The Malay language version of the GOHAI demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability and will be an important instrument to measure oral health-related quality of life among Malay-speaking Malaysians. Use of the Malay language version GOHAI should also be pursued among diverse adult age groups.

Background: Chronic periodontitis has been recognised as one of the complications of diabetes mellitus. Individuals with diabetes are at higher risk of destructive periodontal disease. The objective of this study was to examine the oral health seeking behaviour of diabetic patients in Malaysia in order to improve their oral health condition. Methods: A cross-sectional study on Type II diabetes patients was conducted at selected public sector health clinics across four states, using self-administrated questionnaires. Descriptive data analysis was performed using SPSS version 19. Results: Of the 4,017 respondents, only 35.5% (95% CI: 34.10-37.10) acknowledged the association of diabetes and oral health. Less than half [48.4% (95% CI: 46.90-50.00)] had dental check-up since their diagnosis of diabetes. Of these, only 35.3% (95% CI: 33.10-37.40) had their last dental visit within the past one year. This accounted for only 16.7% of all respondents. Among those who had dental check-up, majority of them [95.4% (95% CI: 94.30-96.30)] were self-motivated while the remaining [4.6% (95% CI: 3.70-5.70)] were referred by healthcare staff. About 79.2% (95% CI: 77.90-80.40) claimed that dental check-up is important for diabetes patients. However, only 59.9% (95% CI: 58.30-61.40) wanted to be referred for dental care. Three main reasons for not wanting a referral were perceived lack of necessity for a dental check-up, the absence of dental problems and the perception that dental problems were not serious. Conclusion: Despite majority of diabetes patients claiming the importance of dental check-up (79.2%), the demand for dental referral (59.9%) and actual oral healthcare utilisation (48.4%) were low. Referral of diabetes patients for oral healthcare by healthcare workers was very low. There is a need to increase the oral health awareness of diabetes patients and to improve their utilisation of oral healthcare. Healthcare workers need to routinely refer diabetes patients for a dental check-up.

Introduction: Integrated curricula are being increasingly adopted in health professions, owing to their advantages including patient-centred training and development of critical thinking. Similarly, the majority of dental Universities have either moved away from discipline-specific towards integrated curricula or have incorporated elements of integration. Despite several advantages offered by the integrated curriculum, one disadvantage is failure to assess depth of knowledge. Assessing the depth of knowledge is a characteristic of discipline-specific curriculum. This commentary describes the inclusion of both discipline-based and integrated assessments at Faculty of Dentistry, SEGi University, Malaysia. Material and methods: Module tests (discipline-based assessments) comprising of discipline specific questions are conducted at the end of every term, mimicking the traditional discipline-specific assessment. Questions in the module tests are intended to assess the depth of knowledge of students. Mid semester examinations are conducted at the end of the semester, mimicking the integrated assessment. Integrated questions are intended to test the breadth of knowledge of students. Results: Lecturers and students felt introduction of module tests, helped them to prepare for topics in a phased manner and better answer questions posed by lecturers during case discussions and clinical presentations. The 'borderline distinction' students felt that studying for module tests provided them with the depth of knowledge essential to answer questions during viva voce. Discussion: Including both the traditional and integrated methods of assessments would engage students in a learning experience developing their breadth and depth of knowledge. Further prospective research is essential to assess the impact of this assessment strategy.

Background The aim of this study was to adapt, translate and validate the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry (MREALD-30) instrument for the Orang Asli population in Malaysia. Methods After translation and cross-cultural adaptation, interviews were conducted with 326 participants of the Temuan tribe from village Kampung Tering in Johol, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The instrument's validity was assessed using the scores of MREALD-30, which were compared based on occupation, monthly household income, educational attainment, general literacy, use of dental services, and three dental outcomes. A questionnaire containing socio-behavioral information and validated Malay Oral Health Impact Profile (M-OHIP-14) was also administered. The reliability of the MREALD-30 was assessed by re-administering it to 30 subjects after two weeks. Its correlations evaluated convergent and discriminative validity of MREALD-30 with the level of education and dental visiting habits, monthly household income, respectively. Predictive validity was assessed with M-OHIP-14, while construct validity was evaluated by exploratory factor analysis using the Rasch model. Results The internal consistency of the MREALD-30 measured by Cronbach's alpha was 0.89. The test–retest reliability was excellent (ICC 0.95, k = 0.85). MREALD-30 exhibited good construct validity. Rasch analysis showed two factors, and infit mean-square statistics for MREALD-30 were all within the desired range of 0.50–2.0. The discriminant validity and predictive validity were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions MREALD-30 showed very strong reliability, good construct, discriminant, and predictive validity, but poor convergent validity. Overall, it showed good psychometric properties and can be used in these community settings.