Derek Richards presents the top Dental Elf Blogs of 2015. Highlights include eating disorders and oral health, the long awaited Cochrane Review of water fluoridation and the update of the NICE guidance on infective endocarditis.
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This study compared the diagnostic accuracy of dental screening by hygiene-therapists with dentists. The results show that they could be used to screen for caries and periodontal disease. This could allow for a change in the traditional model of dental care seen in the UK.
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Eight RCTs were summarised in this review suggesting that regular patient motivation sessions and cleaning by a hygienist helped maintain good oral hygiene. No quantitative summaries was conducted so the magnitude of the benefit is unclear.
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This new Cochrane review looks at studies assessing the effectiveness, costs and cost effectiveness of dental auxiliaries in providing care traditionally provided by dentists. Only 5 studies, the majority conducted more than 20 years ago could be included so no firm conclusions can be made.
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The aim of this review was to evaluate the existing evidence in relation to the safety, quality, productivity or cost-benefit, and patient satisfaction of the procedures performed by the different groups of dental providers. The authors searched the Cochrane, Medline, Embase, and PubMed databases. They included 4 papers that addressed safety , 9 for quality [read the full story…]
