Aim and objective: To measure dental anxiety and to evaluate the relationship between dental anxiety, self-assessed dental status, and decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMFT) scores. Materials and methods: Male patients in the age group of 18–55 years were randomly selected amongst those attending the outpatient department (OPD) at a tertiary health care center in Pune. A questionnaire was used to collect the data, which included self-assessment of dental status as well as the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS). Dental caries status was evaluated using the World Health Organization (WHO) caries diagnostic criteria for DMFT. Results: Slightly more than half of the participants assessed their dental status as good, 47.6% as fair, and 1.2% as bad. Approximately 50% of the participants reported not anxious, 21.2% as moderately anxious, 20.8% as highly anxious, and 6.8% as extremely anxious. The mean MDAS score was 11.23 ± 4.17 amongst the participants. The study showed a significant relationship between dental anxiety, self-assessed dental status, and high DMFT scores (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The present study strongly suggests that in younger people, dental anxiety is associated with a host of preventive behavior problems as well as poor dental health. Clinical significance: Dental anxiety is widely prevalent in the general population and can lead to variable avoidance behavior toward dental treatment.

Background and objective: Supportive staff members are an essential component of the healthcare team for effective delivery of oral healthcare services. They act as a link between the dentist and the general population by giving information about oral health-related issues. Their behavior, knowledge, and attitude related to oral health are of prime importance for the effective delivery of services to the community. Therefore, a study was planned to assess the behavior, knowledge, and attitude related to oral health among the supporting staff of a dental institution. Materials and methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted using a validated, structured, self/interviewer-administered, 36 items questionnaire among 179 supporting staff of the dental institution. Data were compiled and analyzed systematically to make the inference. Results: The survey had 74% response rate. About 65 participants (49.3%) identified the correct number of teeth sets, 107 (81.1%) were aware that retention of the sweet foods between the teeth leads to tooth decay, and 91 (68.9%) were unaware of the anticaries effect of fluorides. Around 90 (68.2%) participants were unaware that plaque is a soft deposit on the tooth or teeth surface. Nearly 118 staff (89.3%) believed in regular dental checkup, 122 (92%) staff opined tobacco and smoking as a deleterious habit. Conclusion: Supportive staff members were having good practice toward oral health with moderate knowledge and a positive attitude toward oral health. As the study was only conducted in a single dental institution, the results are generalizable only among this sample.

Aims and objective: Social support (functional measure) and social network (structural measure) have found to influence the health behavior and oral health. As evidence suggests that the source of social support also varies with age, we were interested in finding the major source of support in adolescents and how different levels of support influenced their oral health care and dental caries patterns. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on adolescent school students of Hyderabad whose social support and network, oral health behaviors, and dental caries (using DMFT index) were assessed. The social support was measured using “The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support”. Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare the caries and oral health behavior patterns in students with varying support levels using SPSS 24. Results: Family was the major source of support (35.2%), followed by friends (32.7%), and significant others (32.1%). Students were categorized into “high”, “medium”, and “low” groups on the basis of the level of “social support” and the size of “social network of friends” and “social network of family”. Caries was greater in students having a “lower” network of friends than those with a “higher” network. (p = 0.013). Brushing frequency was better in the “lower” and “medium” social support groups and “higher” social network of friends groups. Conclusion: Better oral health behaviors and minimal caries were found among students with a better social support and social network. This signifies the importance of such support in the students and the need to target the relevant sources at each age to bring down caries in them.

Aim and objective: The aim of the article was to assess the effectiveness of a portable outreach oral hygiene program for people with disabilities attending daytime centers for disabled (DCD). Materials and methods: Professional oral hygiene sessions were provided at the DCDs using a portable dental equipment in the Local Health Unit (LHU) n.6—Veneto Region—Italy. Patients were grouped by the total number of sessions performed. Clinical primary outcome was bleeding on probing (BoP) index. We compared mean bleeding index (BI) among subjects groups at baseline and at the end of the follow-up (2009–2016). A trend in BI across groups was evaluated. Results: From May 2009 to March 2016, 345 subjects were routinely examined and treated regarding their oral hygiene needs. A clear (statistically significant) improvement in each level of the chosen index was recorded. Conclusions: The program is effective in improving the oral health in this underserved population. Clinical significance: This portable outreach program provides a measurable progressive improvement in the periodontal health; a progressive time reduction of each session; a facilitated access to oral health treatment; and an augmented compliance of the oral hygiene sessions.

