Background The quarantine associated with the COVID-19 pandemic forced dental schools to suspend their clinical training and to shift to distant learning methods. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of quarantine on the self-perceived preparedness of dental graduates and to explore the efficacy of online education from students’ perspectives. Methods The questionnaire distributed to dental students comprised of two main sections. The first part covered the online education experience, and the second part measured the level of self-perceived preparedness for a range of cognitive, communication and professional skills. Results The survey yielded a response rate of 72%. The majority of students (77%) agreed that they missed educational experiences as a result of the lockdown. More than half of them felt less motivated to follow-up with distant e-learning and believed that online assessment is not a good method for evaluation. A high percentage of the students (66%) thought that online group discussions had a positive value while 67% preferred online lectures compared to theatre lectures. Majority of students particularly 5th year (78.7%) (p < 0.001) stated that the quarantine increased their collaboration with their colleagues. According to 87% of students, the experience most negatively affected was their clinical training. In general, students showed satisfactory self-perceived preparedness related to a range of attributes and professional skills. Conclusions The data showed that students partially appreciated the online system, whereas they did not consider it a substitute for face to face clinical practice. The overall self-perceived preparedness level was promising; however students had reservations regarding independent practice following graduation.

Objective-To determine if 3D shape analysis precisely diagnoses right and left differences in asymmetry patients Study Design-Cone-beam CT data was acquired pretreatment from 20 patients with mandibular asymmetry. 3D shape analysis was used to localize and quantify the extent of virtually simulated asymmetry. Two approaches were used: (1) mirroring on the midsagittal plane determined from landmarks and (2) mirroring on an arbitrary plane, then registering on the cranial base of the original image. The validation presented in this study used simulated data and has been applied to three clinical cases. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Results-For mirroring on the midsagittal plane there was a >99% probability that the difference between measured and simulated asymmetry was less than 0.5 mm. For mirroring with cranial base registration, there was a >84% probability of differences less than 0.5 mm. NIH Public AccessConclusions-Mandibular asymmetry can be precisely quantified with both mirroring methods.Cranial base registration has the potential to be used for patients with trauma situations or when key landmarks are unreliable or absent.

Background COVID-19 continues to impact the dental community worldwide. The authors conducted a cross sectional electronic study to examine dentists’ knowledge, attitudes and professional behavior towards COVID-19 and the impact on their livelihood through a multi-site survey. Methods A questionnaire was circulated by electronic mail and social media platforms to dentists in North America, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions. It covered demographic characteristics and questions on COVID-19 outbreak related to dentists’ level of comfort on preventive and safety measures, provision of treatment, impact on work and financial implications. Responses were tabulated and analyzed by chi-square or exact Fisher test. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to compare means. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results A total of 1,251dentists responded. General dentists represented (63.9%) of the population and (62.5%) worked in private practice. On the level of comfortable with the preventive measures and provisions of treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, the global score was low (14/30), and the differences between regions were significant (P <0.01), dentists working in private practice and general dental practitioners were less comfortable (P<0.01). Conclusions and Practical Implications Respondents surveyed demonstrated a lack of preparedness to confront a highly infectious respiratory disease. A new level of protective armamentarium in the dental operatory and updated operational guidance and policies are required, necessitating educators and regulators to ensure the delivery of knowledge and skills to oral healthcare providers. Dentists need to address the sustainability of their practices and have a robust business plan.

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Labial bone thickness is thin in the vast majority of maxillary anterior teeth. Use of CBCT facilitates planning for immediate implant placement and is helpful in the decision-making process when further bone augmentation is needed.