Rotatory dental instruments generate atmospheric aerosols that settle on various surfaces, including the dentist's head. The aim of this study was to quantitatively assess bacterial contamination of the dentist's head and to evaluate whether it is affected by using a rubber dam. Senior dental students (n=52) were asked to wear autoclaved headscarves as collection media while performing restorative dental treatment with and without a rubber dam. Four points from each headscarf were swabbed for bacterial culture after 30min of operative work. Bacterial contamination was quantified by counting the colony-forming units. Regardless of the collection point, using a rubber dam was associated with more bacterial colony-forming units than not using a rubber dam (P=0.009). Despite its clinical value, the rubber dam seems to result in significantly higher aerosol levels on various areas of the dentist's head, requiring that dentists cover their heads with suitable protective wear.

The attitudes of dental patients towards participation in research and the independent socioeconomic factors associated with these attitudes are not known. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 120 patients attending dental clinics in Amman, Jordan. For patients who had previously participated in research (n = 28), motivating factors for most (> 75%) included a desire to help others and to advance science. Most respondents (81.7%) showed interest in participating in questionnaire-based research, but fewer would participate in invasive research, e.g. biopsies (22.0%) and drilling teeth (21.2%). Reasons given for not participating in research included fear of infectious diseases (71.3%) and pain (62.1%). Factors considered important in enhancing research participation included being asked to give informed consent (98.2%), fairness in selection of participants (97.3%) and the prospect of humanitarian benefit (96.5%). Sex and education level were significantly associated with patients' perceptions for several of items. To enhance recruitment, researchers should be aware of people's perspectives regarding participation in research. Attitudes des patients dentaires vis-à-vis de la participation à la recherche RÉSUMÉ Les attitudes des patients dentaires vis-à-vis de la participation à la recherche et les facteurs socioéconomiques indépendants associés à ces attitudes ne sont pas connus. Un autoquestionnaire a été distribué à 120 patients consultant dans des centres de soins dentaires à Amman (Jordanie). Parmi les facteurs de motivation pour la majorité (> 75 %) des patients ayant déjà participé à une étude de recherche (n = 28), on peut citer le désir d'aider autrui et de faire avancer la science. La plupart des répondants (81,7 %) exprimaient un intérêt pour la participation à une recherche menée à partir d'un questionnaire, mais ils étaient moins nombreux à être volontaires pour participer à une recherche invasive, telles que des biopsies (22,0 %) et le forage de dents (21,2 %). La peur des maladies infectieuses (71,3 %) et la douleur (62,1 %) étaient les raisons citées pour ne pas participer à une recherche. Les facteurs considérés comme importants pour améliorer la participation à la recherche comprenaient l'obtention d'un consentement éclairé (98,2 %), l'équité dans la sélection des participants (97,3 %) et la perspective d'un avantage humanitaire (96,5 %). Le sexe et le niveau d'études étaient fortement associés à la perception des patients pour plusieurs items. Afin d'intensifier le recrutement, les chercheurs devraient être informés des points de vue des patients au sujet de la participation à la recherche. ‫املتوسط‬ ‫لرشق‬ ‫الصحية‬ ‫املجلة‬ ‫العرشين‬ ‫املجلد‬ ‫الثاين‬ ‫العدد‬ 91

Narghile smoking is an independent risk factor associated with the development of oral cancer at a younger age. Prospective studies of its effect on the earlier development of oral cancer are needed to establish a cause-effect relationship.

ObjectivesTo investigate the clinical advices pharmacists would give to patients who present with various oral mucosal lesions.Subjects and MethodsOne hundred and twenty pharmacists in three major cities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were approached by senior dental students acting as mystery shoppers. Pharmacists were shown an image of one of four oral mucosal lesions representing candidosis, aphthous ulcer, erosive lichen planus and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Pharmacists' referral pattern and choices of medications were recorded and assessed against demographic variables.ResultsEighty‐eight per cent (88%) of pharmacists dispensed a non‐prescription medication to treat the oral lesions, including SCC, while only 12% recommended that the lesion shown to them be assessed by a clinician. Among all referral recommendations, 32% were for SCC (p = .006). Geographical proximity of a clinic to the pharmacy was a significant factor in determining pharmacists' referral recommendation (p = .036).ConclusionMost pharmacists dispensed a medication for oral mucosal lesions, including potentially malignant and malignant ones, without referring patients to a medical or dental practitioner. Pharmacists should be aware of the serious nature of some oral mucosal lesions and the necessity to refer those cases to a qualified practitioner for proper clinical assessment.

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Background: Nearly a quarter of the population in the UAE has type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and this medical condition is associated with poorer oral health. The effects on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL), however, have not been examined in this population. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the impact of oral health problems, such as caries and periodontitis, on OHRQoL among Arab patients with and without T2DM. Methods: This matched case-control study included 88 diabetic and 88 non-diabetic participants recruited from

To help ensure the ethical conduct of research, many have recommended educational efforts in research ethics to investigators and members of research ethics committees (RECs). One type of education activity involves multi-day workshops in research ethics. To be effective, such workshops should contain the appropriate content and teaching techniques geared towards the learning styles of the targeted audiences. To ensure consistency in content and quality, we describe the development of a curriculum guide, core competencies and associated learning objectives and activities to help educators organize research ethics workshops in their respective institutions. The curriculum guide is divided into modular units to enable planners to develop workshops of different lengths and choose content materials that match the needs, abilities, and prior experiences of the target audiences. The content material in the curriculum guide is relevant for audiences in the Middle East, because individuals from the Middle East who participated in a Certificate Program in research ethics selected and developed the training materials (e.g., articles, powerpoint slides, case studies, protocols). Also, many of the activities incorporate active-learning methods, consisting of group work activities analyzing case studies and reviewing protocols. The development of such a workshop training curriculum guide represents a sustainable educational resource to enhance research ethics capacity in the Middle East.