This study aims to identify and extract parental perception and acceptance of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) application in treating dental caries with the objective of a) evaluating parental acceptability of SDF as a treatment choice for dental caries in their children and b) investigating parental concerns regarding the use of SDF for childhood caries. A cross-sectional survey using a reliable questionnaire was conducted among parents of children aged 2-10 years, who reported to the department of paediatric dentistry at two dental hospitals between June 2020 and January 2021. 197 participants/guardians were included in the study and 128 showed acceptability towards SDF, out of which, 99 preferred upper posterior teeth for the treatment. The dentists' advice became a major factor affecting treatment option for 108 participants. Parental age also impacted the choice of SDF as a treatment option (i.e., those aged 31-40 years were more aware of SDF treatment than younger or older age groups). Parental acceptance of SDF in comparison to other dental caries treatment options in children was found to be higher when more invasive treatment choices were provided. Aesthetic appearance and cost of treatment were significant concerns for the parents.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can empower clinicians to make data-driven decisions, treatments and streamline administrative tasks. However, it is vital to understand their perception towards AI for seamless implementation in practice. Therefore, the study aimed to assess the attitude, receptivity and readiness of medical and dental practitioners towards the use of AI in clinical practice. A cross-sectional study employing non-probability convenience sampling was conducted from April to August 2024. A questionnaire was distributed among practitioners working in public and private sector hospitals. The questionnaire included a validated tool, the General Attitude towards Artificial Intelligence Scale (GAAIS), comprising of total 20 items with two subscales; positive and negative attitudes. They were rated on a 5-point Likert scale, ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5). The items of negative attitudes were reverse coded. Self-formulated questions to assess the readiness of medical and dental practitioners to incorporate AI in practice were also included. Data was analyzed using IBM SPSS v.25. Results were reported as frequencies and percentages. Statistical analysis was performed using Mann-Whitney U, and Chi-squared test for continuous and categorical variables. The association between two continuous variables was assessed through Spearman’s correlation. A total of 451 responses were analyzed. The mean score for positive attitudes toward AI was 3.6 ± 0.54, whereas for negative attitudes it was estimated to be 2.8 ± 0.71. Approximately 187 (41.5%) respondents believed AI was superior to humans in routine jobs. About 190 (42.1%) respondents agreed that AI can make errors. Most respondents 334 (74.1%) were aware of AI applications in healthcare, and 329 (72.9%) reported familiarity with AI technologies. However, only 153 (33.9%) felt confident in operating AI systems. While 282 (62.5%) expressed eagerness to incorporate AI into diagnosis and treatment planning, a significant difference was observed between groups, with dental practitioners showing greater willingness (p = 0.004). Additionally, dentists exhibited higher confidence in using AI compared to medical practitioners (p = 0.047). The findings suggest that most practitioners had a positive attitude towards AI and were receptive towards incorporating the technology as a beneficial tool in their practice. Ethical guidelines and extensive training can mitigate negative perceptions associated with the use of AI technology. It is also imperative that resources should be provided, specially to public-sector healthcare systems as they serve underprivileged communities. This will help practitioners gain familiarity with AI technology and will enable them to develop proficiency in AI use.

Dental students face the rigorous demands of coursework, which can lead to feelings of inadequacy and stress. These pressures can negatively influence self-efficacy and cause neglect in practicing healthy behaviors that encompass oral health. Identifying the associations of these variables with oral hygiene practices can help in the formulation of interventions tailored toward supporting young students. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the impact of health behaviors, perceived stress and self-efficacy on oral hygiene practices among undergraduate dental students in Pakistan. A national online survey was carried out among 904 students across the dental colleges of Pakistan. The survey assessed general health behaviors such as tobacco use, sleep, and exercise, among other demographic variables. Perceived stress was evaluated via the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and self-efficacy was evaluated via the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). Twice daily brushing, brushing for 2 min, and changing toothbrushes after 3 months informed oral hygiene practice of the participants. The students experienced moderate perceived stress (20.82 ± 5.92) and high self-efficacy (29.19 ± 5.43). The majority of participants were in their third year (31.9%), were female (65.9%), and resided in home during their studies (64.4%). Perceived stress was observed to have no significant effect on the oral practice of participants. Female gender, non tobacco user, regular exercise, frequent dental visits and higher self-efficacy were associated with good oral hygiene practices. The results highlight the importance of addressing stress, enhancing self-efficacy and encouraging healthy behaviors among dental students to improve their oral health, which could be reflected in their professional practice and personal well-being. This study contributes to the understanding of behavioral determinants and emphasizes the need for supportive measures to foster better health behaviors in future dental professionals.

