A representative random sample of 597 Arab school-teachers in northern Israel, was surveyed regarding sources and levels of knowledge and attitudes about dental caries prevention. Data were measured according to a self-administered questionnaire from a 91.4 per cent response rate. When ranking the effectiveness of different caries preventive measures teachers on average listed optimal water fluoridation as a lower priority compared to toothbrushing, dental visits, fluoride mouthrinses and eating fewer sweet products. Placing of fissure sealants was ranked as the second least effective caries preventive measure, with 39.6 per cent not knowing the effectiveness. Only 68.5 per cent of the school-teachers were aware of the anti-bacterial role of fluoride, and only a small minority knew of fluoride's potential in healing incipient caries. Teachers seemed less motivated to being involved in dental health school programmes which involved dedicating school time and their active involvement, such as fissure sealant programmes at school, supervision of brushing and flossing, and school mouthrinsing programmes. They revealed positive attitudes towards: informing parents about the importance of oral hygiene and teaching children about preventive dentistry. Teachers' main reported source of knowledge was the dental office. It is the responsibility of the dental profession to ensure that updated knowledge is correctly conveyed to schoolteachers, who are an important and potentially influential sector of dental health consumers and health education agents.
A pilot study has concerned the most frequent computed tomography examinations (CT). This represents the first results based on actual survey for diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) establishment in Algeria. A total number of 2540 patients underwent this survey that has included the recording of CT parameters, computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol) and dose-length product of the head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen–pelvis (AP), lumbar spine (LS) and thorax–abdomen–pelvis (TAP) performed on standard patients. The proposed DRLs are 71 mGy/1282 mGy.cm for head, 16 mGy/555 mGy.cm for thorax, 18 mGy/671 mGy.cm for abdomen, 21 mGy/950 mGy.cm for AP, 36 mGy/957 mGy.cm for LS and 18 mGy/994 mGy.cm for TAP. The rounded 75th percentile seems to be higher in some examinations compared to the literature. Our findings confirm the need to optimise our practice. These results provide a starting point for institutional evaluation of CT radiation doses.
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