The results of this study indicate that the immersive VR has the potential in becoming a future method for pain control during scaling and root planing procedures.

Background Implementing effective pain management is important to increase patient compliance during paediatric dental procedures. Aim This pilot study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) on pain perception in dental procedures in children. Material and Methods Fifty‐four children aged between 5 and 12 years were included. Patients scheduled to receive dental procedures not requiring local anesthesia (eg, fluoride therapy) were assigned to Group A, and patients scheduled to receive painful dental procedures requiring local anesthesia (eg, pulp therapy, teeth extraction) were assigned to Group B. Patients in each group were randomly assigned and were equally likely to either receive VR during their dental procedure, or treatment as usual (without VR). Visual analog scale (VAS), Wong‐Baker FACES rating scale, and the ‘Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability’ scale (FLACC scale) were used to assess the pain levels during dental procedures. Results Patients receiving painful dental procedures requiring local anesthesia reported significant reductions in pain intensity/worst pain during the dental procedure on all subjective and behavioral pain measures of pain intensity with the use of VR distraction technique (P < .05 on each). Patients receiving non‐painful dental procedures showed the predicted pattern but no significant reduction in worst pain during VR. Conclusion The use of VR was found to be an effective distraction tool to ease pain and anxiety in the tested dental procedures, for children receiving painful dental procedures.

Individuals with disabilities are at higher risk for oral diseases such as caries and periodontal disease. Therefore, regular dental care is essential to maintain oral health. However, individuals with disabilities encounter difficulties in accessing dental care. The challenges and barriers to oral care faced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have not been addressed in Jordan. The aim of this study was to examine the use of dental services in individuals with ASD in Jordan and identify barriers that affect their access to dental care in comparison with individuals without ASD. A case-control study was carried out among 296 parents/caregivers of individuals with ASD and individuals without ASD, which involved completion of a self-designed questionnaire. The majority of the participants in both groups had visited the dentist in the year preceding completion of the questionnaire. The main reason for visiting dental services was toothache (43%), and the least common reason was routine checkup (11.6%), with a significant difference (P<0.05) observed between the two groups. Barriers including embarrassment (43.5%), a lack of specialized dental staff (28.6%), a lack of knowledge of how to treat people with disabilities (26.6%), and inadequate facilities (34%) were significantly (P<0.05) more likely to be reported by individuals with ASD than the controls. In conclusion, knowing and understanding the barriers to accessing dental care could improve overall health for individuals with ASD. Furthermore, recognizing the challenges in accessing dental care for this population could help oral health professionals to minimize these difficulties.

Background Oral care is acknowledged as an integral component of general health and plays an essential role in establishing the desired level of quality of life for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Purpose To investigate oral health knowledge and dental behaviors in individuals with ASD in comparison with individuals without ASD in Jordan. Methods A case–control study was carried out among 296 caregivers of individuals with ASD (n = 147) and control (n = 149) groups. A closed ended, validated self-designed questionnaire was distributed. The questionnaire included questions addressing participant’s oral health knowledge and behaviour. Data were analyzed using SPSS® software Version 22 with a 0.05 level of significance. A Chi-square test and contingency-table analysis were performed. Results Individuals with ASD in Jordan were significantly less knowledgeable about different oral health aspects than individuals without ASD (p < 0.05). Fewer individuals in the ASD group brushed their teeth once or twice daily (89%), compared to the control group (93%). Only 15% of the ASD participants could brush their teeth without help. The use of fluoridated toothpaste and the frequency of using mouth rinse demonstrated a significant difference between groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion ASD individuals in Jordan suffer from a significant lack of oral knowledge comparing to their controls, leading to a misunderstanding of the basic and highly important dental health aspects. Indicating that the knowledge was not enough to influence their dental behaviors. Children with ASD and their families should receive appropriate education in special need oral health care given by oral health professionals to reduce the risk of having dental problems and oral disease and enhance their quality of life.

