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Factors That Prevent Different Age Groups in the Arizona Population from Routinely Visiting the Dentist

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Abstract The purpose of this study was to discover the most prominent factors that affect the Arizona population from routinely visiting the dentist. For many people there is a factor of anxiety or fear, while others have issues with cost, insurance, or even the dental clinic environment. My study looks…

Abstract The purpose of this study was to discover the most prominent factors that affect the Arizona population from routinely visiting the dentist. For many people there is a factor of anxiety or fear, while others have issues with cost, insurance, or even the dental clinic environment. My study looks at some of these factors and supports the data with available research on dental avoidance factors. A significant portion of the study is also allotted to potential solutions to these avoidance factors, in order to increase regular dental visitation. Oral health is extremely important not only to the teeth, but also to the rest of the body. Therefore, it is important to address avoidance factors and find potential solutions to these problems. The study involved 71 participants, eighteen years of age or older, and a questionnaire with twenty-one questions. These questions asked the participants about gender, ethnicity, age, employment, reasons for avoidance, oral health education, and past dental experiences. These questions were designed to better understand how a person's background and understanding of dentistry affect their decision to visit the dentist. These questions also provide insight to why certain avoidance factors apply to different groups of people in the Arizona population. The results of the study showed that anxiety, price, insurance issues, and the personality of the dentist are the most prominent factors that cause individuals to avoid the dentist. Potential solutions to these avoidance factors were given, especially for anxious individuals. There are dentists who deal specifically with anxious individuals through sedation dentistry. Regarding price, there were several options for free or low-cost dental clinics that were provided. Preventative dentistry education was an important focus and solution to many of the avoidance factors, because when individuals are more aware of how to care for their teeth, there is a greater chance that they will have healthier teeth and dental visits will be less invasive and costly. Suggestions were provided for spreading oral health education and preventative dentistry through community programs and schools. Among the avoidance factors addressed, solutions provided, and the importance of oral health and preventative dentistry reiterated, the study stressed the importance of the results to my future profession. As a future dental practitioner, the data and research will be used in order for me to become a more compassionate and accommodating practitioner to my future patients. There is a special relationship and trust between the dental practitioner and their patient, and this study has helped me better understand how to accommodate patients and eliminate the factors that cause them to avoid regular dental visits.

ContributorsValimaki, Casey Jordyn (Author) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Thesis director) / Bang, Christofer (Committee member) / Schoenborn, Scot (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2016-05

Protection Against Basal Cell Carcinoma: Limitations in Sunscreen, Further Research, and Recommendations

Description

Skin cancer diagnoses and deaths continue to increase every year. With basal cell carcinoma (BCC) being the most common type of skin cancer diagnoses, establishing protective measurements against it are important. Surprisingly, sunscreen may not be as effective at protecting against basal cell carcinoma as it is for another non-melanoma…

Skin cancer diagnoses and deaths continue to increase every year. With basal cell carcinoma (BCC) being the most common type of skin cancer diagnoses, establishing protective measurements against it are important. Surprisingly, sunscreen may not be as effective at protecting against basal cell carcinoma as it is for another non-melanoma type of skin cancer: squamous cell carcinoma. This paper aims to identify some differences between the two non-melanoma type cancers to find probable reasons sunscreen may be more effective at protecting against one over the other, as well as to find new solutions to protect against basal cell carcinoma. The results conclude that basal cell carcinoma does have UV-induced pathogenesis, in which case sunscreen is protective; however, it also revealed the need for ingredient studies and more sunscreen efficacy studies to determine other BCC pathogenesis pathways. Lastly, aided by dermatologist interviews, current interventions were established in order to provide greater protection against skin cancer. These include reforming the way commercials portray sunscreen to better educate the public about proper application and re-application, genetic testing for high-risk BCC markers, and an emphasis on sun education to the mothers of children.

ContributorsBozzano, Bianca (Author) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Thesis director) / Hendrickson, Kirstin (Committee member) / Hicks, Andrew (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2021-05

Covid, Stress, and Their Impact on Oral Health

Description

The COVID-19 Pandemic, which nearly shut down the world for several months, had a large impact on the lives of everyone around the world. The pandemic brought many changes to daily life including the loss of jobs, online schooling, weeks in quarantine, and for some, even the loss of a…

The COVID-19 Pandemic, which nearly shut down the world for several months, had a large impact on the lives of everyone around the world. The pandemic brought many changes to daily life including the loss of jobs, online schooling, weeks in quarantine, and for some, even the loss of a loved one. It was expected that the many abrupt changes increased levels of stress, in turn having a negative impact on oral health throughout society. Aside from this, changes in everyday habits and hygiene also likely had a negative effect on oral health. The overall effect that the pandemic had on oral health was investigated through a survey that was sent out to dental offices across the United States and Canada asking about the rates of clenching and grinding, the rates of cracked teeth, the number of crowns completed, the percentage of missed appointments, and the overall oral health of patients all throughout the pandemic and prior to the pandemic. Data was also collected at St. Vincent de Paul, a public health dental clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, which included the total number of crowns, the total number of appointments, and the total number of missed appointments all before and during the pandemic. It was predicted that all of the stress indicators asked about throughout the survey would have rates that increased throughout the pandemic, as well as that the number of crowns completed and missed appointments at St. Vincent de Paul both would have increased. The majority of the results matched the predictions, supporting the hypothesis that the COVID-19 Pandemic had a negative impact on overall oral health.

