Career Development Plans of Dental Students at Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania

Examining dental students’ career development plans contributes to understanding of their professional expectations and planning of human resource for health within a health system. This study aimed to investigate the career development plans of Dental students at the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS). A cross-sectional study was performed by utilizing self-administered questionnaires, as data collecting tools. The questionnaires were distributed to all Dental students who participated in the study in 2014 (n=100). In the survey, students were asked about their socio-demographic characteristics, career development plans, future intensions and their areas of choice for their future career. The survey revealed that most students had decisive thoughts and sufficient knowledge about their future career. Majority of the students planned to practice as Dental professionals in Tanzania (39%), particularly in urban areas (chosen by 83%). Also, many students (72%) preferred to become prospective clinical scientists, especially in the fields of “Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery” and “Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics”. In the survey, the role of socio-demographic factors on students’ career development plans was also identified. Where, most female students compared to males reported that they prefer to work in urban areas. Additionally, many older students than younger ones favored to pursue clinical sciences in future. Although this study showed various perspectives regarding career development plans of Dental students in Tanzania, Universities need to ascertain professional counseling sessions and mentorship programs so that most students will be able to make informed decisions on their future career. Ultimately, the understanding of Dental students’ career development plans will facilitate planning of human resource for oral health and ensure their availability in many areas of Tanzania

Prevalence of malocclusion and its associated factors among pre-schoolchildren in Kinondoni and Temeke Districts, Tanzania

Background: Malocclusion is any deviation in the arrangement of teeth exceeding the standards of normal occlusion characterized by anomalies within the dental arches. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of malocclusion and its associated factors among pre-school children in Kinondoni and Temeke Districts in Tanzania.Methods: This cross sectional survey of children aged 3-5 years was conducted in Kinondoni and Temeke Districts in Tanzania. T Parents of pre-schoolchildren were interviewed regarding their socio-demographic details and their child’s sucking habits. Clinical examination was performed to each child to assess malocclusions.Results: The overall prevalence of malocclusion was 32.5%. In bivariate analysis, sucking habit was the significant factor associated with malocclusions. After controlling for socio-demographic variables, current sucking habits and sex remained significant determinants for having an open bite with odds ratios of 13.5 and 2.2, respectively.Conclusion: The study showed that more than one third of pre-schoolchildren in the two districts had one or more forms of malocclusions. Open bite was the most common vertical malocclusion trait which was significantly related to sucking habits and child’s sex. Thus, 3-5 year-olds can benefit from preventive and interceptive oral health measures which may either totally prevent or lessen the development of severe forms of malocclusions later in their lives

Malocclusion, psycho-social impacts and treatment need: A cross-sectional study of Tanzanian primary school-children

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>studies on the relationship between children's malocclusion and its psycho-social impacts are so far largely unexplored in low-income countries. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of malocclusion, reported dental problems and dissatisfaction with dental appearance among primary school children in Tanzania. The relationship of dissatisfaction with socio-demographic characteristics, clinically defined malocclusion and psychosocial impacts of dental anomalies was investigated. Orthodontic treatment need was estimated using an integrated socio-dental approach.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>One thousand six hundred and one children (mean age 13 yr) attending primary schools in the districts of Kinondoni and Temeke completed face to face interviews and a full mouth clinical examination. The survey instrument was designed to measure a Kiswahili translated and culturally adapted Child Oral Impact on Daily Performance (Child-OIDP) frequency score, reported dental problems, dissatisfaction with dental appearance/function and socio-demographic characteristics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The prevalence of malocclusion varied from 0.9% (deep bite) to 22.5% (midline shift) with a total of 63.8% having at least one type of anomaly. Moderate proportions of children admitted dental problems; ranging from 7% (space position) to 20% (pain). The odds ratio of having problems with teeth position, spaces, pain and swallowing if having any malocclusion were, respectively 6.7, 3.9, 1.4 and 6.8. A total of 23.3% children were dissatisfied with dental appearance/function. Children dissatisfied with their dental appearance were less likely to be Temeke residents (OR = 0.5) and having parents of higher education (OR = 0.6) and more likely to reporting problem with teeth position (OR = 4.3) and having oral impacts (OR = 2.7). The socio-dental treatment need of 12% was five times lower than the normative need assessment of 63.8%.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Compared to the high prevalence of malocclusion, psycho social impacts and dissatisfaction with appearance/function was not frequent among Tanzanian schoolchildren. Subjects with malocclusion reported problems most frequently and malocclusion together with other psycho-social impact scores determined children's satisfaction with teeth appearance- and function.</p

Applicability of an abbreviated version of the Child-OIDP inventory among primary schoolchildren in Tanzania

