Explore the vast range of titles available.

Simulation training for invasive dental procedures is a core component of the pre-clinical dental curriculum. Besides conventional mannequin-based simulators, dental schools are now incorporating haptic virtual reality simulation (HVRS) devices to facilitate the transition of students from the simulated dental learning environment to the clinical settings. This study aimed to assess student performance and perceptions of HVRS training as a pedagogical tool in pre-clinical paediatric dentistry. After practicing the primary molar pulpotomy procedure on plastic teeth, participants were randomized into test and control groups. Test group students performed the same procedure on a HVRS device, namely the SIMtoCARE Dente®. Subsequently, both the test and control group students attended another conventional pulpotomy simulation session where the quality of their access outline and pulp chamber deroofing steps were evaluated on plastic teeth. After the control group students also experienced the HVRS, all study participants completed a perception questionnaire on their experience. No significant differences were found between the study and control group students for the quantitative parameters assessed. Although the students regarded HVRS to be a useful adjunct to support their pre-clinical training, an overwhelming majority of the students did not consider HVRS to be a replacement for conventional pre-clinical simulation training.

Background Clinical training is an important aspect of dental education. Nevertheless, the limited time for pediatric dentistry clerkships makes it difficult to fulfill students’ demands. This study aims to identify effective strategies to enhance the learning effects of undergraduate students during their clinical clerkship in pediatric dentistry and to evaluate the teaching quality of the BOPPPS model in combination with case-based learning (CBL). Methods The BOPPPS model consists of six components, including bridge-in, objective, pre-assessment, participatory learning, post-assessment, and summary. This study involved 74 fourth-year students from the School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University. Participants received the same class contents from the same teaching group. They took patriciate in clinical practice from July to December in 2024. Students were randomly assigned into a control group ( n  = 37) to have traditional form of teaching (theoretical lectures by teachers and clinical clerkship) or into an experimental group ( n  = 37) that implemented the BOPPPS model in combination with CBL. The quality of teaching as well as learning effects were evaluated through scores of a post-training theoretical examination and results of a survey questionnaire. Results The experimental group showed significant improvements in clinical critical thinking and knowledge integration capabilities compared to the control group. Additionally, the experimental group reported greater satisfaction with teaching effectiveness and learning outcomes, with statistically significant differences between the groups. Conclusions The combination of the BOPPPS model with CBL enhances students’ master of knowledge, promotes active learning, and elevates the quality of clinical clerkship education in pediatric dentistry. This innovative method has been proved as an effective teaching approach in the clinical practice of pediatric dentistry.

Background Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as an innovative tool in medicine and dentistry, improving anxiety and pain management in children. The immersive and interactive environments of VR technology facilitate positive engagement of young patients during dental procedures via distraction, potentially reducing anxiety levels and improving treatment experience. The aim of this review was to provide current evidence-based guidance on the usage of VR in the clinical practice of paediatric dentistry. Methods A systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines with the following research question using the PICO format: Does VR (I) effectively manage anxiety and pain (O) during a paediatric dental consultation (P) compared to alternative behavioural control techniques (C)? PubMed/Medline®, SCOPUS and Web of Science databases were searched and analysed. Results A total of 22 randomised control trials were included in this review. These studies have shown that VR is a highly effective method of behaviour management, successfully alleviating pain and anxiety in children during dental treatment, surpassing traditional tools. Selected studies included participants with a large age range and dental procedures varied greatly, from first consultations to infiltration of local anaesthetic and other invasive procedures. VR was mostly used during treatment delivery and different immersive VR techniques were considered. Behaviour, anxiety and pain scales were used to determine efficacy and patient satisfaction. Conclusions VR offers an engaging and immersive experience, effectively diverting patients' attention away from the clinical environment, fostering a positive and enjoyable treatment experience. However, it is important to acknowledge the limitations of existing studies and the need for further research to enhance the understanding of VR's full potential in paediatric dentistry.