ContributorsHarr, Lauren (Author) / Bang, Christofer (Thesis director) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor)

Created2022-12

Waxing Teeth: Creating Anatomically and Functionally Correct 3D Dental Models

Description

What does it mean to wax a tooth? Creating dental wax-ups is a procedure utilized across the field of dentistry among professionals, lab technicians, and even dental students. The process of waxing a tooth involves many steps, instruments, and knowledge of dental anatomy. To simplify, waxing a tooth involves utilizing…

What does it mean to wax a tooth? Creating dental wax-ups is a procedure utilized across the field of dentistry among professionals, lab technicians, and even dental students. The process of waxing a tooth involves many steps, instruments, and knowledge of dental anatomy. To simplify, waxing a tooth involves utilizing dental wax and heat to create a three dimensional model of a specific tooth and its anatomy. This process is often used in education of dental students in an attempt to teach essential skills needed in a dental career. Dental waxing can help students learn specific anatomical differences between teeth and how varying teeth work together aesthetically and functionally (Abdalla 2018). This process involves diving into characteristics of teeth involving heights of contour, convex and concave surfaces, marginal ridges, embrasures, and point angles. Such skills and knowledge, as mentioned by Dr. Ticole Nguyen, were essential in her education at Texas A&M’s Baylor College of Dentistry. More specifically, Dr. Nguyen stated not only does learning how to create wax ups aide students in development of their anatomical understanding, but it also provides opportunities to prepare for future procedures such as fillings and creating crowns. When a waxed up tooth is complete, it is referenced as a “working model.” The term working model is not just a term, but carries with it the detail and thought required to create a functioning and visually accurate tooth - a tooth that works (Nguyen 2015).

ContributorsZiegler, Jadyn Dru (Author) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Thesis director) / Sobieraj, Martin (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2019-05

The Future of Regenerative Medicine in Professional Sports

Description

Regenerative medicine is a relatively new area of interest among researchers and physicians alike and has truly come to light within the last twenty years. Its purpose is to “regenerate” cells in our body to return tissue and organs systems to their normal functions by utilizing innate cell mechanisms. Uses…

Regenerative medicine is a relatively new area of interest among researchers and physicians alike and has truly come to light within the last twenty years. Its purpose is to “regenerate” cells in our body to return tissue and organs systems to their normal functions by utilizing innate cell mechanisms. Uses have ranged from growing completely new body tissue in labs, to promoting the repair of damaged neurons. More recently, the use of regenerative medicine techniques such as stem cell and platelet rich plasma therapy has seen significant growth throughout high level and professional sports. Beginning in the early 2000s, treatments quickly gained popularity as professional athletes began using them as an alternative to surgery, but this came before any concrete scientific support. This thesis paper will analyze the current statistical data supporting the use of platelet rich plasma and stem cell therapy and associated regulations to describe the connection between regenerative medicine and sports.

ContributorsFritzke, Jack Teodor (Author) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Thesis director) / Foster, William (Committee member) / Levinson, Simin (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2020-05

Root Canal Therapy: Understanding the Foundations of Endodontic Diagnosis and Treatment

Description

My thesis consisted of both a self-directed study and a creative project. I worked with Dr. Michael Grabow, an endodontist of 20 years, to understand the scientific and technical aspects of root canal therapy. The first phase of the thesis was a review of dental biology, tooth development, morphology, physiology,…

My thesis consisted of both a self-directed study and a creative project. I worked with Dr. Michael Grabow, an endodontist of 20 years, to understand the scientific and technical aspects of root canal therapy. The first phase of the thesis was a review of dental biology, tooth development, morphology, physiology, radiology, and endodontics. The second phase was the creative project in which I learned the technical process of performing a root canal. In this phase, I observed Dr. Grabow execute root canal therapy on live patients and extracted teeth (obtained from an oral surgeon). I then completed root canals of my own on extracted teeth, under the instruction and oversight of Dr. Grabow.

ContributorsGrabow, Maiti Siobhan (Author) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Thesis director) / Ugarova, Tatiana (Committee member) / Sick, Todd (Committee member) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)

Created2020-12

The Sweet Pathway to Neurodegenerative Disease: An Analysis of Research Literature Trends on the Links between Type 2 Diabetes and Alzheimer's Disease – a Meta-Analysis

Description

This meta-study analyzes the shift in research literature that focuses on the various shared causes of type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease from the years 2000 to 2022. Examining literature trends over the past two decades can offer valuable insight into the evolving emphasis on various topics. Altogether, a total…

This meta-study analyzes the shift in research literature that focuses on the various shared causes of type 2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease from the years 2000 to 2022. Examining literature trends over the past two decades can offer valuable insight into the evolving emphasis on various topics. Altogether, a total of 154 publications were collected from the Pubmed and ResearchGate databases using a non-biased protocol and methodology. Each paper was then categorized by the topics it discussed. Visual representation of the data such as bar graphs and tables were created to comprehend the trends presented in the group of papers. The collection of publications were then differentiated into years of early (prior to 2005 or 2010) and late (after 2006 or 2011) periods to perform a statistical analysis of the patterns in the timeline. The increase in publications discussing Alzheimer’s disease, amyloid beta deposition, gut microbiota, mitochondrial dysfunction, type 2 diabetes, and tau hyperphosphorylation from the early to the late period were statistically significant. This means that the increase was not due to random chance, but rather supported by evidence. This can be attributed to researchers and physicians discovering more evidence that establishes a link between specific factors, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. This reflects a genuine acknowledgment of the importance of understanding and addressing the relationship between these two pathologies. Research in the trends of literature can provide information in which areas of research are the most studied or understudied. Based on these findings, the identification of areas with limited knowledge and potential research directions can be inferred, ultimately leading to the enhancement of preventive measures and therapeutic approaches for these conditions.

ContributorsShah, Khushi (Author) / Bang, Christofer (Thesis director) / Washo-Krupps, Delon (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor)

Created2023-05