The Dunning-Kruger effect (cognitive bias) is a psychological phenomenon that implies that individuals with a lack of knowledge and skills have an unrealistically optimistic image of their abilities compared to others. The study aimed to examine the presence of the Dunning-Kruger effect in fifth (final) year dental undergraduate students at Gulf Medical University, UAE, in clinical domains related to pediatric dentistry. A longitudinal cohort study was conducted at Gulf Medical University, College of Dentistry, to evaluate cognitive bias among 5th-year dental students at GMU in the competency domains of communication, diagnosis, and clinical skills in Pediatric dentistry. Overall, compared to the level of confidence of students in September, there was a decline in the level of confidence in January. With an increase in time, the percentage shifted to a higher level in May across all domains. Characteristic patterns of fluctuations in students' self-confidence during clinical exposure are observed. The research results prove that the Dunning-Kruger effect, the cognitive bias of the perception pattern, is present in the examined group of dental students.

Health Education. The aim of education is to impart knowledge on the causes of disease and decay of the teeth and periodontium, on the ways and possibilities of disease prevention and adequate treatment; to point out to the necessity of proper nutrition, regular and proper oral hygiene, proper use of fluoride products as well as to the significance of regular check-ups with a dentist. Nutrition. Frequent intake of carbohydrates leads to a higher prevalence of caries. Taking into consideration that it is neither obtainable nor recommendable to completely eliminate glucoses from the nutrition components, it is necessary to advice parents and children to take glucose (if possible) only along with the regular meal when the saliva flow is increased. Oral Hygiene. In order to establish oral hygiene as an important prophylactic measure influencing successful protection of oral health of the whole population, it is necessary to inform as many people as possible about oral hygiene effectiveness and its necessity in preventing oral and dental diseases; to develop the habits of regular oral hygiene maintenance in the youngest children as well as to refer them to the use of most adequate paraphernalia and agents for performing the daily oral hygiene procedures. Fluoride prophylaxis. Undoubtedly, fluoride is currently the most efficient agent for the prevention of dental pathology. The anticaries efficacy of fluoride is a consequence of the cumulative effect of several different mechanisms. They can occur on the dental surface or directly influence the mineral phase in the enamel. Each dental hygiene preventive program must include the content about the use of fluoride as the basic prophylactic measure. It is recommended to be the sum of the combined effect of systemic (endogenic) and local (exogenic) application. Conclusion. Regarding high prevalence of caries in children, the issue of prophylaxis is of great significance and current interest. In that respect, health education should point out to the significance of proper nutrition, regular oral hygiene and fluoride prophylaxis, all aimed at preventing denial diseases. It is certain that parents must take an active part in these activities both as educators and controllers of the proposed measures. .

Moebius syndrome is a rare nonprogressive congenital neurological disorder with a wide range of severity and variability of symptoms. This diversity is a consequence of dysfunction of different cranial nerves (most often facial and...

Collagen forms the major organic constituent of human tooth dentin with non-collagen proteins and proteoglycans contributing for minor fragment. Studies involving the nature of non–collagen proteins are comparatively rarer than the other dentinal components. With this background the authors conducted the present study. To identify the specific and unspecific non-collagen proteins in the dentin. Samples of teeth tissue prepared using guanine hydrochloride in natrium acetate and then subjected to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The samples were visualized using Coomassie Blue coloring technique. The pattern of electrophoresis of dentin fraction indicated large protein component. The mass spectrometric analysis results of the two gel parts confirmed the presence of dentin sialoprotein and bone sialoprotein in the dentin fraction. Difference in the molecular mass was evident between the two protien fractions. The authors suggest that since dentin sialoprotein is specific to dentin and not identified in any other tissue, it may be a unique constituent and may play a critical role in formation of dentin.

Introduction. The data on the health-condition of the first permanent molars among children in our region is scarce. Therefore, the need for more thorough analysis of the state of health of these teeth in the children from our region imposes itself, along with the need to determine the most critical period in which a significant increase in caries prevalence of these teeth takes place. Aim. The aim of the research was to perform a comparative analysis of the prevalence, average rate and structure of decay, missed and filled first permanent molars in the children of the younger school age in relation to those of the older school age. Material and methods. The research included 1.119 examinees, aged from 7 to 14 years. Examinees were divided into two groups according to their age: examinees of the younger school age and older school age. Dental check-up of the students was performed by means of a dental probe and mirror and the health condition of the examined teeth was registered by means of Klein-Palmer's DMF system. Results. The research determined high values of the examined parameters of the first permanent molars caries prevalence which increases with the age of the examinees. In the examinees of the age of 8, 9, and 10, statistically more significant values of the examined teeth caries prevalence parameters were registered, in relation to the examinees of seven years of age. In the examinees of the older school age, statistically significantly higher values were registered only for TCI and ACI and only in the examinees aged 14 in relation to the examinees aged 11. With the age, the percent of decay is decreases, while the percent of filled and extracted first permanent molars increases. Conclusion. Results show that the period between 7 and 10 years of age is the most critical and the most important period for the implementation of preventive-prophylactic measures aimed to preserve the health of the first permanent molars.

Background/Aim. One of the preconditions for efficacious systematic reduction of caries prevalence and prophylaxis is the determination of risks of this disease appearance. The aim of this study was to prove the significance of salivary carboanhydrase activity determination in estimation of caries risk in children. Methods. The study included 123 children of average age of 13.4?0.3 years and permanent dentition. The children were divided into two groups according to caries risk (low and high caries risk groups). Two samples of saliva - unstimulated and stimulated one were taken from each child. Salivary carboanhydrase activity, as well as pH value, bicarbonate and phosphate buffer levels were estimated in both group of saliva samples. Results. The investigation showed significantly higher carboanhydrase activity (p < 0.001) in both saliva samples in low caries risk group compared to high caries risk one. In children with low caries risk, both unstimulated and stimulated saliva show significantly higher bicarbonate and phosphate buffer concentrations (p < 0.001), as well as pH values. Conclusion. The lower caries incidence could be expected in children with high carboanhydrase activity and higher salivary buffer system parameters levels. The presented results suggest that salivary carboanhydrase activity represents the important marker of individual susceptibility for caries appearance in children.