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Background. Human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) / Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is one of the most significant public health challenges in Surabaya, Indonesia where the greatest number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) among key populations is in areas served by Sememi Public Health Center. HIV-infected persons have a greater risk for developing dental caries, such as salivary gland enlargement, and decreased salivary glands function. Given the fact that PLWHA are at high risk of dental caries, utilization of dental health service among PLWHA are still low. Objective. This study aims to know the factors influencing dental caries in HIV/AIDS patients.Methods. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study conducted on 16 HIV-seropositive individuals. They were asked to complete a WHO questionnaire concerning basic oral health and quality of life. Dental caries was assessed using the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. Whole stimulated saliva samples were also collected.Results. Nine out of 16 respondents had low salivary flow rate (56.3%). One patient had low DMF-T score (6.3%) and eight had high DMFT score (50%). Among seven respondents who had normal salivary flow rate (43.8%), two of whom had low DMFT score (12.5%) and five of whom had high DMFT score (31.3%).Conclusion. People living with HIV/AIDS have high DMFT and low salivary flow rate.

BackgroundMaintaining proper oral hygiene has an influence on oral health. Religious obedience may influence individual behavior. According to Islamic religious guidance, as recommended by an Islamic role model, it is obligated to maintain oral health and the recommended tool to use is miswak.PurposeTo describe miswak users’ behavior based on the theory of planned behavior.Subjects and methodsThe population of this study was the students of As-Salafi Al-Fitrah Islamic Boarding School who used miswak regularly and were healthy physically and mentally. One hundred and nine samples were chosen randomly and asked to complete a semi-open and a closed-ended questionnaire.ResultsPerceived behavioral control had the most dominant influence toward improving intention with β=0.211 and p<0.05. In contrast, attitude and subjective norms had less influence toward improving intention with β=0.190 and p>0.05, and β=0.164 and p<0.0001, respectively. Meanwhile, perceived behavioral control showed direct correlation toward action in model parameter with β=0.445 and p<0.0001.ConclusionPerceived behavioral control is the most dominant predisposing factor in increasing intention and attitude of miswak use.

IntroductIonThe existence of systemic disease potentially worsens the quality of life of the elderly associated with dental caries. Some studies suggest that people with diabetes, hypertension, and coronary heart disease have the worst quality of life than people without systemic disease. [1] Therefore, special attention is needed to elderly people suffering from systemic disease with high dimethyl fumarate value, so that there is a need for community empowerment to increase the knowledge toward systemic disease relationship with oral and dental health.Community empowerment is a process to improve the ability or capacity of society in utilizing the resources owned: human resources and natural resources which were available in the environment to improve the welfare of life. However, efforts are made not only to increase the capacity of the community to meet their needs but also to build a sense of community self-sufficiency to develop and have a strong motivation in participating in the empowerment process. Society, in this case, becomes the perpetrator or center of the empowerment process. [2] Aims: This empowerment aimed to provide knowledge about systemic disease correlation with oral and dental health to the cadres to convey information to the elderly group. Subjects and Methods: The method used in the community empowerment program in this elderly group was the method of counseling with lectures. Evaluation of the participants was conducted after counseling. The evaluation method was done by filling out the questionnaire and observation. Observations were made to the cadres by assessing the cadres in presenting the extension content to the extension workers. Further evaluation was done when the cadres socialized the materials independently in an elderly nursing home. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 17 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois). Results: There was an increase in posttest average compared with pretest. The mean cadre pretest result was 45.55%, the mean posttest result was 77.55%, and the mean of cadre observation result to relay extension material was 84.52%. Conclusions: The elderly understood the signs of systemic disease (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary heart) in the oral cavity through counseling of elderly cadres.

Background: Oral health surveys conducted on a very large population involve many examiners who must be consistent in scoring different levels of an oral disease. Prior to the oral health survey implementation, a measurement of inter-rater reliability (IRR) is needed to know the level of agreement among examiners or raters. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the IRR using consensus and consistency estimates in large population oral health surveys. Methods: A total of 58 dentists participated as raters. The benchmarker showed the clinical sample for dental caries and community periodontal index (CPI) score, with the raters being trained to carry out a calibration exercise in dental phantom. The consensus estimate was measured by means of a percent agreement and Cohen’s Kappa statistic. The consistency estimate of IRR was measured by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and intraclass correlation. Results: The percent agreement is 65.50% for photographic slides of dental caries, 73.13% for photographic slides of CPI and 78.78% for calibration of dental caries using phantom. There were statistically significant differences between dental caries calibration using photographic slides and phantom (p<0.000), while the consistency of IRR between multiple raters is strong (Cronbrach’s Alpha: >0.9). Conclusion: A percent agreement across multiple raters is acceptable for the diagnosis of dental caries. Consistency between multiple raters is reliable when diagnosing dental caries and CPI.