Background: There is a need for studies evaluating oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of children in developing countries. Aim: to assess the psychometric properties, prevalence and perceived causes of the child version of oral impact on daily performance inventory (Child- OIDP) among school children in two socio-demographically different districts of Tanzania. Socio-behavioral and clinical correlates of children's OHRQoL were also investigated.Method: One thousand six hundred and one children ( mean age 13 yr, 60.5% girls) attending 16 ( urban and rural) primary schools in Kinondoni and Temeke districts completed a survey instrument in face to face interviews and participated in a full mouth clinical examination. The survey instrument was designed to measure a Kiswahili translated and culturally adapted Child-OIDP frequency score, global oral health indicators and socio-demographic factors. Results: The Kiswahili version of the Child- OIDP inventory preserved the overall concept of the original English version and revealed good reliability in terms of Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.77 ( Kinondoni: 0.62, Temeke: 0.76). Weighted Kappa scores from a test-retest were 1.0 and 0.8 in Kinondoni and Temeke, respectively. Validity was supported in that the OIDP scores varied systematically and in the expected direction with self-reported oral health measures and socio-behavioral indicators. Confirmatory factor analyses, CFA, confirmed three dimensions identified initially by Principle Component Analysis within the OIDP item pool. A total of 28.6% of the participants had at least one oral impact. The area specific rates for Kinondoni and Temeke were 18.5% and 45.5%. The most frequently reported impacts were problems eating and cleaning teeth, and the most frequently reported cause of impacts were toothache, ulcer in mouth and position of teeth. Conclusion: This study showed that the Kiswahili version of the Child- OIDP was applicable for use among schoolchildren in Tanzania

Malocclusion and quality of life in Tanzanian schoolchildren

Objective: The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of malocclusion, its associated factors, its impact on quality of life and estimate its socio-dental treatment need in children living in Kinondoni and Temeke Districts of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Methods: Cross sectional surveys of children aged 3-5 and 12-14 years, residing in two districts of Dar es Salaam region, was conducted from November 2005 to June 2006. A stratified proportionate two stage cluster sample design with primary schools as the primary sampling unit (N = 1601 Survey I) and a census (N = 253 Survey II) was utilized. In survey I, participants from the selected primary schools (12-14 year-olds) were clinically examined for decayed, missing and filled teeth due to caries, according to the criteria described by the World Health Organization (1997). Oral hygiene was assessed using simplified Oral Hygiene Index by Greene and Vermillion (1964). Interview schedules for 12-14 year-olds were conducted using structured questionnaires, which included socio-demographic details, perceived oral problems, satisfaction / dissatisfaction with mouth and teeth and Kiswahili version of the Child Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (Child-OIDP) and also questions regarding their perceived general and oral health conditions and oral health related behaviors. In Survey II (3-5-year-olds) parents were interviewed regarding their socio-demographic details and their children’s sucking habits and feeding methods. In both surveys (I and II) malocclusion was assessed according to the criteria by Björk et al. (1964) with some modifications by al-Emran et al. (1990). Data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists, SPSS version 14.0. Cross tabulation and Chi-square statistics were used to assess bivariate relationships. Multivariate analyses were performed by multiple logistic regression, with 95% confidence interval (CI) given for the odds ratios indicating statistically significant relationship if both values were above or below 1. Results: The overall prevalence of malocclusion was 63.8% in 12-14 year-olds and 32.5% in 3-5 year-olds. For the 12-14-year-old children, residing in Temeke (a less socio-economically privileged district) was associated with higher odds (OR 1.8) of being diagnosed with an open bite, after controlling for socio-demographic factors. When subjects with and without caries experience (DMFT) were compared, those with DMFT > 0 were more likely to have any type of malocclusion (SMO>0), a midline shift, Angle Class II/III and an open bite. Oral hygiene varied in unexpected direction with malocclusion (a midline shift) in this study. For the 3-5- year-old children, malocclusion (an open bite) was associated with sucking habits. After controlling for socio-demographic variables, only current sucking habits and gender remained significant determinants for an open bite with the odds ratios of 13.5 and 2.2, respectively. The Kiswahili version of the Child-OIDP inventory preserved the overall concept of the original English version and was applicable to use among primary schoolchildren. A total of 28.6% of the participants had at least one oral impact. Problem with eating was the performance reported most frequently followed by cleaning teeth in both districts. The most frequently reported causes of impacts were toothache, ulcer in mouth and position of teeth. Furthermore, moderate proportions of primary schoolchildren reported problems related to teeth and mouth; ranging from 7.7% (space position) to 20.7% (pain). The odds ratios of having problems with teeth position, spaces, pain and swallowing if having any malocclusion were respectively, 6.7, 3.9, 1.4 and 6.8. A total of 23.3% primary schoolchildren were dissatisfied with dental appearance and function. Primary schoolchildren dissatisfied with their dental appearance were less likely to be Temeke residents and having parents of higher education. They were more likely to report problems with teeth position (OR= 4.3) and have oral impacts (OIDP>0) (OR=2.2). The socio-dental treatment need of 12% was five times lower than a normative estimate of 63.8% based on the overall prevalence of malocclusion (SMO>0). Conclusion: The study showed that, caries and social demographic status (in terms of district of residence) were associated with malocclusion in primary schoolchildren. Sucking habits and gender were associated with malocclusion in pre-school children. Kiswahili version of the Child-OIDP inventory was applicable for use among Tanzanian primary schoolchildren. Oral impacts and dissatisfaction with teeth appearance and function were not common among 12- 14-year-olds. The socio-dental treatment need of 12% was five times lower than a normative estimate of 63.8% based on the overall prevalence of malocclusion (SMO>0). Thus, prophylactic measures which may either totally prevent or at least lessen the development of many forms of malocclusion are recommended, with a particular emphasis to less affluent societies. Moreover, clinical measures of malocclusion together with reported functional- and psychosocial impact scores determined subjects’ evaluation of their teeth appearance and function and hence demand for orthodontic care, therefore these should be taken into account when estimating treatment needs

