PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Birn

Publications and source records attributed to H Birn.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Fear of amalgam: dentists' experiences in the Nordic countries.

The purpose of the present investigation was to study Nordic dentists' experiences with patients concerned about the possible adverse effects of dental restorations, their perceived ability to deal with this problem and their views as to the suitability of amalgam as a filling material. A random sample of practising dentists in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden were sent a questionnaire in spring 1990. Responses were received from 1732 dentists (65 per cent). In 1989, virtually every dentist had seen patients concerned about possible adverse effects of their dental restorations. The reported mean number of such patients per dentist per year was 80.5 (SD = 128.1) in Denmark, 39.3 (SD = 68.4) in Finland, 83.3 (SD = 194.1) in Norway, and 124.4 (SD = 210.3) in Sweden. Ninety-two per cent of the patients' questions concerned amalgam fillings. About 70 per cent of the dentists believed that inexplicable symptoms associated with amalgam fillings had a psychosomatic background. Only about a fifth of the respondents felt able to examine such patients without seeking medical expertise. In the absence of oral or medical indications, 65 per cent of the respondents in Sweden and 77 per cent in the other countries considered that dentists should advise patients against having their amalgam fillings replaced. About 5 per cent of the respondents were ready to stop using amalgam in the near future.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1991

Manifestations, acquisition and diagnostic categories of dental fear in a self-referred population.

This study aimed to clarify how manifestations and acquisition relate to diagnostic categories of dental fear in a population of self-referred dental fear patients, since diagnostic criteria specifically related to dental fear have not been validated. DSM III-R diagnostic criteria for phobias were used to compare with four existing dental fear diagnostic categories, referred to as the Seattle system. Subjects were 208 persons with dental fear who were telephone interviewed, of whom a subsample of 155 responded to a mailed Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and a modified FSS-II Geer Fear Scale (GFS). Personal interviews and a Dental Beliefs Scale of perceived trust and social interaction with dentists were also used to evaluate a subsample of 80 patients selected by sex and high dental fear. Results showed that the majority of the 80 patients (66%), suffered from social embarrassment about their dental fear problem and their inability to do something about it. The largest cause of their fear (84%) was reported to be traumatic dental experiences, especially in childhood (70%). A minority of patients (16%) could not isolate traumatic experiences and had a history of general fearfulness or anxiety. Analysis of GFS data for the 155 subjects showed that fear of snakes and injuries were highest among women; heights and injections among men. Fear of blood was rarely reported. Spearman correlations between GFS individual items and DAS scores indicated functional independence between dental fear and common fears such as blood, injections and enclosures in most cases. Only in specific types of dental fear did these results support Rachman and Lopatka's contention that fears are thought to summate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Dental students' views on their education and study circumstances in Nordic countries.

The curricula at the Nordic dental schools are similar in their content but may vary in the placement of different subjects and the way of teaching them. The aim of this study was to analyse Nordic dental students social background, and their reasons for choosing dentistry, their opinions on the course, and their future professional plans. A combination of an open-ended and structured questionnaire was given to final year dental students at the dental schools in Aarhus, Bergen, Kuopio and Stockholm. The response rate as 83%. The main reasons for choosing dentistry were its combination of theory and practice (29%), and a wish to work with people (20%), whereas only 4% mentioned the "high status" of the profession. Regular day-time work was emphasized by female students. Most students considered the teaching load heavy. The time devoted to the different subjects was considered sufficient, except for behavioural science and medicine, where the time was too short. There was general dissatisfaction with the teachers pedagogical skills, and there was a feeling that teaching was regarded as secondary to research. Most students planned to become private practitioners. Between 25-55% of the students wanted to specialize, and oral surgery was the most popular specialization.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Phenomenon of dental fear].

