Journal of Dental Medicine

Background and Aims: Information collection about the malocclusion and oral health in blind children is essential to plan for their education in schools. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the status of malocclusion and oral health among blind children and teenagers in Mazandaran, Iran.
Materials and Methods: The population of this included 150 blind children and teenagers aged from 10 to 18 years who were referred to the public and private centers cities including Sari, Babol, Freydoonkenar, and Babolsar in Mazandaran, Iran in 2019. Information on maxillary occlusion status, oral hygiene index, and DMFT index was extracted through clinical examination. Data were analyzed using SPSS23 software by ANOVA and Chi-square tests in addition to the descriptive statistics.
Results: The mean DMFT was 10.25 (SD 4.67). Oral hygiene status was good in 16% of participants, moderate in 82%, and poor in 2%. There was no significant difference between girls and boys in terms of oral hygiene status (P=0.5). In all cases, 35.8% had class I malocclusion, 29.8% had class II malocclusion, and 14.6% had class III malocclusion. Class II malocclusion was more common in girls and class I in boys (P=0.01).
Conclusion: Dental caries and occlusal abnormalities were common among blind children and adolescents living in Mazandaran province. Addressing the oral and dental needs of the blind should be a priority for health policymakers in this province in Iran.

Background and aims: Dental procedures carry a significant risk of transmitting viral and bacterial infections to both patients and healthcare personnel. Patients' awareness of infection control principles can play a crucial role in improving the safety of the clinical environment and promoting public health. This study aimed to assess the level of patients’ awareness regarding infection control principles in dental treatments.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in 2022 on 390 patients attending the Dental School Clinic of Babol University of Medical Sciences, Iran. Data were collected using a validated questionnaire consisting of 24 items related to infection control. Each correct answer was awarded one point. The total score and awareness level of participants were analyzed based on the gender, age group, educational level, and number of dental visits using independent samples t-test, chi-square test, and ANOVA in SPSS, with a significance level set at 0.05.
Results: The mean age of patients was 33.89 ± 13.24 years and 62.8% were female. The mean awareness score was 18.37 ± 3.21. A total of 76.4% of participants demonstrated a good level of awareness. The awareness mean score was higher in female than male patients (P=0.006). A statistically significant difference was observed in mean awareness scores educational level (P<0.001) and age group (P=0.01). However, no significant difference was found based on the number of dental visits (P=0.867).
Conclusion: Although, the overall level of patient awareness regarding infection control principles was acceptable, gaps remain in certain areas. The implementation of targeted educational programs is recommended to enhance patients’ awareness and to promote infection control practices in dental treatment settings.