Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

E Romberg

Publications and source records attributed to E Romberg.

51 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1980

Nonresponse bias to mail survey questionnaires within a professional population.

Mail survey questionnaires are often used in dental research. In most instances, results depend on a single mailing and an incomplete return rate. The possible bias resulting from excluding nonresponders in tabuling data from mail survey questionnaires in a dentist population was investigated. Two different questionnaires, one soliciting attitudes, the other knowledge, were sent to randomly selected dentists. The differences between the responders and the nonresponders were analyzed with respect to the dentists' demographic data, attitudes, and knowledge. It was concluded that: (1) subject matter does affect dentist response rates to mailed survey questionnaires, (2) there are no differences in demographic data between dentist responders and nonresponders, and (3) nonresponse bias does not affect the results of dental surveys on a typical dentist response rate.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The effect of tooth preparation on microleakage behavior.

Many factors contribute to the microleakage of a restoration. One of the more important is the method of cavity preparation. This study compared the microleakage behavior of composite restorations placed in cavities prepared by different techniques. It also compared and correlated the microleakage data produced by an electrochemical vs a staining technique. Class V cavities were prepared in 48 premolars by four techniques: (1) tungsten carbide bur in a high-speed handpiece followed by acid etching; (2) air abrasion (27 microns Al2O3) followed by acid etching; (3) air abrasion (50 microns Al2O3) and (4) air abrasion (27 microns Al2O3), with n = 12 in each group. All teeth were restored with Prime and Bond 2.1 and Tetric Flow, then thermocycled between 5 degrees and 55 degrees C for 5000 cycles with a one minute dwell at each temperature. After thermocycling, a PVC-covered Cu wire was inserted apically into the pulp chamber of each tooth and sealed into position. Leakage was continuously followed by a conductimetric method for 75 days. The teeth then were immersed in 50% AgNO3 for two hours, rinsed in distilled water for 60 seconds, then placed in a rapid photographic developer solution for two hours, followed by rinsing and sectioning for microscopic examination. Electrochemical data were examined by ANOVA and Newman-Keuls multiple comparison tests, while Kruskal-Wallis and Rank Sum Difference tests were used on the staining evaluations. Spearman's rho test was used to correlate the two test techniques. Electrochemical data for cavities prepared with a bur or air abrasion followed by acid etching prior to restoration showed significantly less (p < or = 0.05) microleakage (mean leakage currents of 1.89 & 1.57 microA, respectively) than teeth prepared with air abrasion alone (mean leakage currents of 3.60 & 3.40 microA, respectively). Rank sum AgNO3 staining data (196 & 242 vs 371 & 368) supported these findings. The correlation between the electrochemical and staining data was significant (p < or = 0.05) for all four groups of test specimens.

Acid Etching, Dental↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dentists' outlook toward their profession.

Given the dramatic changes presently occurring in the practice of dentistry, it was the purpose of this research to examine the outlook held by practicing dentists toward their profession. Through use of a mailed questionnaire, a national sample of general and pediatric dentists was surveyed. A 12-item Likert scale was used to measure dentist outlook. Additionally, dentists responded to questions dealing with conditions of their practice. Respondents were most positive about the professions' accomplishment in reducing caries by promoting the use of fluorides. The majority also felt that decreased time spent providing restorative services would lead to increased time spent providing other services, that greater use of auxiliaries would produce increased income, that the ADA's proposed marketing plan would have a positive effect on the public, and that research findings were relevant to the private practice of dentistry. Three items received negative responses. These items related to the oversupply of dental manpower, the detrimental effects of the increase in competition among dentists, and the decrease in professional autonomy. Additionally, four practice variables were found to be related to dentist outlook. Outlook became more favorable with increasingly more positive income change over the prior year, with increasing numbers of employees, and with increasing practice business. Finally, the longer a dentist had been out of dental school, the more positive his or her outlook was likely to be.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Knowledge, attitude, and outlook toward dentistry: their affect on sealant use and other related variables.

The dentist's knowledge about sealants, his attitude about the efficacy, safety, and cost effectiveness of sealants, and his general outlook towards dentistry as a profession were examined in a recent nationwide study of sealant use. Thirty-five hundred general dentists and 500 pediatric dentists were surveyed by a mail questionnaire with a response rate of 37.6% for generalists and 61.2% for pediatric dentists. Numerous moderate correlations were found. Both groups' Knowledge and Attitude scale scores were moderately correlated with sealant use as measured by the respondents' estimation of the percentage of their patients, age 18 and under, receiving sealants. Moderate correlations for both dentist groups also surfaced between Attitude and Knowledge as well as Attitude and Outlook but not between Knowledge and Outlook. Attitude in both groups correlated moderately with respondent scales entitled Preventive Orientation, Patient Influence, and Auxiliary Factors. For generalists, knowledge also correlated moderately with Sealant Awareness and Patient Influence while, for pediatric dentists, knowledge correlated moderately with Patient Influence only. While there was no significant difference between generalist and pediatric dentist outlook scale scores, pediatric dentists showed a significantly more positive attitude and greater knowledge about sealants than did generalists. It was suggested, therefore, that improvement of practitioners attitude and knowledge about sealants might influence sealant use.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A national survey of sealant use by pediatric dentists.

A national survey of pediatric dentists was undertaken to determine their level of sealant use and the factors that affected level of use. A twelve-page mailed questionnaire was completed by 329 practitioners. Decision-making factors, attitudes and knowledge about sealants, sealant awareness, characteristics of sealant use, undergraduate dental school experience with sealants, auxiliary factors, impact of insurance, characteristics of dental practice, interaction with colleagues, and characteristics of patient populations were explored as they related to level of sealant use. Variables significantly associated with sealant use included: availability of insurance, ability to delegate sealant procedures, and patient income and acceptance. Frequent users were more knowledgeable about sealant issues and were more likely to be consulted by their peers.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Delayed primary tooth eruption in premature infants: relationship to neonatal factors.

Previous studies suggest that primary tooth eruption (PTE) in preterm infants is related primarily to gestational age, but the impact of other neonatal factors has not been studied. In a prospective longitudinal study, the timing and sequence of PTE were documented by a pictorial PTE record completed by the parents and by frequent oral exams in 14 preterm infants whose first tooth erupted at < or = 10 months chronologic age (normal group) and 21 preterm infants whose first tooth erupted at > 10 months (late group). Initial eruption sequence in both groups was the same as full-term infants, with the two lower central incisors erupting first. PTE occurred significantly later in children with BW < 1000 g (t = 3.4, P < 0.01) or < or = 30 weeks (t = 2.41, P < 0.05). Factors related to nutrition appeared to be important. Age at first tooth correlated significantly with age when full enteral feedings were attained, age when oral vitamin supplementation was started, and with average weight gain per day. Five neonatal factors (duration of oral intubation, birthweight, gestational age, age when full enteral feedings were attained, and apnea of prematurity) explained 44% (R = 0.67, P < 0.05) of the variability in age at which the first tooth erupted. Of that 44%, 77% was explained by a single factor, duration of oral intubation. These results suggest that factors related to severity of neonatal illness and postnatal nutrition as well as degree of prematurity affect timing of primary tooth eruption.

Apnea↗