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This in vitro study aimed to compare the effects of various surface treatments and hydrothermal aging on the phase composition, microstructure, and compressive strength of dental zirconia (ZrO2). Forty-eight zirconia cubes (8 × 8 × 8 mm) were fabricated using CAD/CAM from two materials: infrastructure zirconia (Group S1) and super-translucent multilayered monolithic zirconia (Group S2). Four samples of each material were analyzed in their pre-sintered state (S1-0, S2-0). The remaining specimens were sintered and assigned to sub-groups based on surface treatment: untreated, sandblasted with 30 µm or 50 µm Al2O3, polished, or polished and glazed. Characterization was performed using EDX, SEM, XRD with Rietveld refinement, Raman spectroscopy, and compressive testing before and after accelerated hydrothermal aging, according to EN ISO 13356:2015. EDX revealed a higher yttria content in monolithic zirconia (10.57 wt%) than in infrastructure zirconia (6.51 wt%). SEM images showed minimal changes in polished samples but clear surface damage after sandblasting, which was more pronounced with larger abrasive particles. XRD and Raman confirmed that sandblasting promoted the tetragonal (t-ZrO2) to monoclinic (m-ZrO2) phase transformation (t→m), amplified further by hydrothermal aging. The polished groups showed greater phase stability post-aging. Compressive strength decreased in all treated and aged samples, with monolithic zirconia being more affected. Polished samples displayed the best surface quality and structural resilience across both materials. These findings underline the impact of clinical surface treatments on zirconia’s long-term mechanical and structural behavior.

NOABSTRACTProficiency Testing/Interlaboratory Comparisons play an important role that is widely accepted in demonstrating the validity of results of any laboratory and inspection body. To ensure a coherent approach in the field within an economy, accreditation bodies develop specific policies for laboratories and inspection bodies’ participation in proficiency testing/interlaboratory comparisons.39 Proficiency Testing/Interlaboratory Comparisons policies of accreditation bodies were reviewed for key requirements: initial accreditation, participations of accreditation per accreditation cycle and acceptance criteria of PT/ILC providers.Within the analyzed policies a wide range of approaches was identified especially for the number of participations and acceptance criteria set by different bodiesEven though the analyzed policies belong to accreditation bodies which are signatories of the same regional agreement, there is no harmonized approach with respect to Proficiency Testing/Interlaboratory Comparisons usage in the accreditation process

Successful participation in Proficiency Testing/Interlaboratory Comparison (PT/ILC) schemes is a method to ensure validity of results for any laboratory. It is also a component of a complex of means for demonstrating technical competence of a laboratory as an organization. The new accreditation standard ISO 17043 for PT providers together with the newly updated ILAC Policy of PT participation introduce a different perspective on the activity of PT provider in regard to quality assurance. Technical and management requirements from the ISO 17043:2023 that are essential for a competent activity of PT/provider are identified with a rationale for their increased importance. This importance is related both to the practical impact on the PT/ILC providers’ customers (laboratories) activity and laboratory benefits of participation in PT/ILS schemes besides the traditional qualitative and quantitative interpretation of their participation. Identified requirements are accompanied by a practical and explained potential implementation strategy which is aligned with the ILAC Policy on PT/ILC participation. Successful implementation of the essential requirements of the ISO 17043:2023 is a necessary step for any PT/ILC provider that seeks credibility on the proficiency testing market. Such implementation may also be an important step towards full implementation of the ISO 17043:2023 and achieving accreditation thus benefiting from full confidence in the activities of the provider.

Background/Objectives: The integration of digital technologies into dental education is becoming increasingly important, particularly in prosthodontics, where digital design tools offer enhanced precision and efficiency. This study aimed to evaluate second-year dental students’ perceptions regarding conventional versus digital design in prosthodontics, assessing their theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and attitudes toward these approaches. Methods: A total of 141 dental students enrolled in Faculty of Dentistry from “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania, participated in an online survey consisting of 19 questions evaluating their understanding, preferences, attitudes, and expectations regarding digital and conventional prosthodontic workflows. Additionally, students’ practical exam grades and task completion times for both conventional and digital design methods were evaluated. Results: Participating students reported sufficient understanding of theoretical concepts in both conventional (92.9%) and digital design (91.5%). A significant proportion (78.7%) felt confident in their practical skills for conventional design, while 78% expressed the same for digital design. Statistically significant correlations indicated that students who believed digital design could replace conventional methods associated digital design with greater accuracy (p = 0.020), predictability (p = 0.048), and sustainability (p = 0.032). Students who believed they had acquired enough skills in digital design responded more frequently that the time allocation for digital design by the university was sufficient (p < 0.001). Moreover, students scored significantly higher in digital design practical exams compared to conventional design (p < 0.001). Task completion times were also shorter for digital workflows, further supporting their efficiency. Conclusions: The findings suggest that students are highly receptive to digital technologies in prosthodontics, favoring digital workflows over conventional techniques. These results highlight the need for continued integration of digital tools into dental curricula to enhance students’ competency and prepare them for modern clinical practice.