Aim : This study aimed to evaluate the performance of three large language models (LLMs)—ChatGPT-4.0, Claude 3.5 Sonnet, and DeepSeek R1—in answering multiple-choice questions (MCQs) related to pediatric dentistry. Accuracy and justification quality were analyzed using Bloom’s taxonomy. Materials and methods : A total of 90 MCQs were developed based on the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) guidelines, ensuring cognitive diversity across Bloom’s taxonomy levels. The models were assessed for answer accuracy and required to provide justifications, which were scored using a structured 4-point rubric by two independent pediatric dentistry experts. Statistical analyses, including Kruskal-Wallis tests and one-way ANOVA, were used to compare performance. Results : DeepSeek R1 demonstrated the highest accuracy (92.2%), followed by Claude 3.5 sonnet (86.6%) and ChatGPT-4.0 (72.2%). Significant differences in accuracy were observed at the “Understanding” level ( p =0.009). Justification quality also varied significantly among models, with DeepSeek R1 outperforming the others ( p <0.001). Inter-rater reliability was high (ICC: 0.615–0.848), showing the reliability of the evaluation. Conclusion : The study shows variations in LLM performance, with DeepSeek R1 excelling overall. It holds promise for pediatric dentistry education and AI decision-making, but further improvements are needed for better reasoning and clinical use.

Objectives In the interpretation of panoramic radiographs (PRs), the identification and numbering of teeth is an important part of the correct diagnosis. This study evaluates the effectiveness of YOLO-v5 in the automatic detection, segmentation, and numbering of deciduous and permanent teeth in mixed dentition pediatric patients based on PRs. Methods A total of 3854 mixed pediatric patients PRs were labelled for deciduous and permanent teeth using the CranioCatch labeling program. The dataset was divided into three subsets: training ( n  = 3093, 80% of the total), validation ( n  = 387, 10% of the total) and test ( n  = 385, 10% of the total). An artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm using YOLO-v5 models were developed. Results The sensitivity, precision, F-1 score, and mean average precision-0.5 (mAP-0.5) values were 0.99, 0.99, 0.99, and 0.98 respectively, to teeth detection. The sensitivity, precision, F-1 score, and mAP-0.5 values were 0.98, 0.98, 0.98, and 0.98, respectively, to teeth segmentation. Conclusions YOLO-v5 based models can have the potential to detect and enable the accurate segmentation of deciduous and permanent teeth using PRs of pediatric patients with mixed dentition.

Papacarie gel is an agent that eliminates the need for local anesthesia and reduces the need for using a drill. However, there is no information regarding the cost per procedure. Therefore we analyzed the cost, per procedure, of Papacarie gel compared to the traditional method (drilling), and performed a comparison between these methods of carious tissue removal. A randomized clinical trial was performed with 24 children with an average age of 5.9 years old. Of these children, 12 were boys and 12 were girls, which resulted in a total of 46 restorations. Patients were separated into: Papacarie group (caries removal with the chemical-mechanical method - Papacarie gel) and Drill group (caries removal with the traditional method - drilling). Values of the materials used in the procedures, heart rate (before, 5 minutes during, and after dental treatment), and the total consultation duration were recorded. A level of significance of 5% was adopted. Papacarie had a lower cost per procedure ($ 0.91) when compared to the traditional method ($ 1.58). Papacarie provided a cost reduction of 42% compared to the traditional method. Using local anesthesia ($ 2.17), the cost reduction increased to 58%. In the procedure using drill + Papacarie ($ 1.37), the cost reduction was 33%. Heart rate, consultation duration, and number of restorations were not statistically different. Papacarie shows an excellent cost benefit for minimally invasive removal of carious tissue and is a feasible alternative for public health care.

