Changes of the Posterior Airway Space Following Orthognathic Surgery in Class III

Objective: Adaptation of the pharyngeal airway space does occur after different surgical strategies of class III patients including mandibular setback, maxillary advancement and bimaxillary surgery. The aim of this study is to conduct a detailed cephalometric evaluation of the alterations taking place in the morphology of the pharyngeal airway space after treatment of class III skeletal deformity via different surgical procedures (i.e. mandibular setback, maxillary advancement, bimaxillary surgery) in both males and females.Methods: This study is a before-after cross sectional retrospective research. One hundred and twenty consecutive patients who were diagnosed as having skeletal class III deformity. All patients included in this study were adults who had completed their growth and had cephalograms within a month  prior to operation (T1) and 1 month to 9 months post-surgery (T2) taken in the natural head position. Patients were divided according to the type of surgery undertaken in three groups: group 1 (bimaxillary), group 2 (mandibular setback) and group 3 (maxillary advancement) surgeries. Posterior airway size was evaluated at both T1 and T2 in each group. The results were compared by paired t and one-way ANOVA tests.Results: Airway size decreased significantly in group 1 and 2 (p<0.05) but increased in group 3(p<0.05).Conclusion: Airway dimension and morphology as well as head and neck posture changed significantly in different surgical treatments of class III deformity

Evaluating the effect of logbook as viewed by the juniors and seniors at Shiraz school of dentistry

Background & Objective: Evaluation is a process that identifies and describes the effectiveness of all aspects of education. The use of logbooks as an aid in education and assessment might provide the possibility for a more uniform training. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of logbook on students’ perspective in each of the 10 departments of dental school. Methods: In this cross-sectional survey, a questionnaire consisting of 16 standardized items, each scored on a 5-point Likert scale (0 to 4), was used. From among the collected forms, 50 completely filled questionnaires were entered into the study. The validity of the questionnaire was approved by a group of 10 experts and its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s α (0.94). Tukey’s test and one-way ANOVA were used for data analysis. Results: In all departments, there was agreement between the students’ logbook scores and final grades. In addition, the ability to find learning weaknesses via logbooks had the lowest score, whereas clear statement of learning objectives for each subject and requirement obtained the highest score. Usefulness of written clinical procedures in logbooks had the highest score in the Departments of Endodontics, Removable Prosthodontics, Fixed Prosthodontics, and Pediatrics. Conclusion: The logbook is a practical and useful assessment tool for evaluating students and achieving learning objectives. It clearly states the educational objectives and clarifies the minimum requirements for each department. However, there is a need for the mutual cooperation and commitment of both the students and educators, which requires time and the better establishment of this method. Key Words: Education, Assessment, Logboo

General Self-Efficacy and Self-Perceived Confidence of Dental Students in Performing Orthodontic Clinical Skills

Background Evaluating the self-perceived confidence of students in their abilities to provide orthodontic services is crucial to measuring the effectiveness of the orthodontic curriculum. Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between general self-efficacy (GSE) in dental students and self-perceived confidence in performing orthodontic clinical skills. Methods A total of 100 dental students in their final-year at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences participated in the study in February 2017. They responded to a multiple-choice questionnaire consisting of two parts. The first part evaluated the students’ self-perceived confidence in performing orthodontic clinical skills and the second part evaluated the students’ GSE. The correlation between the two parameters was evaluated using the Spearman correlation test with an alpha level set at 0.05. Results More than 20% of the students reported being “not yet confident” in 8 out of the 18 skills evaluated. There was a medium correlation between the students’ confidence in performing clinical skills and their GSE. There was no correlation between the students’ grades in theoretical courses and their GSE scores (P > 0.05). The students’ confidence in all aspects of clinical skills, however, was correlated with their grades. Conclusions The students’ self-perceived confidence in performing orthodontic clinical skills is moderately correlated with their GSE; other factors such as exposure to orthodontic cases, and teaching methods seem to play a more influential part in their confidence

Assessment of the effect of maxillary protraction appliance on pharyngeal airway dimensions in relation to changes in tongue posture