Objective COVID-19 resulted in dentistry being declared high-risk occupation due to the mode of the spread of the virus. This resulted in partial and complete closure of dental practices around the world, reducing revenue of practitioners. Hence, study aims to evaluate financial impact on dental practitioners in Pakistan and UAE. Materials and Methods A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted from July 2020 to January 2021. It involved questions relating to demographics and financial challenges faced, associated with change in standard operating procedures due to pandemic. The descriptive statistics were expressed as frequency and percentage. Statistical analysis was performed by Chi-square test or Fischer's exact test. Results In total, 427 respondents participated in the study. Approximately half (55.7%) of the respondents had their practices shut down, while 89.9% observed decrease in patient flow. The majority (82.2%) of respondents had to buy personal protective equipment (PPE), whereas 66.7% had to pay a high cost for that. Almost 87.3% of respondents reported having experienced financial constraints because of the pandemic related changes to the practice. Moreover, 27.8% reported staff being laid off, which were mostly due to monetary constrictions. Conclusion Dental professionals faced a considerable impact on their practice and financial situation due to pandemic. Policies must be made to support such professionals in times of emergency who are at higher risk of being most affected with respect to health and finances.

Objective Handling medical emergency in a dental clinic requires skill and specialized equipment, without which a patient's life can be in jeopardy. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of medical emergencies in dental teaching hospitals and assess the preparedness of dental professionals with regard to the handling of emergency and the equipment available for that. Materials and Methods This is a cross-sectional study employing nonprobability sampling. Data were collected from dental surgeons working in clinical specialties of five dental teaching hospitals of Lahore, Pakistan. A validated questionnaire was adopted from another study evaluating emergency prevalence and preparedness. Chi square test was used to assess significant associations among categorical variables while independent samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance were used to compare mean values among different groups. Results Prevalence of medical emergencies encountered was 7.9%. About 45% of emergency events occurred during treatment. Hypoglycemia was reported to be the most encountered medical emergency, 83 (37%). Equipment that were available in most departments were stethoscope (81.8%), sphygmomanometer (79.7%), and oxygen cylinder (74.0%). Medications that were readily present were epinephrine (88.1%), glucose (83.2%), and aspirin (76.2%). Seventy-six (53.1%) respondents were not very well prepared to manage a presenting emergency. Twenty-two (85.3%) respondents suggested hands-on courses to improve their skills. About 56 (39.2%) respondents revealed that their departments were not well equipped to handle medical emergencies. Conclusion Most dentists will get to experience an emergency event during their practice for which they may be underprepared and lack appropriate skill and certainty in management. It also portrays serious lack of preparedness in the supporting staff as well as clinics being deficient in important emergency medication and equipment.

Background: Fasting places prohibitions on eating and drinking for a certain period of time. Although many dental treatments have been said to be safe and can be performed while fasting, other may result in breaking of fast. The study aims to evaluate the perception of dental patients of Lahore, Pakistan regarding effect of such treatments and hygiene measures during fasting. Methods : It was a cross-sectional survey carried out in 2 dental teaching hospitals of Lahore, Pakistan from September- October 2018. Patients were asked to complete a self-administered structured questionnaire developed to assess the knowledge regarding dental treatments, and hygiene practices while fasting. The questionnaire consisted of 7 items regarding the influence of dental treatments such as filling, scaling, and extraction etc. on fasting. Questions were also added regarding maintenance of oral hygiene such as brushing and its effect on fast. Frequencies and percentages are used to display results. Chi-squared test was used for statistical analysis to estimate difference between gender, and educational status with perception of procedures breaking fast. Results : Out of 415 responses, 374 were included for analysis. About 76.2% respondents believed that undergoing extraction broke fast. Scaling was thought to nullify the fast by 45.5% of respondents. 52.9% perceived root canal treatment to break fast along with 67.6%, who believed anaesthesia administration broke fast. As far as oral hygiene was concerned, brushing was reported to break fast by 57.5% with the use of mouthwash invalidating fast by 63.4%. Conclusion : The respondents were generally aware of some procedures not breaking fast however, most thought that administration of anaesthesia, undergoing root canal treatment, and extraction invalidated fast. Also, hygiene maintenance measures such as brushing and use of mouthwash during was also thought to break fast. It is imperative that the healthcare providers should be familiar with the effect of dental treatments and oral hygiene measures on fasting state that can influence the treatment plan of the patients.