Odontophobia is a rather unique phobia with special psychosomatic components that impact on the dental health of odontophobic persons. It also has psychosocial components largely as a result of destruction of the teeth and subsequent embarrassment that can affect a person and cause a vicious cycle of dental fear. The phenomenon is facilitated by misunderstandings and myths generated by both patients and dentists. The most common reasons given in the literature for such strong fears of dental treatment are: 1) bad experiences in childhood for 85% of cases, 2) feeling of powerlessness and lack of control over personal emotional reactions and over the social situation in the dental chair, 3) social learning processes in which the image of the dentist is cast in a negative light by the mass media or by the person's relatives or friends and 4) that the person has other psychologic problems (in 20% of cases), such as serious phobias and/or neuroses. A strategy of researching and thus tackling the problem is presented which focuses on three essential targets that require studying and change: 1) the community at large and their image of the dentist, 2) the patient role and 3) the dentist role. Various model projects are presented along with their diagnostic systems. These are seen to focus in varying degrees on different elements of the target groups that effect the dentist-patient relationship but the need to come out into the community and make the social environment right for these patients is an important factor in all strategies.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Communication↗
PubMed1990

[How to evaluate dental fear].

The measurement of complex behavioral phenomena like dental fear requires allegiance to two great domains that often seem to conflict with one another: natural scientific method and the seemingly unpredictable human psyche. The need to preserve strict objectivity in scientific observations and yet flexibility enough to appreciate the contextual facets of psychological and social variables are a difficult combination. There are differing scientific philosophies that are presented here not as incompatible opposites, but as a complementary team of approaches to aid human behavioral problem solving in dental clinical science. The "positivistic falsification" tradition requires "objective" double-blind type experimental hypothesis testing, while the "phenomenologic-hermaneutic" tradition requires the researcher to grasp the context of the phenomena to be studied in order to understand and thereafter test the most relevant variables. Thus, there is a need for both traditions, since the relevant variables should be systematically evaluated (qualitative phase) before they can be adequately tested (quantitative phase). Clinical evaluation of dental fear draws on information gathered about a patient's verbal (cognitive) descriptions, behavioral symptoms and physiologic reactions. Commonly used psychometric testing scales developed to differentiate fears specific to dentistry, as opposed to general anxiety syndromes, are the result of observations made in several qualitative studies that not all dental phobics have general anxiety symptoms. Examples of these and other tests are listed and described, noting that verbal and behavioral testing appear more reliable than physiologic indicators. The patient's subjective sense of improvement is deemed to be an important factor in their confidence and efficacy to deal with the threats that the dental environment can bring them.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Dental Care↗
PubMed1989

Simple and time-saving computer programs for chairside assistants.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that CAI used at low cognitive levels is as effective and motivating as conventional teaching, while requiring fewer teacher resources. Seventy-six chairside-assistant students were randomly allocated to either a CAI-group or a control group receiving conventional teaching. The subject taught was the clinical armamentarium and its use. A performance and attitude test was given to both groups. Time used for constructing the CAI program and for conventional teaching was registered. The results confirmed the hypothesis.

Attitude to Computers↗
PubMed1987

The self-fulfilling prophecy in dental prophylaxis.

This report deals with the influence of the self-fulfilling prophecy on dental prophylaxis. The aim was to test if this phenomenon had any influence on the treatment of patients, they and their therapeutist's perception of each other and the result of the prophylactic work. Sixty patients and 34 students were involved. The patients were randomly classified as "good" or "bad". Twenty-seven students had a patient from each group. Dental plaque and gingival inflammation were recorded before and after the treatment. No difference in improvement between the two groups could be shown. Both patients and students were interviewed about their experiences and feelings during the treatment. All patients were satisfied with their therapeutist. The students generally accepted the classification although they were made aware of the self-fulfilling prophecy. This was confirmed by a significantly higher frequency of patient drop-outs, broken appointments and critical notes about the patients in the "bad" group compared to the "good". The conclusions are that the self-fulfilling prophecy can be initiated by even minor notes in patient files, and that this affects the treatment of patients.

Appointments and Schedules↗