Developing a Dental Curriculum for the 21stCentury in a New Dental School in Saudi Arabia

The existing dental curriculum is taught at the College of Dentistry since 2002. The aim of this research is to explore the satisfaction levels of faculty members and students with that curriculum. This information will justify a curriculum reformation plan that addresses the aspirations of both faculty members and students. In this cross-sectional study, a two-section survey was prepared. Section 1 investigated the level of satisfaction with the curriculum, and Section 2 sought reasons why participants were satisfied with the curriculum. The questionnaire was electronically mailed to faculty members, interns, and senior students. Data were analyzed to identify patterns and points of disagreement expressed by faculty and students. The overall response rate was 68.7%. The mean standard deviation (SD) score in the study sample from all respondents was 5.0 (+3.0). Faculty significantly registered higher satisfaction than students (mean (SD) = 5.9 (+2.9) and 4.1 (+2.8), P=0.002). Results of multivariate analysis showed that faculty members were more satisfied with the curriculum than students because they thought the curriculum prepared competent graduates (regression coefficient = 1.76 and 0.69). Teaching staff and students’ satisfaction levels with the curriculum were significantly associated with their perception that the curriculum produces competent graduates. Areas with low students’ satisfaction levels were related to promotion of engagement with others and development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. These areas should be the focus of future curriculum reformation to prepare competitive graduates with competences aligned with the recommendations of the Saudi Arabia Qualification Framework and of the international benchmarks.

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Burden of Musculoskeletal Disorders among Recent Dental Graduates in Saudi Arabia: A National Survey

JOURNAL FOR CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH ◽

10.7860/jcdr/2021/50990.15425 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hebah M Hamdan ◽

Khawlah Alharbi ◽

Hatton Alsaper ◽

Shahad Alsubayae ◽

Abrar Tounsi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Musculoskeletal Disorders ◽

Online Survey ◽

Alternative Therapy ◽

Daily Activities ◽

Dental School ◽

Categorical Variables ◽

Continuous Variables ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Impact

Introduction: Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are one of the most prevalent occupational hazards affecting dental professionals. Aim: To assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of MSDs among recent dental graduates in Saudi Arabia and evaluates their practice of ergonomics as well as the impact of MSDs on their daily activities. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among all dental interns (n=1552) who graduated from dental schools in Saudi Arabia in the academic year 2018-2019. Data was collected between January 2019 to March 2019 through online survey via SurveyMonkey™. Through the questionnaire, data about participants’ demographics, symptoms of MSDs in the previous 12 months, preventive ergonomic working practices, effects of MSDs on their daily activities, and coping strategies were collected. Descriptive statistics, including mean±Standard Deviation (SD) were computed for continuous variables, while frequencies and percentages were computed for categorical variables. Results: In total, 889 dental interns participated in this study (response rate of 57.3%). A total of 54.3% of the participants experienced symptoms of MSDs in atleast one body part in the previous 12 months. The neck (41%), shoulder (37%), and lower back (31.9%) were the most affected regions. Female interns demonstrated a significantly higher risk of presenting with MSDs than male participants (OR: 2.3, CI: 1.7, 3.1). Alternative therapy was the most reported strategy for dealing with pain (44%, n=190). In total, 58.2% of the interns who presented with MSDs had their daily activities affected (n=251). Conclusion: MSDs are significant health problems among recent dental graduates in Saudi Arabia affecting the daily activities of the majority of those affected. Females were at higher risk of developing MSDs than males. To prevent this issue, dental school authorities should develop and implement strategies to ensure effective integration of ergonomics education in dental school curricula.

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Screening and Allotting Completely Edentulous Patients using Prosthodontic Diagnostic Index in a Dental School, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

JOURNAL FOR CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH ◽

10.7860/jcdr/2021/48343.14878 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mohammed Shammas ◽

Nagihan Kuru Muhcu ◽

Elaf Abdullah Alzahrani ◽

Rana Ali Alsaadi ◽

Elaf Mohammed Alshaqha ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Dental School ◽

Class I ◽

Mandibular Bone ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

Edentulous Patients ◽

Bone Height ◽

Diagnostic Index ◽

Complex Cases ◽

Class Iv

Introduction: To formulate an ideal treatment plan for edentulous patients, data collected from various diagnostic aids need to be structured and classified according to their treatment needs. The lack of structured diagnostic findings for edentulous patients has always been a barrier to effective care for patients. To address these issues, the American College of Prosthodontists (ACP) established the Prosthodontic Diagnostic Index (PDI) based on specific criteria. Aim: To screen and allot completely edentulous patients to students using PDI in a dental school, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 122 completely edentulous patients who visited the outpatient clinic of a dental school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The edentulous patients based on PDI were classified into four classes (Class I–IV) according to the diagnostic findings based on the complexities. The parameters studied were: mandibular bone height measured on a panoramic radiograph, residual ridge morphology of the maxillary arch, muscle attachments in the mandibular arch, and maxillomandibular relationship. Statistical analyses were performed using counts and percentages. Results: In the overall classification of PDI maximum 52 (42.6%) patients were classified as Class IV. Among the different criteria of PDI, 48 (39.4%) patients exhibited Class III mandibular bone height of 11-15 mm, whereas 40 (32.8%) patients exhibited Class IV mandibular bone height of 10 mm or less. In the maxillary residual ridge morphology, 62 patients (50.8%) were classified as Class I. A large number of patients 84 (70%) had Type A mandibular muscle attachment criteria and were classified as Class I or II. In the maxillomandibular relationship, the maximum number of patients 74 (60.7%) was of Class I. Conclusion: The majority of patients in the study were categorised as Class IV (severely compromised). Edentulous patients must be classified according to PDI during the initial screening phase so that less complex cases (Class I and II) can be allotted to undergraduate students and more complex cases (Class IV) can be handled by prosthodontists or can be referred to specialist centers so that costly and time-consuming remake of complete dentures can be avoided.

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Role of dental school pharmacy in education and patient service

Journal of Dental Education ◽

10.1002/j.0022-0337.1973.37.10.tb00746.x ◽

1973 ◽

Vol 37 (10) ◽

pp. 44-46

Author(s):

TJ Pallasch ◽

JF Schlegel ◽

RM Oksas

Keyword(s):

Dental School ◽

Patient Service

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