Introduction: From ancient times, powdered charcoal has been used as tooth-cleaning agent. Recent advance is the introduction of toothbrush with charcoal-infused bristles whose efficacy has not been scientifically well researched. Aim and objective: The aim and objective of this article was to know the plaque and stain removal efficacy of charcoal toothbrush. Materials and methods: This single-blind, randomized clinical study was conducted on thirty 10–14-year-old schoolchildren. The plaque score using Quigley-Hein plaque index (modified) and stain score using Lobene index were assessed at baseline visit (prebrushing and postbrushing), after 30-day follow-up, and data collected were analyzed using paired t-test and independent t-test. Results: No statistically significant difference was found for plaque removal efficacy between normal and charcoal toothbrush (p = 0.749). Charcoal toothbrush (mean = 0.6554) showed 28.82% better stain removal efficacy (p = 0.006) in comparison with normal toothbrush (mean = 0.1889). Conclusion: Charcoal toothbrush has better stain removal efficacy in comparison with normal toothbrush.

Aim: To assess the awareness and attitude of public toward dental procedures and safety protocols in COVID-19 scenario in India Materials and methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among people from various regions of India in questionnaire format. It comprised 22-variable, structured, close-ended questions, and the respondents were divided based on their age, sex, educational qualification, and region. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20.0. Results: In total, 1064 people participated from various regions of India. Most of the participants were postgraduates, and male-to-female ratio was almost equal. The major proportion of age group who responded was below 45 years. Almost 88.6% of the participants were aware that dentists are at higher risks and 87.6% of the people expect their dentists to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) during treatment procedures. 81.8% of the people preferred cashless transaction as a modality of payment option in dental office. 66.8% of the people irrespective of their education level opted newspaper and print media as their major source of information for updating themselves and 83.3% of the participants opted online or telephonic appointment prior to visiting their dentists. Conclusion: We dentists being the healthcare professionals are at higher risks to various infectious diseases. So we should not panic and should continue our services toward the public health. We should also ensure that our practice is up-to-date to manage this pandemic crisis. Clinical significance: To give an insight into dental practitioners about prevailing awareness and understanding of public and their response in accepting dental care in this COVID pandemic scenario.

Aim: This study aimed to assess the knowledge and anxiety levels of dentists and pregraduate dental students about COVID-19 in Turkey. Materials and Methods: A three-part online questionnaire was used to collect data. Questionnaire 1 consisted of 10 demographic questions. In questionnaire 2, there were 10 multiple-choice questions, including various COVID-19 knowledge. In questionnaire 3, participants were tested by a self-evaluation test as Worry and Anxiety Questionnaire (WAQ). Results: A total of 1002 respondents had completed the questionnaires. The majority of the participants exhibited very good knowledge. Worry and anxiety scores differ by gender, institution, and specialty (p < 0,001). There was no significant relationship between knowledge level and stress level (p > 0,050). Conclusion: Female dentists, pediatric dentists, and dentists working in public hospitals in Turkey were found to be significantly more stressed. The level of knowledge was generally high and no correlation was established by the level of anxiety. Clinical Significance: In this global pandemic process, it is known that all dentists’ problems and needs are common, and the effects of the disease on the dental profession can be globalized. It is crucial in the face of the anxiety and stress demonstrated by dentists during COVID-19 that mental coping mechanisms and strategies generated to remain calm and function efficiently.

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (CoV) has constituted a public health emergency of international concern. Coronavirus belongs to the genus Coronavirus with its high mutation rate in the Coronaviridae. The epidemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) originating in Wuhan, China, has become a major public health challenge not only for China but also for countries around the world. Infection control measures are necessary to prevent the virus from spreading further and to help control the epidemic situation. For dental practices and hospitals in areas that are (potentially) affected by COVID-19, strict and effective infection control protocols are urgently needed.