Background: Literature is controversial in regard with alterations in pharyngeal airway dimensions subsequent to maxillary protraction. The correlation between maxillary protraction and sagittal airway dimension was investigated in association with tongue and soft palate position in skeletal Class III children. The results were compared with those of an untreated Class III and a Class I malocclusion control group. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study pre- and post-treatment cephalometric radiographs of 19 Class III patients (6 males, 13 females; mean age, 7.93 ± 0.96 years) treated with facemask were analyzed. The correlation between treatment changes in craniofacial morphology and those in the upper airway, tongue, and soft palate was evaluated. These results were compared with those of a group of 16 Class I malocclusion patients (1 male, 15 females; mean age, 7.31 ± 0.7 years) and a group of 15 untreated Class III patients (4 males and 11 females; mean age, 7.46 ± 0.1 years). A paired t-test, the Shapiro–Wilk test and Mann–Whitney U-test was used. The level of significance was established as P < 0.05. Results: Nasopharyngeal airway measurements PNS-ad1 and PNS-ad2 significantly increased by 2 mm and 2.1 mm, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed that maxillary protraction had a positive relationship with PNS-ad1 and PNS-ad2. Conclusion: Nasopharyngeal airway dimensions can be improved in the short term with maxillary protraction in skeletal Class III children

Problem Based Learning: An Experience of a New Educational Method in Dentistry

Introduction: Considering the necessity of dentistry students' involvement in learning treatment topics and, in order to achieve deeper learning, this study was performed to evaluate problem based learning method and compare it to traditional method of teaching orthodontics to dentistry students. Methods: This interventional study was performed on 64, fifth year dentistry students in 2007-2008 academic years. After selection and orientation of tutors, a trainer helped them to adjust to the new method. After orientation of students about PBL method, the groups were identified and the PBL method was performed in four steps. A pretest was taken from students to assess their attitude and satisfaction about traditional method of lecture. Then, A post-test evaluated their attitude toward and satisfaction with the new method. The domains of this method were assessed by 5 point Likert scale. Results were analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The average of achieved scores out of the total score of five was as so in areas of material organization (main subjects) (3.41±0.75), internal motivation (3.41±0.7), assignments appropriateness (3.38±0.53), and suitability of evaluation method (3.67±1.17). The mean of satisfaction score was 14 out of the total score of 20 which demonstrates agreement higher than average. Conclusion: By promoting learner's internal motivation, enhancing the quality of education, and, increasing continuous learning, PBL method could prove useful in teaching dentistry students

Assessment of the Reliability and Validity of the Farsi Translation of the “Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire” in 10-14 Year-Olds in Shiraz

Background and Aim: The Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ) was designed by Cunningham in 2001 to assess the quality of life of patients in relation to orthodontic treatments. This study sought to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Farsi version of OQLQ in 10-14 year-olds in Shiraz.   Materials and Methods: This descriptive analytical study was conducted on 240 students in the age range of 10-14 years that were randomly selected from the 4 educational districts in shiraz. One elementary and one middle school were selected from each district. The OQLQ questionnaire contains two sections. The first section asks for demographic information of patients and the second part contains 22 questions regarding the quality of life in relation to dental status. This questionnaire was translated to Farsi using the standard forward-backward translation method. The standardized Cronbach’s alpha, alpha if item deleted, item-total correlation and inter-item coefficients were used for the assessment of the reliability and validity of the questionnaire. For the calculation of test-retest validity, 30 students filled out the questionnaire again 2 weeks after the first session. Mann Whitney U and Chi square tests were used to assess the correlation between the different aspects of the quality of life in the questionnaire and willingness to take the treatment. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18 software .   Results: The internal consistency analysis of the OQLQ indicated a good correlation between questions and domains of the questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha in this study was 0.86. For the calculation oftest-retest reliability of the questionnaire, weighted kappa was found to be 0.91. Mann Whitney U and Chi square tests found significant differences between willingness for orthodontic treatment and dentofacial esthetics (part 2, P=0.008) and knowledge about dentofacial esthetics (part 4, P=0.018 ).   Conclusion : Farsi translation of OQLQ is a suitable tool for the assessment of the effect of dentofacial problems on thequality of life of orthognathic patients in an Iranian population

