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Biomedical subjects

Ann L McCann

Publications and source records attributed to Ann L McCann.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Using research for clinical decision-making: evaluating a research report.

Oral healthcare professionals need to ascertain the quality of journals and to read articles critically, distinguishing good from poor research. The oral health practitioner must continually review dental research articles to learn about new options for therapy and oral health products. How does the practitioner know when he/she should incorporate these new procedures into their practice? This continuing education course will present guidelines for critically evaluating the research and for making decisions about how to apply the research findings to clinical practice.

Authorship↗
PubMed2002

Bridge to dentistry: one dental school's approach to improving its enrollment of underrepresented minorities.

Presently, 25.7% of the U.S. population is comprised of Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans. The dental school enrollment of underrepresented minorities (URM) does not reflect this demographic distribution. In 1994, URM students comprised 12.68% of enrolled dental students, but in 1999, enrollment decreased to 10.53%. This trend is evident at Baylor College of Dentistry (BCD). Bridge to Dentistry involves formal linkages with local school districts, Texas colleges and universities, community organizations, dental clinics, community dentists, and BCD. The program is unique in that it targets students from kindergarten through dental school. The key components are awareness, attraction, preliminary education, facilitated-entry, admissions, financial aid, and retention. Some important features of the program are visits to area schools, visits to colleges and universities, summer enrichment programs, and academic advising. Preliminary results indicate the effectiveness of the program. BCD has increased its enrollment of URM students 325% over that of 1998. In 1998, 4.7% of the college's first-year student enrollment was URMs. In 2001, 14.6% of Baylor's first-year student enrollment was URMs. Since 1995, BCD has retained 90.6% of its URM students.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2002

How well prepared are Texas dental hygienists to recognize and report elderly abuse?

The elderly are the nation's fastest-growing population, and the number of elder abuse victims has reached epidemic proportions. In Texas, dentists and dental hygienists are mandated by law to report suspected abuse. This study surveyed Texas dental hygienists regarding elder abuse education received in dental hygiene school and post-graduation. Respondents were also asked to self-assess their knowledge level in recognizing the six types of elder abuse and to answer questions regarding Texas law and mandatory reporting of abuse. A survey designed for this study was mailed to 780 Texas licensed dental hygienists, representing 10 percent of the Texas dental hygiene population. Respondents were selected using a computer-generated random sample. A second mailing was sent to nonrespondents to prevent response bias. Results were analyzed using Statistical Programs for Social Scientists (SPSS). Over one-half of the respondents (56 percent) stated that abuse education was not part of their dental hygiene school curriculum. Only 46 percent of the respondents who replied that abuse education had been included in the curriculum were educated on elder abuse. A majority of respondents stated they lacked knowledge in recognizing the six types of elder abuse, and 81 percent of respondents reported being unknowledgeable about reporting elder abuse. The current status of elder abuse education in dental hygiene programs and post-graduation is insufficient. Dental hygienists have an obligation to become knowledgeable in recognizing and reporting elder abuse in order to provide complete care for their patients.

Adult↗