A provisionalization sequence is essential for obtaining a predictable final prosthetic outcome. An assessment of the mechanical behavior of interim prosthetic materials could orient clinicians towards selecting an appropriate material for each clinical case. The aim of this study was to comparatively evaluate the mechanical behavior—with compressive and three-point flexural tests—of certain 3D-printed and conventional resins used to obtain interim fixed dental prostheses. Four interim resin materials were investigated: two 3D-printed resins and two conventional resins (an auto-polymerized resin and a pressure/heat-cured acrylic resin). Cylindrically shaped samples (25 × 25 mm/diameter × height) were obtained for the compression tests and bar-shaped samples (80 × 20 × 5 mm/length × width × thickness) were produced for the flexural tests, observing the producers’ recommendations. The resulting 40 resin samples were subjected to mechanical tests using a universal testing machine. Additionally, a fractographic analysis of failed samples in bending was performed. The results showed that the additive manufactured samples exhibited higher elastic moduli (2.4 ± 0.02 GPa and 2.6 ± 0.18 GPa) than the conventional samples (1.3 ± 0.19 GPa and 1.3 ± 0.38 GPa), as well as a higher average bending strength (141 ± 17 MPa and 143 ± 15 MPa) when compared to the conventional samples (88 ± 10 MPa and 76 ± 7 MPa); the results also suggested that the materials were more homogenous when produced via additive manufacturing.

Background and Objectives: The ever more complex modern dental education requires permanent adaptation to expanding medical knowledge and new advancements in digital technologies as well as intensification of interdisciplinary collaboration. Our study presents a newly developed computerized method allowing virtual case simulation on modular digital dental models and 3D-printing of the obtained digital models; additionally, undergraduate dental students’ opinion on the advanced method is investigated in this paper. Materials and Methods: Based on the digitalization of didactic dental models, the proposed method generates modular digital dental models that can be easily converted into different types of partial edentulism scenarios, thus allowing the development of a digital library. Three-dimensionally printed simulated dental models can subsequently be manufactured based on the previously obtained digital models. The opinion of a group of undergraduate dental students (n = 205) on the proposed method was assessed via a questionnaire, administered as a Google form, sent via email. Results: The modular digital models allow students to perform repeated virtual simulations of any possible partial edentulism cases, to project 3D virtual treatment plans and to observe the subtle differences between diverse teeth preparations; the resulting 3D-printed models could be used in students’ practical training. The proposed method received positive feedback from the undergraduate students. Conclusions: The advanced method is adequate for dental students’ training, enabling the gradual design of modular digital dental models with partial edentulism, from simple to complex cases, and the hands-on training on corresponding 3D-printed dental models.

Background and Objectives: The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to changes in population daily patterns. In order to adapt oral health promotion measures for future similar conditions, the main objective of the study was to assess changes in dental hygiene and eating and smoking habits during the government lockdown in Romania. Materials and Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted immediately after the end of the lockdown and consisted of 800 adult subjects. Data collection was done via an online survey. Participants were divided into two groups: non-medical/dental practitioners (N-M/D group) and medical/dental practitioners (M/D group). Results: An increased use of dental floss from 27% (pre-lockdown) to 30.5% (during lockdown) was identified in the M/D group, while the manual toothbrush usage increased to 64.8% (during lockdown) from 61.7% (pre-lockdown) in the N-MD/group. No significant differences regarding toothbrushing frequency were observed in either group. A change in the number of daily snacks was identified in both groups (3–4 snacks per day: from 11% to 20.2% in the N-M/D group, from 13.1% to 22.2% in the M/D group). The consumption of sweets as a preferred snack was also noticed. A decrease of tobacco consumers was assessed in the lockdown period (from 66.6% to 60.4% in the M/D group, from 68.5% to 61.9% in the N-/M/D group). Conclusions: Oral habits were changed during the pandemic lockdown through the increase in the frequency of the consumption of snacks and sweets and the decrease in frequency of smokers. Only minor changes were observed in oral hygiene.

