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Biomedical subjects

Rebecca S Wilder

Publications and source records attributed to Rebecca S Wilder.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The effect of periodontal therapy on TNF-alpha, IL-6 and metabolic control in type 2 diabetics.

PURPOSE: This pilot study investigated if scaling and root planing (S&RP) was an effective intervention in reducing levels of inflammatory markers TNF-alpha and IL-6 in a type 2 diabetic population. METHODS: Twenty-five patients with type 2 diabetes, 18-64 years of age were enrolled having 4 or more sites with pocket depths > or = 5mm and 2 or more sites with attachment loss > or = 3mm. Participants received S&RP following collection of gingival crevicular fluid and serum which were analyzed for TNF-alpha and IL-6. After 3 months post-treatment levels were collected. Serum pre-and post-treatment levels were analyzed using a paired t test at a significance level of p < or = 0.05. Mean TNF-alpha was 1.7 pg/ml at baseline and post-treatment was 4.0 pg/ml. Mean IL-6 was 2.8 pg/ml at baseline and post-treatment 6.0 pg/ml. RESULTS: Both mean TNF-alpha and IL-6 were increased following S&RP ; however, the observed increases were not statistically significant. While participants improved on periodontal measures following therapy, systemic measures of inflammation (TNF-alpha and IL-6) did not show the hypothesized reductions. CONCLUSION: Further studies are needed to determine effectiveness of S&RP on inflammatory mediators in a population with type 2 diabetes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Assessment of full-time dental hygiene faculty participation in clinical practice.

The purpose of this research project was to determine how many U.S. dental hygiene (DH) programs had full-time (FT) faculty members who provided direct patient care unrelated to the curriculum. Questions in this project also assessed attitudes and opinions of DH directors regarding clinical practice and opportunities for salary supplementation. A questionnaire of twenty open-ended and closed-ended questions was designed on Survey Monkey, an online survey engine. After IRB approval and pilot testing, 278 U.S. DH program directors received two emails with the survey link requesting their participation. A response rate of 69.1 percent (n=192) was achieved. Results revealed that 14.2 percent of the programs required FT DH faculties to participate in clinical practice settings unrelated to the curriculum, while 67 percent of the programs had faculties who also participated in clinical practice. Eighty-three percent of respondents reported faculties who participated in clinical practice were financially compensated. The majority (95.4 percent) of directors indicated maintaining clinical skills was an advantage to clinical practice, while 48 percent of directors indicated participation takes time away from being an educator. Overall, the majority of DH programs did not require FT faculties to participate in clinical practice; however, respondents were generally in favor of allowing faculties the opportunity to practice and thought that it enhanced their competency as clinical instructors.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2004

Practice trends of dental hygiene students completing specialty tracks.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to determine the practice trends of dental hygiene baccalaureate degree recipients who participated in a specialty track. METHODS: A survey was developed, pilot tested, revised, and mailed to a sample of 265 dental hygienists who graduated from the baccalaureate degree dental hygiene program at University of North Carolina (UNC)-Chapel Hill School of Dentistry between 1987 and 1998. Analysis included descriptive statistics, a non-parametric analysis of variance for the ordinal-scaled responses, and a chi-square to compare nominal responses. RESULTS: Survey responses along with telephone interviews yielded a response rate of 68% (n=181). Seventy percent of the respondents had been practicing dental hygiene for six or more years. Ninety-six percent had worked in general private dental practice, 29% in a periodontal dental practice, and 18% in a pediatric dental setting. The top three specialty tracks completed were hospital dentistry (24%), periodontology (20%), and pediatric dentistry (19%). Fifty-six percent of respondents would like to obtain a specialty track position if given the opportunity. Forty-four percent (n=16) of those who experienced the periodontal specialty track have worked in a periodontal setting, and 36% (n=12) of those who participated in the pediatric specialty track have worked in a pediatric office. Eighty-eight percent agreed or strongly agreed that the specialty track was an important part of their dental hygiene education. CONCLUSION: The results imply that the specialty track is a positive learning experience for students and should be continued. Data from this survey has implications to other dental hygiene programs offering or planning to offer specialty tracks.

Chi-Square Distribution↗
PubMed2004

Website update.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.↗
PubMed2004

Website update.

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Career Mobility↗
PubMed2004

Clinical and inflammatory evaluation of Perioscopy on patients with chronic periodontitis.

