Assessment of Clinical Competency of Dental Students in Recognizing Landmarks and Radiological Lesions of Jaw and Face

Background: The ability to detect and recognize abnormal patterns in diagnostic images requires sufficient knowledge in studying radiographic images. By teaching oral radiology, dentists must know basic skills for interpreting images inside or outside the mouth. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the clinical competence of dental students in recognizing landmarks and radiological lesions of the jaw and face.Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted during the academic year 2021, the authors included general dentistry students in their 5th and 6th years of study at Yasuj University of Medical Sciences dental school. Initially, an objective structured clinical exam with 18 stations was designed to assess six different radiology students’ competencies with the help of the radiology department’s faculty members. Due to Covid-19 disease, 19 tests were held in absentia through the university’s Faradid system. After this test, the results were analyzed using SPSS software version 26.Results: The mean skill levels of dental students at Yasouj University of Medical Sciences in the diagnosis of different categories were as follows: Diagnosis of Dental Anomalies: 0.19±0.70, Diagnosis of Bone Anomalies: 0.34±0.44, Diagnosis of Anatomical Landmarks: 0.29±0.75, Diagnosis of Radiographic Techniques: 0.13±0.92, Diagnosis of Radiopaque Lesions: 0.5±0.31, Diagnosis of Radiolucent Lesions: 0.26±0.45.Conclusion: The lowest level of students’ skills belonged to the diagnosis of bone anomalies and radiolucent diagnosis. It is suggested that radiology professors take some effective measures to improve education regarding bone anomalies and radiolucent diagnosis

Patients with Covid 19 have significantly reduced CH50 activity

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is a new virus that emerged in China and immediately spread around the world. Evidence has been documented that the immune system is impressively involved in the pathogenesis of this disease, especially in causing inflammation. One of the important components of the immune system is the complement system whose increased activity has been shown in inflammatory diseases and consequently damage caused by the activity of its components. In the present study, serum levels of C3 and C4 factors as well as the activity level of complement system in the classical pathway were measured by CH50 test in patients with SARS-CoV-2. Participants in the study consisted of 53 hospitalized patients whose real-time PCR test was positive for SARS-CoV-2. The mean age of these patients was 42.06 ± 18.7 years, including 40% women and 60% men. The most common symptoms in these patients were cough (70%), fever (59%), dyspnea (53%) and chills (53%), respectively. Analysis of biochemical and hematological test results revealed that 26 (49%) patients had lymphopenia, 34 (64%) patients were positive for C-reactive protein (CRP) and 26 (49%) patients had ESR and LDH levels significantly higher than normal. In addition, 27 patients (51%) had vitamin D deficiency. The mean CH50 activity level in COVID-19 patients was significantly reduced compared to healthy individuals (84.9 versus 169.9 U/ml, p = < 0.0001). Comparison of the mean CH50 activity levels between different subgroups of patients indicated that COVID-19 patients with decreased peripheral blood lymphocyte count and positive CRP had a significant increase in activity compared to the other groups (p = 0.0002). The serum levels of C3 and C4 factors had no significant change between patients and healthy individuals. Conclusion: The activity level of complement system in the classical pathway decreases in COVID-19 patients compared to healthy individuals, due to increased activity of complement system factors in these patients