Background. Despite dentistry’s alarmingly high energy use, plastic waste, and travel emissions, research on Romanian dental students’ sustainability awareness is absent. This study aimed to assess their knowledge of the environmental impact of dental materials and practices, hypothesizing that early exposure to sustainability education would benefit preclinical students most. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional survey using a form questionnaire with 15 items was conducted on 1800 dental students at Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Bucharest, Romania, for one week in March 2022. The questionnaire, consisting of socio-demographics, students’ perspectives on sustainability in dentistry, and personal sustainability, was analyzed using SPSS 26. Data analysis included the Shapiro–Wilk test for normality, Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables, the Mann–Whitney U test for non-parametric quantitative comparisons, and Z-tests with Bonferroni correction for contingency tables. Results. A response rate of 26.06% was achieved, with 469 participants. The majority (51.1%), particularly males (66.1%), perceived sustainability as promoting durability. The most common definition of sustainability (33.8%) was related to environmental protection, with significantly higher agreement among female students (39.4%) (p = 0.001). While 49.3% of participants identified single-use plastics in patient care as having the greatest environmental impact in dental practices, 39.2% of female students, primarily from clinical study years (50%), ranked patient paperwork and records as the most significant factor (p = 0.031). The highest-carbon-footprint dental procedures were considered to be amalgam and composite fillings (50.7%), with clinical year students indicating this as the most relevant issue (62.8% vs. 47.7%) (p = 0.011). Students aged 25–30 were more actively engaged in sustainability initiatives compared to the younger group (p = 0.005), while all students over 30 identified scaling and polishing as the most impactful procedure (p < 0.001). A majority of students supported future university sustainability initiatives (62.7%) and an elective course on sustainability in dentistry (65%). Female students showed significantly greater interest than male students in both initiatives (66.3% vs. 52.7%, p = 0.003 and 70.8% vs. 49.6%, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions. Greater awareness of sustainability was found in preclinical-year dental students and among female students, with knowledge gaps in clinical-year students, particularly regarding the environmental impact of dental practices and materials. Introducing sustainability courses could better prepare future dentists for sustainable practices in dentistry. Research collaborations and curriculum reforms to further promote sustainability would also be beneficial.

Vaccination hesitancy (VH) is a phenomenon which increases the occurrence of vaccine-preventable diseases. The study tests the validity of the Multidimensional Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (MVHS) in the case of a sample of Romanian adults (n = 528; Meanage = 30.57). The latter filled in an online cross-sectional survey. The construct validity of MVHS was assessed by using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the reliability was calculated by using the internal consistency, and the convergent and discriminant validity was assessed by using the composite reliability (CR), and average variance extracted (AVE). The obtained model was invariant across gender. The structural equation model was designed for predictive validity by using the partial least square method (PLS-SEM) which analyses the relation between the MVHS dimensions and the vaccination willingness. The results show support for the 8-factor structure of the scale (χ2/df = 2.48; CFI = 0.95; RMSEA = 0.053). The Cronbach’s coefficients α > 0.70; McDonald’s ω > 0.70 and CR > 0.80 have very good values. The structural equation model shows that there are more dimensions of the scale which predict vaccination hesitancy in various types of vaccines—the main predictors remain the dimensions of health risk and healthy condition. The study’s conclusion led to the idea that the MVHS is suitable for medical practice and for research on the analysis of vaccination behaviours and intentions.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the oxidative stress level and inflammatory status of saliva in the presence of certain materials used for obtaining interim prosthetic restorations. Four types of interim resin materials were investigated: a pressure/heat-cured acrylic resin (Superpont C+B, SpofaDental a.s Czech Republic, /KaVo Kerr Group), a milled resin (Telio CAD polymethyl methacrylate, Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Liechtenstein), a 3D printed resin (NextDent C&B MFH, NextDent by 3D Systems, the Netherlands), and a pressure/heat-cured micro-filled indirect composite resin (SR Chromasit, Ivoclar Vivadent AG, Liechtenstein). The disk-shaped resin samples (30 mm diameter, 2 mm high) were obtained in line with the producers’ recommendations. The resulting resin specimens were incubated with saliva samples collected from twenty healthy volunteers. In order to analyze the antioxidant activity of the tested materials, certain salivary parameters were evaluated before and after incubation: uric acid, gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT), oxidative stress responsive kinase-1 (OXSR-1), and total antioxidant capacity (TAC); the salivary levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNFα) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (inflammatory markers) were measured as well. The obtained results are overall favorable, showing that the tested materials did not cause significant changes in the salivary oxidative stress level and did not influence the inflammatory salivary status.