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Biomedical subjects

J G Odom

Publications and source records attributed to J G Odom.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1991

Ethics and dental amalgam removal.

Recent media attention regarding dental amalgam restorations has generated needless fears among millions of dental patients. This article examines the issue of dental amalgam removal from an ethical perspective and offers some practical advice on how to address this problem in the dental office.

Beneficence↗
PubMed1991

Treatment decision-making: student choices of autonomy versus paternalism.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate dental students' use of the Hippocratic Principle versus a patient-autonomy approach to ethical decision-making. A questionnaire composed of three independent case situations was distributed to 113 junior dental students. The survey instrument allowed subjects to prioritize their choices of action from a series of alternative responses and to identify factors that influence their choice of action. A majority of responses appear to reflect a decision-making process based on patient-autonomy principles. Patient rights are important for this population, and their choice of action and the factors influencing these choices consistently emphasized autonomy.

Chi-Square Distribution↗
PubMed1988

Local dental programs: a descriptive assessment of funding and activities.

In 1986, 201 local dental programs received a dental survey requesting information on their programmatic activities. Survey categories included general agency information, dental coordinator characteristics, program budget, staffing and salaries, clinical services, health education and other programs, and miscellaneous questions. A total of 156 programs returned the survey, for a 77.6 percent response rate. This article provides descriptive data on various selected activities within local dental health organizations. Highlights include: (1) 12 agencies have terminated their dental program since 1982; (2) 88 percent of existing dental programs have a clinical component; and (3) the budgets of viable programs have increased over the past three years. These data will assist local health agencies and national organizations in program planning and serve as a resource for program directors, as well as those who are developing new programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Barrier techniques and hepatitis B vaccine policies in dental components of local health agencies.

National health organizations have issued guidelines for barrier control techniques against infectious diseases and for inoculation against hepatitis B. This study surveys the policies of local health agencies regarding the safeguards used in protecting their employees. Local health agencies (N = 201) operating independently of state health departments were mailed questionnaires seeking information regarding glove, mask, and eyewear policies, as well as hepatitis B vaccine policies for new and current employees. Of the 156 programs returning the survey, 127 (76.6%) reported having a clinical component. Many agencies did not require infection control policies to be implemented for every patient. Agencies that had dental directors who have held their positions for fewer than four years were more likely to have requirements for gloves and masks than agencies run by directors with longer tenure. Those agencies that provided dental treatment to inmates at correctional institutions were also more likely to require infection control policies. The data indicate policy inconsistencies among local dental health programs nationwide. Of considerable concern is the fact that infection control was not identified as a priority for the near future. Many local health agencies would benefit from further education in infection control.

Communicable Disease Control↗
PubMed1978

Contract grading in community dentistry.

Dental educators are constantly searching for ways to improve the affective environment within dental education. To enhance dental student independence and motivation while reducing anxiety, the authors implemented a contract grading teaching and evaluation technique within their community dentistry courses. This paper reports on faculty and student experiences with the contract grading system. The findings suggest that style of teaching and evaluation may enhance a more personalized understanding of course material and reduce student anxiety during the learning process.

Community Dentistry↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Informed consent and the geriatric dental patient.

Dental professionals are increasingly aware of their ethical responsibility to permit patients to participate in treatment decisions through the informed consent process. At the same time, growing numbers of geriatric patients present special challenges that can jeopardize the use of informed consent. Consequently, the use of informed consent with geriatric patients warrants special analysis due to complicating factors such as patient passivity and questionable competency. This article establishes the relationship between the ethical principle of autonomy and informed consent while examining factors that must be present in order for a valid informed consent to be obtained. Additionally, the article addresses informed consent issues regarding competent patients, geriatric patients with fluctuating or uncertain competency, and patients who are clearly incompetent.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Parental attitudes toward behavior management techniques used in pediatric dentistry.

Previous studies evaluating parents' attitudes toward behavior management techniques used in pediatric dentistry suggest that parental attitudes are generally negative. The purpose of this study was to reexamine this issue by comparing the effect of prior explanation on parental acceptance of eight behavior management techniques. Videotaped segments were made of children's dental appointments containing examples of eight behavior management techniques. One group of 40 parents viewed a videotape which provided no explanation for each technique before it was shown. Another group of 40 parents viewed a videotape which provided no explanation of the techniques. The parents then were asked to rate the acceptability of each technique using a visual analogue scale. Results indicated that the informed parents were significantly more accepting of behavior management techniques than the uninformed parents but both groups were generally positive about the techniques studied. Further, parents reporting greater stress were less accepting of the techniques studied.

Adult↗