Dental hygiene students’ part‐time jobs in dental practices in the Netherlands

To cite this article:
Int J Dent Hygiene
DOI: 10.1111/j.1601‐5037.2009.00415.x
Poorterman JHG, Dikkes BT, Brand HS. Dental hygiene students’ part‐time jobs in dental practices in the Netherlands. Abstract: Objective: Many students have paid employment while studying. In the Netherlands, the Individual Health Care Professions Act (IHCP Act) allows dental hygiene students to work under certain conditions in a dental practice. The aim of the study was to determine how many dental hygiene students have part‐time job employment in dental practice and which professional tasks they carry out. We also asked the dental hygiene students their opinion of the IHCP Act. Methods: All the enrolled dental hygiene students (n = 341) at a School of Health in the Netherlands received a questionnaire by email. Results: The response was 52% (176 students). Of the responding students, 75% had paid employment in addition to their study. A proportion of the students (35%) worked in a dental practice. The median number of hours worked per week was eight. Study year, age and prior education were positively related to working part‐time in dental practice. Activities frequently performed were giving oral hygiene instruction, fluoride applications, scaling and root planning, providing chair side assistance and giving local anaesthesia. Although the self‐reported knowledge about the IHCP Act was high, almost half of the students expressed the need for more detailed legal information. Conclusions: Many dental hygiene students work in a dental practice, taking over a number of tasks usually performed by the dentist. More information in the dental hygiene curriculum about the requirements of the IHCP Act seems desirable.     

Head injuries

A combination of multiple injury types are typically involved in combat-related head injuries. Innovations in firearms, has led to new types of brain injuries from which we are able to learn much about how the brain responds to trauma. Traumatic brain injury is physical injury to brain tissue that temporarily or permanently impairs brain function. Initial treatment consists of ensuring a reliable airway and maintaining adequate ventilation, oxygenation, and blood pressure. Neurosurgical damage control includes early intracranial pressure control; cerebral blood flow preservation; and prevention of secondary cerebral injury from hypoxia, hypotension, and hyperthemia. Evacuation to the nearest neurosurgeon, avoiding diagnostic delays, and initiating cerebral resuscitation allow for the best chance for ultimate functional recovery.     

BCL2-938C > A and CALCA-1786T > C polymorphisms in aseptic loosened total hip arthroplasty

The search for influencing factors and new pathways in aseptic loosening of arthroplasties is a major focus of recent studies. Analyses of polymorphisms of genes revealed a correlation between a specific allele variant and aseptic loosening. The BCL2 gene encoding Bcl-2 with its BCL2 -938C > A polymorphism is a crucial factor of cell cycle control and cell survival. The CALCA -1786T > C polymorphism belongs to the CALCA gene encoding alpha-Calcitonin Gene Related Peptide (CGRP) and Calcitonin. Both proteins are important in bone metabolism and capable to influence the process of aseptic loosening. To date, no studies are reported for aseptic loosening with these two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In a retrospective study we determined the distribution of the BCL2-938C > A and the CALCA-1786T > C polymorphisms in 87 subjects with aseptic loosened hip arthroplasties using RFLP and pyrosequencing analysis. Genotype distribution with prognosis of the hip arthroplasty showed neither an association with clinical characteristics of the patients nor the implantation technique. We were unable to detect any influence of these polymorphisms on time to aseptic loosening.     

Comparative study of recovery after sevoflurane versus halothane anaesthesia in adult patients

Background: Induction and maintenance characteristics of sevoflurane and halothane have been studied, but little work has been done to compare the postoperative recovery of these two agents.     

Spontaneous cervical epidural hematoma: Report of a case managed conservatively

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma is a rare cause of acute spinal cord compression. A 25-year-old male presented with a history of sudden onset of complete quadriplegia with sensory loss below the neck along with loss of bowel and bladder control. He had no history of any constitutional symptoms. He reported 10 days later. He was managed conservatively and after two weeks of intensive rehabilitation he had complete neural recovery.The spontaneous recovery of neurological impairment is attributed to the spreading of the hematoma throughout the epidural space, thus decreasing the pressure with partial neural recovery.Conservative treatment is a fair option in young patients who present late and show neurological improvement. The neurological status on presentation will guide the further approach to management.     

CT of pancreatic gas gangrene

A case of gas gangrene complicating acute pancreatitis is presented. The presence of gas within the pancreatic bed is very suggestive of infection with gas forming organisms in the right clinical setting.     

Circumcision : A Time to Rethink

Background

Circumcision is one of the most routinely done surgery world over but has no scientific basis to enforce it on all patients. Of late, the operation has been criticized, non-operative methods have been tried and operations preserving the skin of prepuce have been recommended. The presence of physiological phimosis, which is self-correcting by the age of 15 years in children, needs to be differentiated from the pathological variety.

Method

The child population reporting to Surgery OPD was taken as sectional representative of the Indian communities and socioeconomic strata. A simple protocol was adapted to differentiate true phimosis from the physiological one and data collected. An observational study was done and data collected for last six years.

Result

566 children were referred to the hospital and only 212 were subjected to circumcision. Of these, 169 were cases of true phimosis, 7 had paraphimosis and the rest included 9 ritual circumcisions.

Conclusion

The incidence in this study is much less as compared to the series from the west. Though rare, this simple surgery is often fraught with complications. A refined approach has been planned for referring cases and selection for surgery thereby reducing unnecessary referrals and circumcisions.Key Words: Circumcision, Phimosis