A randomized control trial of smoking cessation interventions conducted by dentists

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of the 5A’s smoking cessation intervention (5A’s) to that of brief advice (BA) conducted by dentists. A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was designed to compare the effectiveness of the interventions. Six Dental Public Health specialists were recruited, randomized and trained to participate in this trial. Two hundred and fifty patients were required on both arms. The main outcome measures were biochemically validated self-reported abstinence and behaviour change at 6-months follow-up. The odd of quitters in 5A’s intervention was 3.81 (95% CI: 1.87-7.76; p= 0.00) times higher compared to BA. After controlling other factors, the odds ratio for the 5A’s was 1.90 (95% CI: 0.652-5.547; p=0.24) higher compared to BA. The 5A’s was found to be more effective in initiating positive behaviour change compared to BA. However, after controlling other factors, there was no difference in the effectiveness although the odds ratio was slightly higher in 5A’s

The development of a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) in mastering smoking cessation intervention in dentistry

Purpose – Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) has appeared as one of the most explored trends of online learning. In September 2014, the Ministry of Education Malaysia has collaborated with four of its public universities; including The National University of Malaysia (UKM) to launch the Malaysia MOOCs initiative. As part of this collaboration effort, our faculty developed a MOOC for Smoking Cessation Intervention in Dental Practice course for our faculty teaching and learning. Methodology – This course was developed using Iterative ADDIE (Analyse, Design, Develop, Implement and Evaluate) Instructional Design Framework. The smoking cessation intervention content of this course was adapted from the Smoking Cessation Intervention Delivered by Dentists (SCIDD) Training Module and UKM’s Oral Health Curriculum. The analytics data was collected from the MOOC via OpenLearning.com’s analytics tool and analysed in SPSS version 23. Findings – Eight modules were developed for this course. The learning content of each module contained a video, a power point lecture slides and quizzes in English language. The structure of learning tasks was loosely structured and learner controlled. A total of 224 learners enrolled for the course. Mostly were dental undergraduates (n=72, 33.6%). Sixty-three percent of the enrolled learners completed the course. Significantly more dental auxiliaries (p<0.000) completed the course compared to other types of learners. MOOC could be an alternative online learning platform for the topic of smoking cessation in the dental practices for all learners. Significance – MOOC would be an alternative platform for curricular teaching among students and lifelong learning for employment and personal fulfilment for health professionals or those with special interest in tobacco control

Methods of delivering oral hygiene instructions among orthodontic patients: the past, current and future

This review paper aims to present the evolution in methods of delivering oral hygiene information to orthodontic patients. Orthodontic fixed appliance treatment confers numerous benefits to patients in terms of occlusion, function and aesthetics, but it is associated with unwanted consequences due to challenges in maintaining oral hygiene. The ways of delivering oral hygiene information to patients have progressed over the years. Recent years have seen an increase in the popularity of incorporating technology in delivering oral hygiene information and monitoring of oral hygiene practices. The use of video-based instructions to web-based platforms such as Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) and social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok have all become a mode of oral hygiene information conveyance. Mobile apps are now a popular means to keep track of oral care practices such as toothbrushing frequency. The active ingredients of oral care products have improved providing a greater anticariogenic and antiplaque effect to the user as have the design of toothbrushes and even dental floss. In the future, more advanced technology may be used, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, to create intelligent machines that can help educate patients on oral health maintenance and improvement

