The growing geriatric population is facing numerous economic challenges and oral health changes. This study explores the relationship between affordability of dental care and untreated root caries among older American adults, and whether that relationship is independent of ethnicity and socioeconomic factors. Data from 1776 adults (65 years or older) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were analyzed. The association between affordability of dental care and untreated root caries was assessed using logistic regression models. Findings indicated that untreated root caries occurred in 42.5% of those who could not afford dental care, and 14% of those who could afford dental care. Inability to afford dental care remained a statistically significant predictor of untreated root caries in the fully adjusted regression model (odds ratio 2.79, 95% confidence interval: 1.78, 4.39). Other statistically significant predictors were gender (male), infrequent dental visits, and current smoking. The study concludes that the inability to afford dental care was the strongest predictor of untreated root caries among older Americans. The findings highlight the problems with access to and use of much needed dental services by older adults. Policy reform should facilitate access to oral healthcare by providing an alternative coverage for dental care, or by alleviating the financial barrier imposed on older adults.

The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is an important joint that plays major functions, including dental occlusion, mastication, and facial expressions. Different diseases can affect the TMJ, including chronic inflammatory arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory arthritis worldwide associated with TMJ dysfunction. In this study, we assess the prevalence of TMJ among RA patients based on the Fonseca Anamnestic Index. Eighty-one patients with rheumatoid arthritis were interviewed by a trained physician to fulfill the Fonseca Anamnestic Index questionnaire. All participants underwent a medical file review to collect their sociodemographic data, RA duration, co-existing comorbidities, and different lab results. According to the Fonseca score, 29.6% had no temporomandibular disorder (TMD) among RA patients, while 39.5% had mild TMD. Only 6% had severe TMD. The female sex and increased body weight were associated with TMJ disease. The majority of rheumatoid arthritis patients (70%) suffer from some degree of temporomandibular joint disorder.

Background/Objectives: The use of gamification – game concepts and elements applied in nongame contexts – has garnered considerable interest across various sectors, including healthcare and education. This study aims to showcase the effectiveness of a virtual escape room (vER) activity to enhance undergraduate dental student’s understanding of differential diagnosis in oral through interactive and challenging cases. In addition, the study explores how this approach may influence student knowledge, identifies potential benefits, and highlights relevant challenges for implementing such gamification strategies in oral radiology education. Materials and Methods: The vER was created using Google Forms to engage dental students as part of the undergraduate oral radiology course. Following the initial formal presentation about the topic, this Es-R activity took place 1 week after in a classroom setting, engaging a total of 80 students. Knowledge was assessed using a pre and postactivity questionnaire. Feedback was collected using the Likert scale. A paired-sample t -test was used to analyze the difference between the preactivity and postactivity scores, and statistical significance was assessed at P < 0.05. Results: A significant increase in scores was noted from preactivity to postactivity. The mean preactivity score was 6.19 (standard deviation [SD] =1.8), whereas the mean postactivity score was 8.95 (SD = 1.2) out of 10 maximum points. A paired sample t -test revealed that the increase in scores was statistically significant ( P < 0.001). Conclusions: The findings of this study suggest that the vER activity significantly enhanced student knowledge, with overall positive feedback from participants. These findings suggest that such gamification strategies can boost academic performance. Further research is recommended to explore long-term retention of knowledge gained through such methods.