.2% (55% females, 45% males) and 25.8% of the parents self-reported that their children had bruxism. The regression analysis revealed that parents reporting SB among their children were significantly more likely to have SB themselves (8.62 [3.68– 20.16], p = 0.001). While children whose mothers had lower education level and were unaware of bruxism-related symptoms (such as teeth, jaw, or face pain) were less likely to be reported as having SB (0.35 [0.16– 0.75], p = 0.007; 0.36 [0.14– 0.97], p = 0.043, respectively). Parents who identified nose obstruction as a cause of bruxism also had children with a higher likelihood of having SB (5.49 [1.04– 29.08], p = 0.045). Conclusion: The findings highlighted that parental sociodemographic characteristic and SB risk factors associated signficantly with the prevalence of childhood SB.