As antiviral vaccines are still pending for the COVID-19 disease, improving dentists’ knowledge and prevention measures is important. This study aimed to assess dentists’ knowledge, attitude, and perception of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia during the early outbreak period. In addition, infection control measures for dental setting were also assessed. Online questionnaire was distributed to dentists in different regions of Saudi Arabia when COVID-19 outbreak in Saudi Arabia was at its beginning. The questionnaire was assessing demographic variables, knowledge, attitude, risk perception, and preparedness towards COVID-19. Questions regarding infection control measures were also included. The correct incubation period of the virus was recognized by 43% of participants. Fever, cough, and shortness of breath were the mostly recognized symptoms for COVID-19 (98.9%, 95.5%, and 93.3% respectively). Participants in age groups ≥60, 50–59, and 20–29 years old were more likely to perceive COVID-19 as a very dangerous disease compared to 30–39 and 40–49 age groups. Dentists in Saudi Arabia showed satisfactory knowledge and positive attitude towards COVID-19. Improving dentists’ level of knowledge could be achieved through increasing their accessibility to materials provided by dental health care authorities, which specifies the best and safest approaches for dealing with patients during and after the outbreak.

Introduction: Prosthodontics is a challenging subject for dental students. This study explores the incidence of exam anxiety among prosthodontics students and the variables that moderate it. Methods: A cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to fourth-year undergraduate students immediately before examinations, with a 77% response rate (55.7% female, 44.3% male). Results: A lack of time to prepare before exams and an inability to recall before exams were the main factors affected by gender. In addition, 63.5% of male students agreed that social media and mobile phones are distractions, while 81.8% of female students disagreed (P<0.001). Within the removable prosthodontic courses (preclinical or clinical), 61.0% of students agreed that a lack of time to prepare before exams is an issue with the clinical course, while 58.5% of the students moderately agreed it is an issue with the preclinical course (P=0.044). A lack of time to prepare, fear of failure, and the time of the examination were of greater concern with regard to quizzes than with mid-term examinations. Conclusion: This study highlights the presence of exam anxiety among prosthodontics students, as well as how that anxiety is influenced by gender, clinical courses, and the type of exam. This study suggests that students should be taught strategies to improve their study, life and time-management skills in order to overcome exam anxiety. This study additionally suggests that improving success rates in dental school requires placing an increased focus in the curriculum on test competency and examination patterns.

One of the most widely used esthetic restorations in dentistry is composite. The widespread application of composites can be related to advancements in biomaterials. However, due to various factors, composites are commonly associated with dental sensitivity. Hence, the present study evaluates and compares the effectiveness of three desensitizing agents in reducing post-treatment sensitivity for Class I composite restoration. Eighty subjects with Class I cavities were selected according to the inclusion criteria, and a randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial was carried out. Twenty patients were randomly assigned to four groups: Group C (Control group), Group GL (Gluma group), Group SF (Shield Force Plus group), and Group TC (Telio CS group). The desensitizers were applied after Class 1 cavity preparation and acid etching in all the groups, except the Control group, and thereafter, composite restoration was completed in a conventional manner. Questionnaires were provided to all the participants to record the post-operative pain/sensitivity level according to the visual analogue scale (VAS) on intake of cold drinks, intake of hot drinks, and intake of sugar for different periods of time. Significant variation was observed between the three desensitizers for all three stimuli. However, no significant variations were seen with the various age groups and between the maxillary and the mandibular teeth at the different time periods. Group GL performed better than Group SF and Group TC. It can be proposed that the application of the desensitizers reduced the post-restorative sensitivity in the composite restorations and improved acceptance.

Purpose: The long-term success of any organization is highly dependent on client satisfaction. This applies to the medical and dental fields, where patient satisfaction is considered an indirect indicator of the quality of service provided. This study aimed to assess the level of satisfaction of patients treated by final-year undergraduate students at King Abdulaziz University Dental Hospital (KAUDH). Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, an online questionnaire was distributed to patients (aged ≥ 14 years) treated at KAUDH by sixth year students during the academic year 2020/2021. The questionnaire comprised 36 items, including demographic and general data, type of dental problems, type of dental treatment received, and satisfaction assessment based on the Dental Satisfaction Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and independent sample t-tests (α=0.05). Results: A total of 203 responses were received (58% response rate). The reliability of the satisfaction tool (Cronbach’s alpha) was 0.88, indicating a high reliability. The overall satisfaction level was 80.1% (± 14.2). The satisfaction levels related to pain management, quality of care, and access to care were 76.4% (± 19.9), 86.2% (± 17.1), and 77.5% (± 16.5) respectively. The highest satisfaction level (91.5%) was related to the quality item “The student was always treating me with respect”. Age, number of visits, length of treatment, case severity, and treatment complexity were not significantly correlated with patient satisfaction (p ≥ 0.116). New patients who had their files directly opened by a sixth-year student and were treated immediately were more satisfied than patients who already had files at KAUDH and were referred to sixth-year students for treatment (p=0.029). Conclusion: Patients treated by final-year students at KAUDH showed high satisfaction levels in relation to pain management, treatment quality, and access. However, the satisfaction of existing old patients was lower than that of new patients, which warrants further assessment, particularly regarding the hospital referral system.

Background: Improved Lithium Disilicate Ceramic has been highly valued in dentistry for over two decades, owing to its durability and aesthetic qualities, making it a preferred choice for both anterior and posterior crowns. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the flexural strength of two types of lithium disilicate blocks post-chewing simulation. Materials and Methods: Seventy-six lithium disilicate specimens were utilized in this study. They were divided into two primary groups (n=38) based on two brands: IPS Emax CAD LT (Ivoclar Vivadent) designated as (E), and Initial Lisi LT/B1 (GC America) designated as (L). Each primary group was further split into two subgroups (n=19) based on surface treatment: group E into (E0 & E1) and group L into (L0 & L1). Half of the specimens were subjected to flexural testing without chewing simulation cycles and designated as (E0 and L0), while the remainder were tested after 24× 10⁴ cycles of chewing simulation and designated as (E1 and L1). The ceramic surfaces were examined using SEM before and after loading. Statistical Analysis: Data were gathered, organized, and subjected to Shapiro–Wilk’s and Levene’s tests (p-value < 0.05), followed by analysis with Brown-Forsythe two-way ANOVA and Tamhane’s post hoc tests to assess group differences (p-value < 0.05). Results: There were significant statistical differences in the flexural strength values between the different brand groups before and after chewing simulation (p-value < 0.05). The IPS Emax CAD group showed values approximately twice that of the Initial Lisi group (307.2– 310.5 MPa ± 48.5– 67 vs 148.1– 158.5 MPa ± 24.6– 25.6). Conclusion: Within the limitation of the current study, the following may be concluded: 1. The study’s findings suggest that Initial Lisi blocks should not be used for posterior teeth restorations. 2. This study can provide valuable insights for dental professionals to make informed decisions about which material is most appropriate for various clinical situations.