PENYULUHAN KESEHATAN GIGI, STATUS GIZI, LITERASI DAN WAWASAN KEBANGSAAN PADA ANAK STATELESS INDONESIA DI MALAYSIA

Meningkatkan kualitas taraf hidup masyarakat dalam program pembangunan diberbagai bidang, perguruan tinggi dituntut untuk senantiasa terus menerus meningkatkan kualitas pelaksanaan Tridharma perguruan tinggi secara terpadu dan bersistem, terutama dalam hal pengabdian kepada masyarakat. Program  service community yang dilaksanakan di Sanggar Bimbingan SENTUL Kuala Lumpur Malaysia berguna untuk meningkatkan taraf pendidikan dan kesehatan anak-anak pekerja migran Indonesia yang berstatus  stateless yang berjumlah sebanyak 41 orang anak. Program ini ditujukan bagi anak-anak yang tidak bisa mengenyam pendidikan dan kesehatan,  karena tidak ada peluang sekolah di Malaysia.  kebanyakan pekerja migran Indonesia yang ada bekerja di Negara Malaysia bekerja di sektor Non Formal dengan rata-rata masih berpendidikan rendah. Sanggar Belajar Bimbingan muncul sebagai jawaban dari pemenuhan pendidikan anak-anak WNI pekerja migran ilegal karena tidak memiliki dokumen seperti paspor dan izin tinggal. Kegiatan ini konsen kepada 2 bidang, yaitu pendidikan dan kesehatan yang meliputi beberapa program diantaranya adalah penyuluhan mengenai wawasan kebangsaan dengan tujuan memperkuat rasa rasa nasionalisme dan ke-Indonesiaannya, selain itu juga ada program penyuluhan dan latihan menyikat gigi, pemerikasaan status gizi, literasi dengan pembagian buku bacaan. Pengabdian kepada Masyarakat yang bertaraf Internasional berkolaborasi dengan Universitas Hasanuddin (UNHAS), Universitas Negeri Makassar(UNM), Universitas Kebangsaaan Malaysia (UKM) Malaysia, Kedutaan Besar Republik Indonesia (KBRI), Kementerian Kesihatan Malaysia, Institut Terjemahan Buku Malaysia(ITBM). Output kebijakan dari program ini adalah menjadikan Universitas berstandar internasional (World Class University) yang menjadi motor penggerak pada kegiatan pengabdian masyarakat pada skala Internasional

Development, implementation, and evaluation of an interactive smoking cessation intervention workshop for dental students (SCIDs)

Shifting from traditional classroom teaching to interactive-learning methods represents an essential component of current thinking in dental education. Considering this trend, an interactive workshop was conducted as part of the scheduled smoking-cessation activity in the dental curriculum. The objective of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate an Interactive Smoking Cessation Intervention Workshop for Dental Students (SCIDs). A one-day workshop on Smoking Cessation Intervention for Dental Students (SCIDs) module was developed, validated by experts and conducted on fifty-three Year 4 dental students in UKM. Dental students’ knowledge on smoking cessation was assessed pre-workshop via Kahoot online game. Eleven questions were asked with 20 seconds time allotted for each question. Overall performance showed the total correct answers were 70.45%; total incorrect answers were 29.55% with an average score of 6164.04 points in Kahoot. A post-workshop evaluation was also conducted. Most students agreed that the workshop content was relevant to them (95%); lived up to their expectations (95%); stimulated their learning (90%) and the workshop activities gave them sufficient practice and feedbacks (90%). SCIDs workshop could provide students with the support needed to acquire skills in conducting smoking cessation intervention to their patients

Development, implementation, and evaluation of an interactive smoking cessation intervention workshop for dental students (SCIDs)

Shifting from traditional classroom teaching to interactive-learning methods represents an essential component of current thinking in dental education. Considering this trend, an interactive workshop was conducted as part of the scheduled smoking-cessation activity in the dental curriculum. The objective of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate an Interactive Smoking Cessation Intervention Workshop for Dental Students (SCIDs). A one-day workshop on Smoking Cessation Intervention for Dental Students (SCIDs) module was developed, validated by experts and conducted on fifty-three Year 4 dental students in UKM. Dental students’ knowledge on smoking cessation was assessed pre-workshop via Kahoot online game. Eleven questions were asked with 20 seconds time allotted for each question. Overall performance showed the total correct answers were 70.45%; total incorrect answers were 29.55% with an average score of 6164.04 points in Kahoot. A post-workshop evaluation was also conducted. Most students agreed that the workshop content was relevant to them (95%); lived up to their expectations (95%); stimulated their learning (90%) and the workshop activities gave them sufficient practice and feedbacks (90%). SCIDs workshop could provide students with the support needed to acquire skills in conducting smoking cessation intervention to their patients