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the clinical and inflammatory changes produced in chronic, non-responsive periodontitis sites when comparing traditional scaling and root planing with scaling and root-planning using Perioscopy The sample size consisted of six patients who exhibited chronic periodontitis after completing initial therapy and under going periodontal maintenance for at least one year. The study was a within patient match site design. In which each patient had six to eight periodontal pockets measuring 5 mm to 8 mm. Half of the sites in each patients mouth were treated with scaling and root planing only (control group) and the other half of the sites were treated with scaling and root planing plus Perioscopy (experimental group). At one month evaluations, 50% of the control sites had a decrease of > 2 mm (11 out of 22 sites) and 55% of the experimental sites had a decrease in pocket depth of > 2 mm (12 out of 22 sites). When comparisons were made between baseline and three month evaluations of total pocket depths, 55% of the control sites had a decrease of > 2 mm (10 out of 22 sites). Chi-Square statistical analysis at one and three month evaluations showed non-significant decreases in pocket depth among control sites and experimental sites (p = 0.76, p = 0.55). At baseline, IL-1 mean levels and control sites were 43.47 pg/ml and 37.29 pg/ml for experimental for one month evaluation. II-1_mean levels were 33.03 pg/ml for control sites and 32.29 pg/ml for experimental sites. At the three month evaluation. IL-1 mean levels were 15.33 pg/ml for control sites and 14.42 pg/ml for experimental sites. Statistical t-test analysis assuming unequal variances at baseline, months one and three showed non-significant trends between control and experimental sites (p = 0.27, p = 0.47, p = 0.45). At baseline, PGE2, levels were 18.85 pg/ml for the control group abd 24,013 pg/ml for experimental sites. At one moth, PGE2 levels were 15.16 pg/ml for control sites and 16.23 pg/ml for experimental sites. At the three month evaluation, PGE2 levels were 14.18 pg/ml for the control sites and 15.92 pg/ml for the experimental group. T-test analysis of unequal variance showed non-significant trends in the data at baseline, one and three months for PGE2 (p = 0.26, p = 0.40, p = 0.31). The intent of this pilot study was to compare the changes in periodontal pocket depths and inflammatory markers of the control (scaling and root planing) and experimental (scaling and root planing with Perioscopy) sites. Analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in clinical and inflammatory analysis of the control sites and experimental sites though the three month evaluation period. Further studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of Perioscopy with a longer evaluation period.

Case-Control Studies↗
PubMed2003

Website update.

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Health Education↗
PubMed2002

Incorporation of evidence-based principles in baccalaureate and nonbaccalaureate degree dental hygiene programs.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the curricular utilization of Evidence-Based (EB) philosophies in dental hygiene education in both baccalaureate and nonbaccalaureate U.S. dental hygiene programs. METHODS: Data were gathered via a 1999 survey of all 235 U.S. dental hygiene program directors. The 21-question survey included one open-ended and 20 closed-ended items. Initially, the survey was pilot tested using a convenience sample of seven U.S. dental hygiene program directors. A final, revised survey was mailed to the cohort population. A response rate of 71% (N = 167) was achieved after two mailings. RESULTS: The demographic results of this study revealed the majority of respondents (77%) were from nonbaccalaureate dental hygiene programs, while the remainder (23%) were from baccalaureate degree programs. Respondents were asked if and to what degree the fundamentals of research were taught in their curriculum. Baccalaureate programs' responses indicated a much greater degree of utilization. Sixty-two percent of baccalaureate respondents provide a separate course on research, and 32% teach research as a portion of another dental hygiene course. However, 3% of the responding baccalaureate programs reported that no research was included in the curriculum. These results demonstrate an overall high utilization of research by baccalaureate curricula. In comparison, nonbaccalaureate programs' responses show a lesser degree of research utilization when compared with the baccalaureate programs. Only 8% of nonbaccalaureate programs had a separate research course. The majority, 80%, of nonbaccalaureate respondents reported that they teach research as a portion of another dental hygiene course. Finally, 10% of the nonbaccalaureate degree respondents reported teaching no research. Overwhelmingly, both baccalaureate and nonbaccalaureate students received formal orientation in the use of library--100% and 84%, respectively. Ninety-seven percent of baccalaureate and 82% of nonbaccalaureate programs provided students with formal instruction in using both literature indices and databases. To a lesser extent, both baccalaureate and nonbaccalaureate programs introduced students to the Internet and encouraged them to use it for conducting literature searches--83% and 78%, respectively. In fact, seventy-four percent of baccalaureate programs and 68% of nonbaccalaureate programs reported formally teaching the evaluation of information retrieved from the Internet. Both baccalaureate and nonbaccalaureate programs similarly indicated teaching the evaluation of research findings for validity, reliability, and clinical importance. To a lesser extent, 86% of baccalaureate and 61% of nonbaccalaureate programs reported that they encourage students to make EB recommendations to patients and teach students how to apply EB findings to clinical situations. CONCLUSION: The findings of this descriptive study indicate both baccalaureate and nonbaccalaureate degree programs incorporate some aspects of an EB philosophy into the curriculum. Survey results reveal baccalaureate degree programs incorporated research and taught the use of library facilities, journal indices, and electronic databases. In addition, baccalaureate degree programs also emphasized and encouraged the application of critically appraised evidence into practice. The nonbaccalaureate respondents utilized the library facilities, journal indices, and electronic databases to a slightly lesser extent than their baccalaureate counterparts. The nonbaccalaureate respondents also demonstrated less application of EB findings to clinical situations, including actual patient treatment.

Curriculum↗