Patna Dental College

Background: Research is required for up gradation of different aspects of Dental Sciences that include clinical skills, material sciences, technological advancements and newer patient treatment protocols. The present study aimed to analyze the knowledge, attitude and practice in research among postgraduate students in dental colleges of North India. Materials and methods: This was questionnaire-based prospective and cross-sectional survey study conducted on 2000 postgraduate students of all subjects of Dentistry in a Dental college and hospital. Ethical approval was obtained from Institutional Ethical Committee prior to distribution of pre-validated study questionnaire. A Google form was designed after thorough reviewing by four independent subject experts involved in postgraduate Dental teaching and training. A final questionnaire was prepared after reaching upon common consensus. A pilot testing was performed questionnaire on smaller sized sample. The Google form was distributed among the study participants by WhatsApp and electronic mails. The study questionnaire was formulated in English language and comprised of two parts: a) Part A (Knowledge) and b) Part B (Attitude and practice). Part A questions were associated with subjects familiarity with research in dentistry and how the research can be incorporated in dental practice while Part B contained questions concerning one’s intentions regarding learning of research process and respondents’ attitude with respect to incorporating research as essential part of postgraduate training program. Statistical analysis: Collected data was analyzed by use of software, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 22.0 (SPSS v.22.0) for Windows (IBM Corp., Armonk, USA). Descriptive statistical analysis was used for defining characteristics of studied variables in form of numbers and percentages. ‘One Way Anova - F test’ was employed for establishing an association between variables, Statistical significance was considered if p < 0.05. Results: Age range of studied post-graduates was between 27-35 years and 66% respondents were females. 60% postgraduate students belonged to private Dental colleges while 40% belonged to public sector. 79.6 % of post-graduate students responded positively regarding research as an important component of postgraduate curriculum. 99% of students were aware of ethical committees at institutes. 98% students had good level of knowledge regarding different ethical guidelines that have been laid down by national and international agencies.50% postgraduate students were of the belief that Institutional Research Ethics Committees delays research mainly because of revisions and/or rejections. 89 % post-graduate students were positive regarding research training. 100% postgraduates knew that written informed consent is mandatory before starting any research-based study. Conclusion: In the present study most of the students had good knowledge regarding research and followed the ethical guidelines related to research

INTRODUCTION:Prosthodontics, a specialized branch of dentistry, plays a crucial role in oral health and overall well-being. However, awareness of its scope and importance among medical professionals outside the dental field remains understudied. Thus, the aim was to assess and compare the knowledge and awareness of medical faculty regarding prosthodontics as a dental specialty across three postgraduate medical colleges in India. METHODOLOGY:A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted among medical teaching faculty at three postgraduate medical colleges in India. A self-constructed, expert-validated questionnaire comprising 16 close-ended questions assessed knowledge and awareness of prosthodontics. A pilot study was performed to validate the questionnaire and identify potential implementation issues. Data collected from the three medical colleges were subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS:A total of 125 medical faculty members participated in the study, with a mean age of 41.2 ± 8.88 years and an average teaching experience of 10.2 ± 7.43 years. Knowledge regarding prosthodontics was notably high, with 102 (81.6%) correctly identifying its role in managing missing teeth and 116 (92.8%) recognizing subdivisions within the specialty. Implant-supported prostheses (n=59, 47.2%) and crowns and bridges (n=35, 28%) were the most preferred replacement methods. Referrals predominantly targeted prosthodontists for missing teeth (n= 90, 72%), crowns (n=104, 83.2%), and surgical reconstruction of oral structures (n=85, 68%), whereas plastic surgeons were primarily referred to for extra-oral prostheses (n= 78, 62.4%). Institutional differences significantly influenced referral patterns, particularly for missing teeth to prosthodontists (p = 0.028) and extra-oral prosthesis to plastic surgeons (p = <0.001). CONCLUSION:While the majority of faculty members possess knowledge and awareness of the field of prosthodontics, it is imperative to address certain key areas of prosthodontists' work to the teaching faculty of medical colleges across India.

Nursing students are future healthcare providers and there is limited evidence on how lifestyle and oral health behavior influence oral health quality of life (OHRQoL) in nursing students. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Ranchi district and included 400 nursing students to assess the lifestyle score, oral health behavior and OHRQoL using their standardized and validated tool. The data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and showed that 75.8% of nursing students had never been to a dentist for an oral health examination and more than two-thirds of the nursing students demonstrated good Hu-DBI Scores (70.5%) and good OHIP-14 Scores (75.5%). The number of nursing students demonstrating good HPI Scores was very low (8.3%) while, the nurses who had poor Hu-DBI Scores (OR=2.057, p value=0.001) and poor HPI Scores (OR=2.174, p value=0.043) were significantly more likely to have poor OHRQoL. There is a need for policies that will improve the oral health behavior and lifestyle factors of nursing students.

Background Impacted maxillary canines are among the most frequent eruption disturbances encountered in orthodontic practice and are often associated with other developmental dental anomalies. Their prevalence and eruption patterns vary according to malocclusion type, influencing diagnosis, treatment complexity, and prognosis. Aim To evaluate the frequency, distribution, and positional characteristics of impacted maxillary canines and associated anomalies across different sagittal malocclusion groups in young adults from Western Bihar. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using pretreatment records of 1,000 patients retrieved from the archives of the Patna Dental College and Hospital. Based on sagittal malocclusion (ANB angle), patients were categorized into Class I ( n = 500), Class II ( n = 326), and Class III ( n = 174) malocclusion groups. Impacted maxillary canines and associated anomalies—including transmigration, transposition, and agenesis—were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25.0, with chi-square and analysis of variance tests applied. A P value <.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 332 patients exhibited impacted maxillary canines (frequency: 33.2% within the orthodontic cohort). While Class I contributed the highest proportion of cases (40%), the highest within-group frequency was observed in Class III malocclusion (47.7%), followed by Class II (35.6%) and Class I (26.6%) ( P < .05). Labial impactions predominated in Class III (75.9%), whereas palatal impactions were more frequent in Class I. Associated anomalies were significantly higher in Class III malocclusion. Conclusion The frequency and positional pattern of impacted maxillary canines vary significantly across the malocclusion types studied. Class III malocclusion demonstrates the highest relative risk within the group. Early screening is essential for timely diagnosis and individualized orthodontic intervention, potentially reducing treatment complexity and associated complications.

The relation between hematological parameters and the presence of oral red and white mucosal lesions among non-tobacco-using adults diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia is of interest. Hematological parameters, including hemoglobin, serum ferritin, MCV, MCH and RDW, were recorded. Clinical oral examinations identified red (erythroplakia, atrophic glossitis) and white lesions (oral candidiasis, leukoplakia-like patches and angularcheilitis). There was a significant association between iron-deficiency anemia and specific oral mucosal lesions among non-tobacco-using adults. Screening for oral manifestations can aid in early diagnosis and intervention in anemic patients.