Smoking cessation in dental setting: Effectiveness of behavioral therapy as well as patient’s and provider’s perception / Nurul Asyikin Yahya

The objectives of this study were, 1) to assess the effectiveness of the 5A’s smoking cessation intervention (5A’s) to that of brief advice (BA) which dentists delivered in a dental setting; 2) To assess and compare the dental patients’ knowledge of the effects of smoking and perceptions on the role of dentists in smoking cessation intervention (SCI) by smoking status; 3) To assess smokers’ attitude towards smoking cessation counselling; 4) To investigate and compare the motivation for, capabilities in, and opportunities for SCI between private and public dentists; 5) To identify the barriers to implementing SCI in dental practice. Methods: Part 1 was a single-blinded randomized controlled trial was designed to compare the effectiveness of the 5A’s to that of BA. Six Dental Public Health specialists were recruited, randomized and trained to participate in this trial. Patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were enrolled into the assigned intervention programs. The main outcome measures were biochemically validated self-reported abstinence and behaviour change at 6-months follow-up. Part 2 comprised of 2 cross-sectional surveys using self-administered questionnaires conducted separately on dental patients and dentists’ population in Malaysia. Results: In the clinical trial, the odd of quitters in 5A’s intervention was 3.81 (95%CI: 1.871- 7.76; p= 0.00) times higher compared to BA. After controlling other factors, the odds ratio for the 5A’s was 1.90 (95%CI: 0.652-5.547; p=0.24) higher compared to BA. In the dental patient survey, there was a significant difference in the knowledge on effects of smoking among smokers and non-smokers (p<0.05). Commonly known effects of smoking were on stained teeth (n=335, 89.3%), bad breath (n=320, 85.3%), lung cancer (n=290, 77.3%) and oral cancer (n=279, 74.4%). Among smokers, majority (n=72, 81.8%) agreed on dentists giving advice on effects of smoking. Meanwhile, in the dentists’ survey, 285 dentists (public, n=158, 53.6%; private, n= 127, 43.1%) replied to the questionnaire survey. Statistically significant differences were found between the types of the dentist with their perceptions of their professional role and identity (p<0.05). A majority of public dentists (n=103, 65.1%) believed that promoting tobacco abstinence is an important part of their professional identity compared to private dentists (n=65, 51.2%). More public dentists (n=95, 60.1%) were significantly aware of the 5A’s guidelines compared to private dentists (n=34, 26.8%). Statistically significant differences were found between the types of dentists on their abilities to prevent patients from using tobacco products (p= 0.004). More of public dentists (n=77, 48.7%) were unsure they have the confidence compared to private dentists (n= 41, 32.3%). Conclusion: The 5A’s was found to be more effective in initiating positive behaviour change compared to BA. However, after controlling other factors, there was no difference in the effectiveness although the odds ratio was slightly higher in 5A’s. Dental patients have good knowledge of the effects of smoking on oral and general health and have positive perception about dentist giving smoking cessation counselling. Dentists whether in public or private practice have the motivation to conduct SCI; however, their capabilities are compromised and lack of support from their organisation

Orthodontic material usage among Malaysian orthodontists

Fixed orthodontic treatment requires the use of orthodontic brackets and archwires in order to correct malocclusions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pattern of orthodontic material usages i.e. bracket and archwire among Malaysian orthodontists. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to members of the Malaysian Association of Orthodontist. Data entry and statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 15.0. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Means and standard deviations were calculated for continuous variables, frequency and percentages for categorical variables. Thirty-four orthodontists responded to the survey, with 76% (n=26) were female and the mean age was 43.31 years (SD 8.76). Most respondents used conventional metal brackets (60%, n=60) and most bracket prescription used was MBT (56%, n=19). At levelling stage, most respondents used nickel titanium archwire (84.5%, n=47). Stainless steel archwire was the most favourable choice for retraction/space closure stage (73.9%, n=34). At finishing, most respondents (60.4%, n=29) preferred to use stainless steel wire in their cases. As a conclusion, specific types of orthodontic materials were preferred and used by Malaysian orthodontists in delivering orthodontic treatment