Objectives: The presence of parents during dental treatment in children is a controversial concern in dental practice. This is because of conflicting views and practices regarding the presence of parents. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate parental response to their presence/absence during their child’s dental treatment and to determine the factors that would influence their decision. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey questionnaire was administered to United Arab Emirates (UAE) parents. A total of 240 parents participated in the survey, which contained 15 questions that analyzed the participants’ demographic details, dental procedures influencing parental separation, and factors influencing their desire to be present during their child’s dental treatment. Results: Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi‐square tests ( p   < 0.05). The majority (78%) of the parents chose to stay with their children during dental treatment, with a higher prevalence of female parents. The results showed that more parents opted to be with their children during invasive procedures. Younger parents are more likely to stay with their children during dental treatment. The factors influencing parental presence/absence in the dental treatment room depended on the age and nationality of the parent and the type of dental procedure ( p   < 0.05). Conclusions: Dental practitioners must provide parents with sufficient opportunities to be present during their children’s dental procedures. The factors influencing parental presence/absence should be considered before deciding whether to include or exclude parents in the dental treatment room.

Aim To update the existing European Academy of Paediatric Dentistry (EAPD) 2010 policy document on the ‘Best Clinical Practice guidance for clinicians dealing with children presenting with Molar-Incisor-Hypomineralisation (MIH).’ Methods Experts, assigned the EAPD, worked on two different topics: (A) Aetiological factors involved in MIH, and (B) Treatment options for the clinical management of MIH. The group prepared two detailed systematic reviews of the existing literature relevant to the topics and following a consensus process produced the updated EAPD policy document on the ‘Best Clinical Practice guidance for clinicians dealing with children presenting with molar-incisor-hypomineralisation (MIH).’ The GRADE system was used to assess the quality of evidence regarding aetiology and treatment which was judged as HIGH, MODERATE, LOW or VERY LOW, while the GRADE criteria were used to indicate the strength of recommendation regarding treatment options as STRONG or WEAK/CONDITIONAL. Results (A) Regarding aetiology, it is confirmed that MIH has a multifactorial aetiology with the duration, strength and timing of occurrence of the aetiological factors being responsible for the variable clinical characteristics of the defect. Perinatal hypoxia, prematurity and other hypoxia related perinatal problems, including caesarean section, appear to increase the risk of having MIH, while certain infant and childhood illnesses are also linked with MIH. In addition, genetic predisposition and the role of epigenetic influences are becoming clearer following twin studies and genome and single-nucleotide polymorphisms analyses in patients and families. Missing genetic information might be the final key to truly understand MIH aetiology. (B) Regarding treatment options, composite restorations, preformed metal crowns and laboratory indirect restorations provide high success rates for the posterior teeth in appropriate cases, while scheduled extractions provide an established alternative option in severe cases. There is great need for further clinical and laboratory studies evaluating new materials and non-invasive/micro-invasive techniques for anterior teeth, especially when aesthetic and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) issues are concerned. Conclusions MIH has been studied more extensively in the last decade. Its aetiology follows the multifactorial model, involving systemic medical and genetic factors. Further focused laboratory research and prospective clinical studies are needed to elucidate any additional factors and refine the model. Successful preventive and treatment options have been studied and established. The appropriate choice depends on the severity of the defects and the age of the patient. EAPD encourages the use of all available treatment options, whilst in severe cases, scheduled extractions should be considered.

Purpose The first aim of this paper is to provide dental professionals caring for children and adolescents during and after the COVID-19 pandemic with a reference to international dental guidelines. The second aim is to suggest minimally invasive treatment alternatives for caries management, minimising the risk of viral cross-infection and offering a safer clinical environment. Methods An evidence-based pertinent literature search of different electronic databases was performed in addition to leading global dental authorities, royal colleges, and programmes. Results All guidelines released in response to COVID-19 centred around minimising Aerosol Generating Procedures (AGP) impacting the provision of regular dental treatment of paediatric patients. There was an emphasis on triaging and only treating emergency and urgent cases. Special attention was given to medically compromised children in the guidelines. Detailed guidelines for the dental environment and equipment were given. This paper also summarised the relevant evidence-based guidelines for the use of non-invasive and minimally invasive caries management techniques. Conclusion  Specific recommendations for dental management of paediatric patients during and in the post-COVID-19 era are suggested. Minimisation of AGP procedures, and case-based selection of biological, non-invasive or minimally invasive methods are recommended.