Dentistry: overview and practice

¶ … particular the study is an observation of the incidence of dental diseases among pediatric patients. The study seeks to understand not only the quantitative aspects (how many incidences and how severe) but also the qualitative background concerning the patients (how they feel, what was done to alleviate discomfort and pain). The study design, therefore, is one of a mixed research with quantitative measurements are complemented by qualitative feelings and perceptions. Studies are abundant on the various aspects of dentistry and this study includes many of the findings previously reported in those studies.

Current literature contains a number of different treatments used by dentists throughout the world and especially in the area of pediatrics. Pain diagnosis and discomfort levels often accompany the delicate procedures that dentists are required to undertake. A recent study determined that "fear, dread, and apprehension of the dental encounter was nearly universal and dentists feverishly searched for and seized upon whatever might assist them in relieving the populace of this foreboding condition that left patients terrified and dentists exhausted and demoralized" (Andrick, 2013, p. 236). This study seeks to determine if those feelings are still prevalent in pediatric patients, and if so what can be done about it. Additionally, the study will seek to determine what factors are present when "good" dental practices are used. Some of the study will determine what motivates the dentists, what makes them care so much to take precautions regarding the pain and discomfort their patients may be feeling. After all, one recent actually espouses that dentist students are much different than medical students.

The study found that "they may be very different, with medical students motivated by altruism and intellectual challenge, while dental students were more committed to personal and financial gain" (Dancer, Taylor, 2007, p. 12).

Another recent study in Saudi Arabia determined that dentistry may be coming more complex with the advent of various treatments that are now available. The study determined that some dentists are now becoming quite familiar with Botox (BTX) and that "in dentistry they are mostly used for marionette lines, corners of the mouth, lip augmentation, deeper folds of cheeks and chins, flattened or deficient philtrums, sagging corners of the mouth, nasolabial lines, perioral lip lines, perioral wrinkles and enhancement of prosthetic dental treatment" (Al Hamdan, Algheryafi, Al-Ghareeb, Ashri, 2013, p. 47). Could it be that in the future dentists will also be sought out by patients in need of a quick needle of Botox?

This study will look at not only using BTX or hypnosis as forms of treatment, but it will also look at other avenues that assist the patient in attaining the best results. Those results may not be entirely focused on the pain and suffering that takes place whilst the patient is undergoing treatment, but also on the end results. A study out of Turkey shows that "in dentistry, different methods are being used to test adhesion of resin-based materials to various biological and artificial substrates that require individual conditioning protocols" (Ozcan, Dundar, Comlekoglu, 2012, p. 2662).