This study evaluated the effects of several psychological factors on postsurgical recovery while controlling for and also evaluating the effects of the physical trauma induced by the surgery. Subjects were 38 patients (18 males and 20 females) who were scheduled to have four third molars surgically removed. The psychological factors measured included anxiety and expectations about recovery, trait anxiety, coping behaviors, and health locus of control. Surgical trauma was rated after surgery, and the following aspects of recovery were monitored: postoperative pain, interference with normal function, swelling, and healing. Poorer postoperative recovery was significantly predicted by each of the psychological variables and by higher levels of surgical trauma. In addition, the effects of the psychological variables on recovery were shown to be largely independent of the trauma effects. The data suggest that (a) future studies which give patients more positive expectations and reduce their anxiety about recovery may improve their recovery and (b) the types of patients most in need of preoperative psychological support would be those who have higher trait anxiety, vigilant coping behaviors, or an internal locus of control.

Social media consist of powerful tools that impact not only communication but relationships among people, thus posing an inherent challenge to the traditional standards of who we are as dental educators and what we can expect of each other. This article examines how the world of social media has changed dental education. Its goal is to outline the complex issues that social media use presents for academic dental institutions and to examine these issues from personal, professional, and legal perspectives. After providing an update on social media, the article considers the advantages and risks associated with the use of social media at the interpersonal, professional, and institutional levels. Policies and legal issues of which academic dental institutions need to be aware from a compliance perspective are examined, along with considerations and resources needed to develop effective social media policies. The challenge facing dental educators is how to capitalize on the beneits that social media offer, while minimizing risks and complying with the various forms of legal constraint.

Staff training, specialist equipment and new service models for the delivery of domiciliary care are required.

Globalization is a broad term referring to the increasing connectivity, integration, and interdependence of economies, societies, technologies, cultures, and political and ecological spheres across the world. This position paper was developed by a working group of the 2007 American Dental Education Association (ADEA) Leadership Institute. The authors explore the effect that globalization has had on dentistry and dental education to date and hypothesize what dental education could look like in the years ahead. While the paper is written from a North American perspective, some of the authors bring international expertise and experience to the topic of global dental education in a flat world. Specific issues and barriers addressed in this position paper include variations in accreditation and licensure requirements in dental education throughout the world; the historical development of dental education models (odontology and stomatology) and the need for congruency of these models in the global environment; the competency-based model of education and its relevance to development and implementation of global dental competencies; and the slow adoption of technological advances in dental education for promoting collaborations and encouraging resource sharing among countries. These challenges are discussed as they affect the implementation of a standardized global dental education that can lead to improved access to oral health care services and better oral and overall health for the citizens of the world.

Academic integrity continues to be of concern in higher education as the data from undergraduate schools shows an increasing prevalence of cheating behaviors and changing values of students who are entering dental education. The use of honor codes has been reported to positively influence the attitudes and behaviors of students. This paper discusses the elements of an effective and valid honor code and its possible role in enhancing the dental school environment.