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Biomedical subjects

B A Slome

Publications and source records attributed to B A Slome.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

Evaluating and influencing periodontal diagnostic and treatment behaviors in general practice.

Providers' periodontal diagnostic and treatment behaviors were assessed in 34 practices in two North Carolina counties. Regularly attending patients had a low prevalence of gingival pocketing on index teeth, moderate attachment loss, and fairly prevalent bleeding and calculus. Treatment frequency and patient knowledge were generally adequate, but the notation of periodontal status in the patient record was insufficient. A continuing education intervention resulted in substantial and significant improvement in notation rates. Changes in rates with which services were provided, and changes in patient periodontal status were smaller and mixed. The study shows that continuing education can be effective in helping some but not all providers adopt needed, appropriate behaviors.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1989

Efficacy of panoramic radiography in dental diagnosis and treatment planning.

We compared treatment decisions based on a clinical examination alone with decisions based on an examination plus a panoramic radiograph to determine whether the panoramic radiograph increased the diagnostic yield and consequently affected treatment. Provisional treatment plans, based on a screening clinical examination alone (n = 33), or on a screening clinical examination plus panoramic radiograph (n = 43), were compared with final treatment plans based on a complete diagnostic assessment (including all necessary radiographs). For this analysis, the final treatment plan was considered correct and used as the gold standard. The two groups used in the comparison were equivalent in age, gender, and final treatment plan needs. The availability of a panoramic radiograph did not improve the accuracy with which provisional treatment plans predicted the number of teeth requiring composites, amalgams, crowns, or extraction, nor did it improve the accuracy of the assessment of the periodontal status (Wilcoxon rank sum, alpha = 0.05). The proportion of patients who had an intra-oral full-mouth series as part of the complete diagnostic work-up was essentially the same for both groups (58% and 60%, respectively); the availability of the panoramic film did not reduce the need for full-mouth series radiographs for the development of the final treatment plans.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

The effect of eliminating administrative radiographs on patient exposure and accuracy of provisional treatment plans.

Published reports and recommendations suggest that radiographs are often ordered because of administrative policies during the screening and selection of patients for dental school clinics. This study examined the prescription of radiographs for two groups of patients: those who were radiographically examined according to an administrative policy and those whose radiographic needs were determined by a clinical examination. The provisional treatment needs assessment based on the screening examination was compared to the final treatment plan based on a complete diagnostic workup for both groups of patients to assess the effect of a change in school policy. Clinicians ordered half the number of panoramic radiographs as would have been ordered by administrative policy. There was no significant difference in the agreement between the provisional and final treatment plans under the two policies. These results suggest that dental schools can comply with federal recommendations against administrative radiographs without compromising patient selection.

Health Services Needs and Demand↗
PubMed1980

A survey of dental disease in children of Wuvulu Island, Papua New Guinea.

A convenience sample of 153 boys and girls, aged 3-16 years, inhabiting Wuvulu Island were examined for the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease and for oral hygiene status. Average df teeth and surface scores for the group were 2.08 and 3.35, respectively, while average DMF teeth and surface scores were 0.90 and 1.20, respectively. Of the sample, 30.7% were caries free. Oral hygiene was poor and males had significantly more periodontal disease than females. While primary teeth were about three times more susceptible to caries than permanent teeth, tooth loss due to caries was not a problem in primary teeth. The authors discuss findings of other researchers and reasons for the greater prevalence of caries in primary teeth.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Factors affecting patient completion of treatment within a student dental clinic.

Failure of dental patients to complete their treatment challenges the efficient use of human and clinic resources, expectations of improved patients' health, and the dentist's effective management of his patients. Accordingly, the present study was undertaken to explore factors which might account for adult patients not completing their treatment at the University of North Carolina dental school. These factors were simultaneously considered as determinants of completed treatment. Possible explanations were considered from providers' (dental students') as well as inactive patients' points of view. Results revealed substantial agreement between patients and students, and yielded the following general determinants of treatment completion: patient's availability for treatment, how cooperative or treatable the patient was, and the patient's satisfaction with treatment. Demographic explanations were minimal. The findings can guide efforts to refine present methods of patient screening and patient management as practiced by dental students and their preceptors.

Appointments and Schedules↗