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Dental caries is the most prevalent chronic childhood disease in the United States. Dental caries affects the health of 60–90% of school-aged children worldwide. The prevalence of untreated early childhood dental caries is 19% for children 2–5 years of age in the U.S. Some factors that contribute to the progression of dental caries include socioeconomic status, access to dental care, and lack of anticipatory guidance. The prevalence of dental caries remains highest for children from specific ethnic or racial groups, especially those living in underserved areas where there may be limited access to a dentist. Although researchers have acknowledged the various links between oral health and overall systemic health, oral health care is not usually a component of pediatric primary health care. To address this public health crisis and oral health disparity in children, new collaborative efforts among health professionals is critical for dental disease prevention and optimal oral health. This evaluation study focused on a 10-week interprofessional practice and education (IPE) course on children’s oral health involving dental, osteopathic medical, and nurse practitioner students at the University of California, San Francisco. This study’s objective was to evaluate changes in knowledge, confidence, attitude, and clinical practice in children’s oral health of the students completed the course. Thirty-one students participated in the IPE and completed demographic questionnaires and four questionnaires before and after the IPE course: (1) course content knowledge, (2) confidence, (3) attitudes, and (4) clinical practice. Results showed a statistically significant improvement in the overall knowledge of children’s oral health topics, confidence in their ability to provide oral health services, and clinical practice. There was no statistically significant difference in attitude, but there was an upward trend toward positivity. To conclude, this IPE evaluation showed that offering an interprofessional course on children’s oral health to graduate students in dentistry, nursing, and osteopathic medicine can improve their knowledge, confidence, and practice toward children’s oral health and expand their professional goals to include caring for underserved, minority children.

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The addition of charged polymers, like poly-aspartic acid (pAsp), to mineralizing solutions allows for transport of calcium and phosphate ions into the lumen of collagen fibrils and subsequent crystallization of oriented apatite crystals by the so-called Polymer-Induced Liquid Precursor (PILP) mineralization process, leading to the functional recovery of artificial dentin lesions by intrafibrillar mineralization of collagen. Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of applying the PILP method as part of a restorative treatment and test for effectiveness to functionally remineralize artificial lesions in dentin. Materials and Methods: Two methods of providing pAsp to standardized artificial lesions during a restorative procedure were applied: A) pAsp was mixed into commercial RMGI (resin modified glass ionomer) cement formulations and B) pAsp was added at high concentration (25mg/ml) in solution to rehydrate lesions before restoring with a RMGI cement). All specimens were immersed in simulated body fluid for two weeks to allow for remineralization and then analyzed for dehydration shrinkage, integrity of cement-dentin interface, degree of mineralization, and changes in the nanomechanical profile (E-modulus) across the lesion. Results: After the remineralization treatment, lesion shrinkage was significantly reduced for all treatment groups compared to demineralized samples. Pores developed in RMGI when pAsp was added. A thin layer at the dentin-cement interface, rich in polymer formed possibly from a reaction between pAsp and the RMGI. When analyzed by SEM under vacuum, most lesions delaminated from the cement interface. EDS-analysis showed some but not full recovery of calcium and phosphorous levels for treatment groups that involved pAsp. Nanoindentations placed across the interface indicated improvement for RMGI containing 40% pAsp, and were significantly elevated when lesions were rehydrated with pAsp before being restored with RMGI. In particular the most demineralized outer zone recovered substantially in the elastic modulus, suggesting that functional remineralization has been initiated by pAsp delivery upon rehydration of air-dried demineralized dentin. In contrast, the effectiveness of the RMGI on functional remineralization of dentin was minimal when pAsp was absent. Conclusions: Incorporation of pAsp into restorative treatments using RMGIs promises to be a feasible way to induce the PILP-mineralization process in a clinical setting and to repair the structure and properties of dentin damaged by the caries process.

Hypertelorism and hypospadias are described in four unrelated boys; bilateral cleft lip and cleft palate were also present in two of the boys and mild mental retardation in another. These features are compatible with both the G and BBB syndromes. When present, laryngotracheoesophageal anomalies or respiratory and swallowing difficulties are characteristic features of the G syndrome; otherwise facial features may be useful in distinguishing the G and BBB syndromes. Cases 1 and 2 had anteverted nares and a broad and flat nasal bridge, and Case 1 had shortened palpebral fissures, all consistent with the G syndrome. In contrast, Cases 3 and 4 had a high and broad nasal bridge as previously described in the BBB syndrome. The father of Case 1 had mild hypertelorism and first-degree hypospadias, demonstrating autosomal dominant inheritance in the G syndrome. The mothers of Cases 2, 3, and 4 all had mild hypertelorism consistent with autosomal dominant inheritance and partial male-sex limitation, as previously proposed for both the G and BBB syndromes.