Discriminative ability of the generic and conditionspecific Child-Oral Impacts on Daily Performances (Child-OIDP) by the Limpopo-Arusha School Health (LASH) Project: A cross-sectional study

Background: Generic and condition-specific (CS) oral-health-related quality-of-life (OHRQoL) instruments assess the impacts of general oral conditions and specific oral diseases. Focusing schoolchildren from Arusha and Dar es Salaam, in Tanzania, this study compared the discriminative ability of the generic Child OIDP with respect to dental caries and periodontal problems across the study sites. Secondly, the discriminative ability of the generic-and the CS Child OIDP attributed to dental caries, periodontal problems and malocclusion was compared with respect to various oral conditions as part of a construct validation. Methods: In Arusha, 1077 school children (mean age 14.9 years, range 12-17 years) and 1601 school children in Dar es Salaam (mean age 13.0 years, range 12-14 years) underwent oral clinical examinations and completed the Kiswahili version of the generic and CS Child-OIDP inventories. The discriminative ability was assessed as differences in overall mean and prevalence scores between groups, corresponding effect sizes and odd ratios, OR. Results: The differences in the prevalence scores and the overall mean generic Child-OIDP scores were significant between the groups with (DMFT > 0) and without (DMFT = 0) caries experience and with (simplified oral hygiene index [OHI-S] > 1) and without periodontal problems (OHI-S ≤ 1) in Arusha and Dar es Salaam. In Dar es Salaam, differences in the generic and CS Child-OIDP scores were observed between the groups with and without dental caries, differences in the generic Child-OIDP scores were observed between the groups with and without periodontal problems, and differences in the CS Child-OIDP scores were observed between malocclusion groups. The adjusted OR for the association between dental caries and the CS Child-OIDP score attributed to dental caries was 5.4. The adjusted OR for the association between malocclusion and CS Child-OIDP attributed to malocclusion varied from 8.8 to 2.5. Conclusion: The generic Child-OIDP discriminated equally well between children with and without dental caries and periodontal problems across socio-culturally different study sites. Compared with its generic form, the CS Child-OIDP discriminated most strongly between children with and without dental caries and malocclusion. The CS Child OIDP attributed to dental caries and malocclusion seems to be better suited to support clinical indicators when estimating oral health needs among school children in Tanzania

Dental Caries Pattern Amongst Tanzanian Children: National Oral Health Survey

Background: Dental caries in young children and adolescents is a public oral health challenge in countries with developing economies and economic transition. This study presents a demographic pattern of dental caries in primary and permanent dentition of 5-, 12-, and 15-year-old Tanzanians based on the 2020 National Oral Health Survey findings. Methods: This is a cross-section study based on data from Tanzania's 5th National Oral Health Survey. Data on dental caries and basic demographics were collected employing World Health Organization Oral Health Survey protocols. Analysis was done using the SPSS computer programme version 23, and proportions and mean dental caries experiences in Decayed extracted filled teeth in primary dentition/Decayed Missing Filled Teeth in permanent dentition were summarised and chi-square statistics and binary logistic regression assessed the differences and determined the association between dental caries and the selected demographic characteristics. Results: The survey included 2187 participants; 42.4% were from rural areas and 50.7% were female. Overall caries prevalence was 17%, specifically 43.2%, 20.5%, and 25.5% amongst 5-, 12- and 15-year-olds, respectively. Decayed teeth components were 98.4%, 89.8%, and 91.4% amongst 5-, 12-, and 15-year-olds, respectively. Overall mean (SD) DMFT amongst 12- and 15-year-olds were 0.40 (0.27) and 0.59 (1.35), respectively. Urban participants had significantly lower odds of dental caries experience (odds ratio, 0.62, 95% confidence interval 0.45–0.84) compared with rural participants, whilst the 15-year-olds had higher odds of dental caries experience than the 12-year-olds. Conclusion: Dental caries prevalence in primary dentition was high. The proportion of decayed teeth components of def/DMFT was the highest compared with that of missing and filled teeth components. Older adolescents and those from rural areas had higher odds of dental caries experience

Perceived oral problems associated with oral impacts in schoolchildren from Kinondoni and Temeke districts

<p><b>Copyright information:</b></p><p>Taken from "Applicability of an abbreviated version of the Child-OIDP inventory among primary schoolchildren in Tanzania"</p><p>http://www.hqlo.com/content/5/1/40</p><p>Health and Quality of Life Outcomes 2007;5():40-40.</p><p>Published online 13 Jul 2007</p><p>PMCID:PMC1939836.</p><p></p