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Introduction: Dentists are often questioned on whether playing a wind musical instrument can adversely affect dental occlusion. This study compared the occlusal characteristics in wind instrument players (WIPs) and non-WIPs. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional comparative study comprising a group of fifty males aged 18-45 years that had been playing wind instruments for a minimum of 2 years, whereas the control group were non-WIPs in the same environment. All the participants had full complement of dentition. The occlusal characteristics of overjet, overbite, anterior open bite and Little's irregularity were assessed for both groups. Excellent intra-examiner reliability was observed (Cronbach's alpha - 0.997). The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) version 17 was used for data analysis, and statistical significance level was set at P < 0.05. Results: The number of years of playing wind musical instrument ranged from 2 to 25 years. The mean overjet was 3.46 ± 1.49 mm and 3.18 ± 1.27 mm in the WIP and non-WIP groups, respectively (P > 0.05). The maxillary anterior segment showed statistically significantly higher Little's Irregularity Index score in the WIP group (3.18 ± 3.73 mm) than that in the non-WIP group (1.87 ± 2.21 mm) (P < 0.05). The maxillary Little's Irregularity Index score in trumpet and trombone players (3.55 ± 3.93 mm) was significantly higher than that in saxophone and clarinet players (1.69 ± 2.39 mm). Both the maxillary and mandibular anterior-segment alignments were neither influenced by the number of years nor the frequency of play. Conclusions: Playing wind musical instruments significantly affects the maxillary anterior-segment alignment.

Background and Aims: There is a high possibility of transmitting the coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) in the orthodontic clinic because orthodontists and their patients are in very close contact when orthodontic care is being given. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and perception of Nigerian orthodontists and orthodontic residents about the risks of COVID-19 as well as the extra-protective infection control measures that need to be taken. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. The questionnaires were distributed and retrieved from consenting participants through an online platform. The questionnaires were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software version 23. The results were presented in tables and charts. Results: Out of a total of 90 members on the association's WhatsApp group as at the time the study was being conducted, a total of 48 respondents participated in this study. There were more females (60.4%) than males. Majority (97.9%) of the respondents agreed/strongly agreed that an infected patient could infect the orthodontic clinic staff members with COVID-19 while most were of the view that debonding (95.8%) and retainer delivery (70.8%) posed a risk for spread of the virus. More than half of the respondents (52.1%) considered it necessary to change N95 masks after each patient as an extra-protective measure against COVID-19. Conclusions: Majority of the respondents knew about the risks that COVID-19 posed to different aspects of orthodontic practice and were also knowledgeable about some of the extra-protective measures that they should take. There is a need to improve the knowledge of the participants concerning the use of appropriate mouth rinses to reduce the risks of transmission of COVID-19 in the dental/orthodontic clinic.

Aim: To determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among dentists in Nigeria, where it is underreported, and to correlate these MSDs with occupational and stress-related ergonomic challenges. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted among randomly selected dentists in Nigeria. A modification of the validated Nordic questionnaire was utilized to determine the prevalence of MSDs. Paired t-tests and analysis of variance tests were used to determine statistical differences between numerical variables. The logistic regression analysis was used to confirm significant effect of predictor variables on work-related MSDs (WMSDs). Difference at the 5% level was accepted as significant. Results: Most of the participants were males (58.8%), aged between 26 and 30 years (37.2%), had <5 years of experience (38.2%), and worked an average of 31-40 min for each patient. Eighty-eight participants (44.2%) had WMSDs within 7 days, whereas 126 (63.3%) had in the preceding year. Within a 12-month period, however, neck pain was the commonest complaint (22.2%), followed by lower back (20.6%) and upper back pain (18.3%). The linear regression analysis showed that age of participants: >40 years [Exp β: 1.003; confidence interval (CI): 0.848-1.187; P = 0.020], body mass index: obese (Exp β: 1.079; CI: 0.733-1.589; P = 0.027), average time spent on each patient: >50 min (Exp β: 0.903; CI: 0.313-2.609; P = 0.049), having dental nurses in the clinic: >10 (Exp β: 0.959; CI: 0.410-2.243; P = 0.000), and a high level of environmental stress (Exp β: 1.092; CI: 0.862-1.384; P = 0.029) were significantly associated with MSDs. Conclusion: Our study showed that dentists who were older than 40 years, those who were obese, those who spent an average of 50 min on each patient, and those who had few dental nurses in the clinic and had a high level of environmental stress had a significantly higher prevalence of MSDs. Modifiable chairs, correct sitting postures by the dental surgeon and the patient, adequate lighting, use of indirect vision, use of magnification loupes, and sufficient rest and breaks at work could help to ameliorate these conditions.

Dentine hypersensitivity (DH) is a common yet often overlooked oral condition that causes pain and discomfort, negatively impacting quality of life. The prevalence of DH in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region is relatively higher than in European countries, highlighting the need for interventions to reduce the disease burden associated with DH. A systematic approach and a thorough understanding of the condition are required for proper diagnosis and management. However, the lack of specific treatment guidelines in the MEA region poses a challenge for clinicians in identifying and managing DH. To address this, an advisory board panel of 12 dental experts from 8 MEA countries developed these consensus recommendations for DH diagnosis and management. This paper presents an overview of the clinical presentation, diagnostic challenges, and management strategies specific to the MEA region. It provides evidence-based recommendations and a simplified algorithm to guide clinicians in diagnosing and managing DH effectively. The panel underscored the importance of early diagnosis, preventive education, behavioral modification, and personalized treatment interventions, including self-care home-based therapies, for optimal DH management. Additionally, the panel emphasized the need for heightened public awareness and the integration of DH education into dental professional curricula.

