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Biomedical subjects

Eric S Solomon

Publications and source records attributed to Eric S Solomon.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Demographic characteristics of endodontic practice sites in the United States.

Few studies have addressed the demographic characteristics of dental practice sites including endodontic practice sites. This study investigated the demographic characteristics of endodontic practice sites in the United States. Demographic data and endodontic practices were organized by zip codes and analyzed using discriminant analysis. The demographic characteristics associated with zip codes that contained an endodontic practice were determined versus the characteristics of zip codes that did not contain an endodontic practice. The resulting model correctly classified 93.7% of the 30,171 zip code areas based upon the presence or absence of an endodontic practice. The variables most closely associated with a zip code containing an endodontic practice included: number of dental practices (nonendodontic), population size, percent of adult population with a college degree, size of employed population, projected population growth (2005 to 2010), percent of population over 64 years old, and median housing value.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Comparative evaluation of endodontic irrigants against Enterococcus faecalis biofilms.

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of root canal irrigants against E. faecalis biofilms using a novel in vitro testing system. Biofilms grown in a flow cell system were submerged in test irrigants for either 1 or 5 minutes. Statistical analysis revealed a significant relationship between test agent and percentage kill of the biofilm bacteria (P < 0.05). No statistically significant relationship between time and percentage kill was found. The percentage kill of the biofilm bacteria was: 6% NaOCl (>99.99%), 1% NaOCl (99.78%), Smear Clear (78.06%), 2% chlorhexidine (60.49%), REDTA (26.99%), and BioPure MTAD (16.08%). Post-hoc analysis showed a significant difference between 1% and 6% NaOCl, and all other agents including Smear Clear, 2% chlorhexidine, REDTA, and BioPure MTAD (P < 0.05). Within the parameters of this study, both 1% NaOCl and 6% NaOCl were more efficient in eliminating E. faecalis biofilm than the other solutions tested.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2006

Grading dental students in a "nongraded" clinical assessment program.

This article details how Baylor College of Dentistry (BCD) merges graded and nongraded aspects of student assessments into grade point averages (GPAs); explains the use of its assessment tools to evaluate students, faculty, and curriculum simultaneously; and calls for continuous progress and quality improvement toward educational excellence among all levels of the oral health education community. "Nongraded" student assessments at BCD are only applicable to preclinical and chairside activities that involve direct patient care. We further summarize how we have attempted to improve the accuracy of grading while providing objective numeric grades to measure student performance and generate a class rank. We suggest that faculty evaluation and curricular change require appropriate evaluation methods and continuous quality improvement based on the chosen assessment methodologies. We then summarize how we merge graded and nongraded assessments into a final student evaluation that realistically discriminates among students' performance and present our numeric-to-letter grade conversion table. We conclude that 1) multiple strategies are required, available, and adequate to provide graduates with the numerical GPAs demanded by postdoctoral programs and that 2) continuous quality improvement among all levels of the oral health education community should be vigorously pursued by administration and faculty alike.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2004

Semantic integration and syntactic planning in language production.

Five experiments, using a subject-verb agreement error elicitation procedure, investigated syntactic planning processes in production. The experiments examined the influence of semantic integration--the degree to which phrases are tightly linked at the conceptual level--and contrasted two accounts of planning: serial stack-based systems and parallel activation-based systems. Serial stack-based systems rely on memory-shifting processes to coordinate ongoing planning. Memory-shifting should be easier for more integrated phrases, resulting in fewer errors. Parallel, activation-based systems, on the other hand, maintain multiple representations simultaneously in memory. More integrated phrases will be more likely to be processed together, resulting in increased interference and more errors. Participants completed stimuli like The drawing of/with the flower(s), which varied local noun number (flower(s)) and the relationship between the head (drawing) and local noun. In some constructions, the nouns were tightly integrated (e.g., of), whereas in others the relationship was looser (e.g., with, specifying accompaniment). In addition to the well-established local noun mismatch effect (more errors for plural than for singular local nouns), all experiments revealed larger mismatch error effects following tightly integrated stimuli. These results are compatible with parallel activation-based accounts and cannot be explained by serial, memory-shift-based accounts. The experiments and three meta-analyses also ruled out alternative accounts based on plausibility, argumenthood, conceptual number, clause packaging, or hierarchical feature-passing, reinforcing the general finding that error rates increase with degree of semantic integration.

