COVID-19 orthodontic practice management guidelines version 1.0 by Malaysian Association of Orthodontists

Most parts of the world are seeing cases of COVID-19 outbreaks. The 2019 pandemic of novel coronavirus, SARS CoV-2, has expanded from its original centre - Wuhan, China to a growing number of countries worldwide including our nation Malaysia. Although authorities in China and some other countries have succeeded in slowing their outbreaks, the situation remains unpredictable, laced with many uncertainties. As of 5th June 2020, the WHO reports that there are over 6.7 million cases worldwide and tragically over 393,000 reported deaths. The effects of this COVID-19 are numerous and unprecedented. This global pandemic has harshly affected the day-to-day running of world. Dentistry, including orthodontic clinical practice has been brought to a screeching halt when our Malaysian government imposed the Movement Restricted Order as of 18th March 2020. As efforts to combat the viral transmission have been by and large successful in managing to “flatten the curve” of infectivity for this highly infectious virus, various guidelines have been put together to ensure resumption of clinical practice in a safe manner for much needed continuation of patient care. This particular guideline aims to provide some guidance and advice from the Malaysian Association of Orthodontists specifically tailored for orthodontic patient care within the Malaysian context during this transitional phase, until such a time when vaccine or definitive therapy is successfully developed. This approach, shall be used in addition to the existing universal cross-infection protocols available (Malaysian Dental Council Guidelines for Infection Control in Dental Practice 2017 and recommendations by the Ministry of Health Malaysia) and regulations by the Government of Malaysia from time to time as we improve our knowledge and experience in dealing with this COVID-19. Orthodontic practices will need some time for acclimatisation but it is highly recommended that these become ‘new-normal’ practices in the near future with the main aim to protect all our patients, colleagues, staff and the public against the spread of this viral pandemic

Challenges in curbing illegal orthodontics in Malaysia: A qualitative study on dental law enforcement

Background: Braces are popular among teens in Southeast Asia because they are commonly associated with social status. This has led to a rise in the trend of fake braces, which are sold on the illegal market. Fake braces have raised public health concerns in Malaysia and despite ongoing efforts to increase public awareness of the issue, this unethical business remains unalarmed especially on social media platforms. Objectives: Data from 3 focus groups representing The Oral Health Legislation and Enforcement Section, Ministry of Health were used to explore the officers’ perceptions of the challenges in managing complaints against fake braces providers in Malaysia. Methods: 3 focus group discussions were carried out in either English or Malay, involving 12 active members of the dental law enforcement unit who have managed complaints of illegal orthodontic practice over the last two years. Semi-structured interview guides were used to prompt discussion. Participants were asked about their actions in response to complaints and their perceptions of the challenges faced during the incidents. Data collection was concluded once data saturation was achieved. Transcriptions of the recorded online discussions were posted to the participants to confirm their responses. All data were thematically analysed using NVIVO software and significant quotes were translated accordingly for data representation. Results: Data revealed six predominant themes which were: (1) lack of resources; (2) emotional strain on enforcement officers; (3) external support for illegal providers; (4) difficulty gathering information; (5) complex planning and execution of raids; and (6) lack of online regulation. Conclusion: The focus groups revealed that dental law enforcement on fake braces activities is complicated and requires detailed planning by various parties for a successful outcome. This study provides valuable insight into the challenges faced when combating illegal orthodontics in Malaysia and some ways to improve law enforcement effectiveness in fake braces reporting

Self-perceived orthodontic need and perception towards fake braces among university students in Malaysia: preliminary findings

Background: Fake braces are fitted by unqualified individuals and have raised public concerns in Malaysia. This study aimed to explore self-perceived orthodontic needs and perceptions towards fake braces among university students in Malaysia. A cross-sectional study using self-administered questionnaire was distributed via Google Form. The data were analysed descriptively using SPSS. In total, 246 participants completed the questionnaire. Majority of them were female (68.3%) with a mean age of 21.74 (SD: ±1.08). More than half were Malay (56.1%) followed by other ethnicities. Only 44.3% of them were satisfied with their teeth appearance with 15.4% perceived they definitely need orthodontic treatment. Another 58.1% perceived they most probably needed orthodontic treatment. About 6.5% admitted have had experience wearing fake braces. Participants also reported having friends (27.6%) and family members (6.1%) wearing fake braces. Meanwhile, one third (33.7%) of them had searched for information about fake braces. Only a small proportion (8.1%) agreed with the benefit of fake braces in improving alignment of teeth, while the majority (67.5%) of them believe the risks of wearing fake braces were greater. There are mixed perceptions towards fake braces among Malaysian university students, with a minority favouring fake braces treatment