Background Bullying is a worldwide problem with varying consequences. Victims of school bullying may be targeted for many reasons including their appearance. They may also fear school and have difficulties in concentration. Objective This study aimed to determine the prevalence of bullying amongst adolescents in Kano, Northern Nigeria, the contribution of physical features and the perceived effect of bullying on their academic performance and school attendance. Subjects and methods Eight hundred and thirty-five students aged between 12 years and 17 years from eight randomly selected secondary schools in Kano, Nigeria took part in this study. Data collection was by self-administered questionnaires and analysis was by SPSS version 17. Results The pupils' mean age and standard deviation was 14.79 + 1.53 years. There were more male and private school pupils with 55.1% and 62%, respectively. About 43% of respondents reported being victims of bullying while about 32% had bullied someone else. There was more bullying in public schools than in private schools (p-value = 0.003). However, there was no significant gender difference (p > 0.05). More bullied pupils hated being in or outside the classroom (p < 0.05). Similarly, significantly higher number of bullied pupils played truant than non-bullied (p < 0.001). One-fifth of the victims of bullying felt it had consequences on their academic performance. Bullies frequently targeted general physical and dento-facial appearance. Conclusion The prevalence of bullying was high among the sampled population especially within public schools. This also had a significant negative effect on the students' academic performance.

OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed at assessing the knowledge and awareness of orthodontists and orthodontic residents in Nigeria about the COVID-19 pandemic and the appropriate infection control measures required to mitigate its spread in orthodontic practice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study of orthodontists and orthodontic residents. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from the Institutional Review Board. Data collection was via an online questionnaire designed using Google forms and these were sent to the phone numbers of study participants. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20. RESULTS : A total of 73 respondents with a mean age of 43.41 ± 9.21 years participated in the study. About 90% of the respondents had a very good knowledge of COVID-19, including its etiology, modes of transmission, signs, and symptoms. However, very few respondents were aware of the less common symptoms such as skin rash (16.4%) and red eyes (26%). Over 80% of the respondents knew the appropriate measures to take to prevent the spread of the virus in the dental clinic, in addition to the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) to use. CONCLUSION: The respondents had a very good knowledge of the basic epidemiology of COVID-19 and the means of prevention of its transmission in the dental clinic. However, there was limited knowledge of the less common symptoms of the infection. In addition, majority of the respondents had a very good idea of the appropriate PPE to be used.

PurposeThis paper aims to examine work values among job seekers and how these values differ across experience and gender.Design/methodology/approachThis study asked participants to rate the importance of various intrinsic and extrinsic work values on a five-point Likert scale. Responses were compared for 865 participants.FindingsThis study found that individuals differed in their ratings of work values based on experience. Individuals with more experience assigned greater importance to intrinsic job characteristics, while those with less experience assigned greater importance to extrinsic job characteristics. Findings further reveal differences in gender ratings of work values, with females assigning greater importance ratings to both intrinsic and extrinsic job characteristics as compared to males.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of this study include that it drew its data exclusively from a sample of US respondents. Research investigating populations from other geographic regions within the same study may uncover important cross-national similarities/differences. Moreover, although this study examined experience and gender, it excluded other potentially important factors such as ethnicity. Future research should explore international samples and broaden its focus to include additional factors.Practical implicationsOrganizations should be aware of how experience and gender shape work values to impact job choice and retention. They may wish to target their recruitment efforts toward certain groups to ensure alignment between candidates' work values and those of available positions.Originality/valueThis study improves on prior research by examining the dual impact of experience and gender in shaping work values.

This survey-based study examines gender-based perspectives of job orientation, expectations, and motivations in the country of Poland. Polish professionals were asked to rate 25 job characteristics according to their importance to the rater on a five-point scale (5 = very important, 1 = not important). Mean scores were calculated and rank ordered for males and females separately. Results show that males and females differ on 15 of the 25 job characteristics. Standard deviations of the importance ratings were examined. They were higher for males on 21 of 25 items, with a mean standard deviation of 0.96 for males and 0.87 for females. This research indicates that even though money is an important motivator (number 1 for males and number 5 for females), there are certainly other methods of motivation beyond financial ones. This is particularly significant for foreign corporations investing in Poland. Such knowledge should provide organizations that use it as a competitive advantage not tied exclusively to monetary outlays.

We note a challenging picture for prospective employers in China related to rapid economic growth and related heightening labor demand, concurrent with labor supply contraction and demographic changes. This research contributes to theoretical and practical understanding in this context, as findings reveal significant differences in mean importance scores for job expectations rated by professionals and students across gender. We suggest that, in order to survive and thrive in this complex and shifting labor market, Chinese firms must learn how to attract and retain the human resources most pivotal to their continuing success

As globalization intensifies, the need for tapping the capabilities of corporations' human resources, gecome more paramount. To this end, businesses cannot afford to have their most important resource, their people, hampered by attitudes that detract from their abilities to perform at their best. This is especially relevant when there may be a misconception that being male is synonymous with management competency. The focus of this research was on exploring the attitudes towards women managers in the United States and Poland. Questionnaires were distributed to two groups of individuals within each nation, professionals and graduating business students or \"future managers\". There were 157 and 295 usable responses from Poland and the United States, respectively. The results indicate that Polish women may have more negative attitudes to overcome in becoming managers in comparison to the US counterparts. Perhaps more disconcerting is the potential that \"future managers\" in Poland may have even more negative attitudes toward women as managers. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]