Humans↗
PubMed2004

Effect of grade point average and enrollment in a dental hygiene National Board review course on student performance on the National Board Examination.

Passing the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination is a requirement for licensure in all but one state. There are a number of preparation courses for the examination sponsored by corporations and dental hygiene programs. The purpose of this study was to determine if taking a board review course significantly affected student performance on the board examination. Students from the last six dental hygiene classes at Baylor College of Dentistry (n = 168) were divided into two groups depending on whether they took a particular review course. Mean entering college grade point averages (GPA), exiting dental hygiene program GPAs, and National Board scores were compared for the two groups using a t-test for independent samples (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found between the two groups for entering GPA and National Board scores. Exiting GPAs, however, were slightly higher for those not taking the course compared to those taking the course. In addition, a strong correlation (0.71, Pearson Correlation) was found between exiting GPA and National Board score. Exiting GPA was found to be a strong predictor of National Board performance. These results do not appear to support this program's participation in an external preparation course as a means of increasing students' performance on the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2004

Non-graded clinical evaluation of dental students in a competency-based education program.

The objective of this article is to report the development, implementation, and early results of a non-graded normative dental student clinical performance assessment system based on our competencies documents. The normative system (student performance is compared to evidence-based clinical standards) was used and evaluated during the 2002-03 academic year and is now gradually replacing the traditional summative (numerical) grading system previously used at Baylor College of Dentistry. The methodology included: 1) consensus development of new clinical performance assessment forms over the summer of 2002; 2) concurrent fourth-year clinical faculty calibration to the new forms; 3) implementation at the beginning of the senior year for the Class of 2003; and 4) faculty and student evaluation surveys in May 2003. Every step of each clinical procedure was recorded, weekly performance summaries by both students and faculty were collected, and periodic workshops were held to refine the forms and further calibrate faculty. The results showed strong positive responses to the new system by graduates and faculty alike. We conclude that early results warrant broadened efforts toward a continuously improved schoolwide normative student clinical performance assessment system.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2004

Manpower.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Cultural Diversity↗
PubMed2002

Family violence content in dental hygiene curricula: a national survey.

Dental personnel are in an excellent position to recognize suspected abuse of dental patients because 65-75 percent of abuse occurs in the head and neck area. While most dental and dental hygiene curricula include the topic of child abuse, it has previously been unknown if other types of abuse, such as intimate partner abuse, elder abuse, and abuse of disabled persons, are addressed. This study was conducted to determine the extent to which dental hygiene programs have incorporated these family violence topics into the curriculum. Specific data on content, teaching methods, faculty, and resources were collected. Reasons for not including family violence in the curricula, attitudes on mandatory continuing education, and support services available for abuse victims were also examined. A fifteen-item survey was sent to all 229 U.S. accredited dental hygiene programs. Surveys were returned from 173 programs for a response rate of 77.5 percent. Child abuse was taught in most programs (N=122, 70.5 percent), while elder abuse (N=95, 54.9 percent), intimate partner abuse (N=81, 46.8 percent), and abuse of individuals with disabilities (N=80, 46.2 percent) were taught in fewer programs. Reasons for not including family violence in the curricula (N=31, 18 percent) varied. The need is critical for increased curriculum attention in U.S. dental hygiene programs to help stem the epidemic of family violence. Raising dental hygienists' awareness of the problem and potentially increasing the number of reports of and referrals for suspected violence may help more victims.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