The impact of an educational pamphlet on the awareness of parents about 4‒6-year-old children’s oral habits and dentofacial discrepancies

Background. This study aimed to evaluate whether the parents’ knowledge about the adverse effects of oral habits and dentoskeletal discrepancies would improve by an educational pamphlet. Methods. A parallel-group randomized clinical trial was conducted on parents in kindergartens of Shiraz, Iran, 2013. The parents completed a designed questionnaire to determine the pre-intervention score. The study group received an educational pamphlet on the oral habits and dentoskeletal discrepancies, in contrast to the control group. Three weeks later, the parents in both groups took the questionnaire again (post-intervention score). The primary outcome was a change in the parents’ knowledge about oral habits and dentoskeletal discrepancies, which was measured by 13 questions of the questionnaire. Each correct answer was given a positive point and each incorrect answer a negative point. The total pre- and post-intervention scores were calculated by summing up the points and compared using Mann–Whitney U test. Results. A total of 550 subjects were assessed for eligibility and 413 were randomized. Of the study group, 203 subjects (98.56%), and of the control group, 204 parents (98.54%) completed the questionnaire for the second time. The score of the study group in the “normal occlusion” section of the questionnaire had significantly improved (P < 0.001) and in the “oral habits” section the score of both groups had improved but in the study group the improvement was significantly higher (P < 0.001). Conclusion. The educational pamphlet can be effective in increasing the level of parents’ knowledge about normal occlusion and complications of oral habits

Which method of teaching would be better cooperative or lecture?

Introduction: Most of the knowledge acquired through lecturing is forgotten rapidly. As dentistry is becoming a more complicated field of study and as new techniques are introduced, the use of modern educational approaches to promote lifelong learning becomes necessary. This study is to compare cooperative teaching method and lecture method in terms of their impact on students' learning and their satisfaction in school of dentistry in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Methods: In this quasi experimental study sampling was census and all 9th semester students (60 students) taking theoretical orthodontics(I) were included. One topic, etiology of mandibular abnormalities, was taught to both randomly selected experiment & control groups. First, to assess knowledge & satisfaction of the students with lecture methods for etiology, a pre-test was applied. Then both groups were taught the control group received instruction through lecture method and the experiment group formed 5-member subgroups and received instruction through cooperation. Then, both groups took a post-test. Data were analyzed through Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney U using SPSS 12. Results: A significant difference was found between the mean scores of the students' satisfaction before and after applying the cooperative method. Also, there was a significant difference between the pre–test scores in the lecture group and the cooperative group (p<0.001), but no significant difference was observed between post-test scores of the two groups (P=0.1). Conclusion: The study showed that cooperative teaching method could be useful in teaching dentistry students and could enhance their intrinsic motivation, which in turn could improve learning quality

The Methodological Evaluation of General Dentistry Students’ Theses in Shiraz Dentistry School (2006-2008)

Introduction: Considering the impact of dissertations on students’ improvement in scientific knowledge and regarding the fact that methodology is the cornerstone of every research endeavor the present study aimed to investigate the research methodology applied in dissertations of general dentistry students in School of Dentistry at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences which were accomplished throughout 2006 to 2008. Methods: Using census sampling, this cross-sectional study was conducted on 124 theses of general dentistry at Dentistry School of SUMS presented throughout 2006 to 2008. A researcher-made questionnaire was the data collection tool and the data were analyzed using independent t-test, one-way ANNOVA, two-way ANNOVA, and Tukey test Results: Findings showed two-thirds of the dissertations were cross-sectional studies, and analytical and intervention research studies accounted for a small proportion of the samples. Also, in none of the studies, the methodology had been thoroughly and properly explained. Conclusion: Given the results, more closely-monitored supervision is felt necessary. Workshops and pamphlets on scientific writing and research might also help raise students’ awareness on research writing patterns and procedures. Improving the quality of services provided by research counseling could be of further help in this regar