Aim: The study aimed to assess oral health knowledge, dental behaviors, and use of dental services in individuals with vision impairment in Jordan and identify barriers that affect their access to dental care in comparison with individuals without vision impairment. Materials and Methods: A case-control study was carried out among 399 parents/caregivers of individuals with vision impairment and individuals without vision impairment, which involved the completion of a self-designed questionnaire. A closed-ended, validated self-designed questionnaire was distributed. The questionnaire included questions addressing participants’ oral health knowledge, oral health behaviour, dental service use and barriers to accessing dental care. Data were analyzed using SPSS® software Version 22 with a 0.05 level of significance. A Chi-square test and contingency-table analysis were performed on the data. Results: Individuals with vision impairment in Jordan were significantly less knowledgeable about different oral health aspects than sighted counterparts. In addition, individuals with vision impairment used toothbrush, dental floss, and mouth rinse less frequently. They also visited dentists less regularly and mostly when only feeling pain. Limited access to dental services was observed among individuals with vision impairment compared to sighted individuals. Barriers, including embarrassment (22%), lack of knowledge of how to treat people with disabilities among dentists (12.5%), and inadequate facilities (13.7%), were significantly (P<0.05) more likely to be reported by visually impaired participants than the controls. Conclusion: Visually impaired individuals and their families should be given appropriate education about oral health care by oral health professionals to reduce the risk of having dental problems and oral disease and enhance their quality of life. Furthermore, recognizing the challenges in accessing dental care for this population could help oral health professionals to minimize these difficulties.

Background: Cross infection control, to reduce the incidence of disease transmission between patients and dental team personnel, is an integral part of good clinical practice. Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude and practice of cross infection control among dental, dental hygiene, and dental technology students. Methods: Data were collected by a self-administrated questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitude, and practice of infection control measures. The questionnaire was published electronically to final year dental, dental hygiene, and dental technology students through student’s official social media groups . Results: Statistically significant difference was found in relation to students' specialization (p-value ≤ 0.05). None of the dental hygienist students had a negative attitude about infection control, while most of participants with a negative attitude were dental technology students (84.6%). No statistically significant difference (p>0.05) was found between groups in regard to cross-infection knowledge, where the level of knowledge ranged from moderate to good. Conclusion: Good knowledge, attitude, and practice were reported for dental and dental hygiene students, while good knowledge with a negative attitude was found amongst dental technology students. Specialty affected the practice of infection control measures, yet gender was not a significant variable. Improvement of the university curriculum, particularly for dental technology students, to increase awareness and knowledge of cross infection control is highly recommended.

Introduction: During the pandemic of COVID-19, Jordan imposed strict measures and abandoned selected medical procedures. Due to the high risk of cross-infection among dental team members, dental clinics and laboratories were subjected to definite regulations before being allowed back to work. Aims: This survey aims to assess the knowledge, awareness and preparedness of dental technicians in Jordan regarding COVID-19. Also, to investigate prevention measures for dental technicians working during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional self-administered online survey was distributed electronically as a Google form via social media platforms. The study population consisted of registered dental technicians working in public and private laboratories in Jordan. The questionnaire consisted of a series of questions; demographic characteristics; knowledge and awareness about COVID-19, and the preparedness and measures to practice dental laboratory procedures during the pandemic. Results: This study included a total of 90 dental technicians (31 females and 59 males); their ages ranged from 22-60 years old. Almost all the participants (90%) were found knowledgeable about COVID-19. Governmental organizations, and visual and social media were the main sources of information. The majority of participants (>85%) encouraged drifting to digital dental technology protocols during COVID-19 pandemic. More than 65% of the participants reported COVID-19 very dangerous and considered themselves in a high risk of COVID-19 transmission. Conclusion: Most dental technicians have sufficient knowledge about COVID-19. However, most of them are not prepared to deal with impressions, restorations, and dentures of infected/suspected cases. Educational and training programs regarding COVID-19 among dental technicians are significantly needed.

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