- Email: [email protected]
DRUG-RESISTANT TB POSES GLOBAL THREAT
Conference (Washington State Dental Association), 2033 Sixth Ave., Suite 333, Seattle 98121, 1-206-448-1914, July 15-17, Seattle. Utah Dental Association, 1151 E. 3900 S, B160, Salt Lake City 84124, 1-801-261-5315, Feb. 4-6, 1999, Salt Lake City. Vermont State Dental
HEALTH MEDIA WATCH ONLY GOOD BEHAVIOR FOUND HERE
Dental treatment using con-
scious sedation, or CS, with physical restraint does not adversely affect the future dental behavior of young children, says a report in the March-April issue of Journal of Dentistry for Children. Israeli researchers compared the dental behavior of 24 young children previously treated at a private hospital under general anesthesia, or GA, with the behavior of 30 young children treated at a dental clinic under CS. At the beginning of the study, the children ranged in age from 36 to 72 months and were first-time patients who required extensive dental treatment. At a six-month recall examination, researchers separated parents from their children. Dentists asked parents to predict how they thought their children would behave at the recall examination. During the examination, dental assistants assessed the children’s responses to the dental setting by measuring their behavior and anxiety using the 836
Society, 100 Dorset St., Suite 18, South Burlington 05403, 1-802-864-0115, Sept. 25-26, Killington. Virginia Dental Association, P.O. Box 6906, Richmond 23230, 1-804-358-4927, Sept. 16-20, Williamsburg. West Virginia Dental Association, 300 Capitol St.,
Suite 1002, Charleston 25301, 1-304-344-5246, July 16-19, White Sulphur Springs. Wisconsin Dental Association, 111 E. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1300, Milwaukee 53202, 1-414-276-4520, Sept. 26-28, Milwaukee.
Frankl Behavior Rating Scale. After the examination, the dental assistants asked the children about their dental fears and willingness to return to the dental clinic. Researchers found that 13 percent of GA patients’ parents and 14 percent of CS patients’ parents predicted their children would be anxious at the recall examination. They also found that while 17 percent of the GA patients and 20 percent of the CS patients reported being afraid to go to the dentist, 92 percent and 93 percent, respectively, exhibited positive behavior at the recall examination. (J Dent Child 1998;65:122-7)
Drug Resistance Surveillance between 1994 and 1997. The scientists analyzed data from cross-sectional ad hoc drugresistance surveys and surveillance program reports provided by the participating countries. These countries followed guidelines to ensure they used representative samples, took accurate treatment histories, followed standardized laboratory methods and used common definitions. A network of reference laboratories provided quality assurance. The number of patients studied in each country ranged from 59 to 14,344 with a median of 555. Scientists found that among patients being treated for TB for the first time, a median of 9.9 percent of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains tested were resistant to at least one drug. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains among first-time TB patients was 1.4 percent. Among patients with histories of TB treatment of one month or less, the prevalence of M. tuberculosis strains’ resistance to any one of the four drugs was 36 percent. Thirteen percent of the M. tuberculosis strains were resistant to two or more of the four first-line drugs. Drug-resistant TB evolves when TB treatment is incomplete or inappropriate, allowing some bacteria to survive and de-
DRUG-RESISTANT TB POSES GLOBAL THREAT
Strains of drug-resistant tuberculosis are surfacing worldwide and could threaten efforts to control the disease, according to a report in the June 4 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. Scientists found strains of TB that are resistant to one or more of the four first-line drugs—isoniazid, streptomycin, rifampin and ethambutol—in all 35 countries that took part in the World Health Organization–International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Global Project on Anti-Tuberculosis
Compiled by Anita M. Mark, senior editor, ADA News.
JADA, Vol. 129, July 1998 Copyright ©1998-2001 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
NEWS
HEALTH MEDIA WATCH velop defenses against the drugs. The prevalence of multidrugresistant strains was found to be highest in Latvia (22.1 percent), India (13.3 percent) and Estonia (11.7 percent). In the United States, the prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains was 2.4 percent. (N Engl J Med 1998;338:1641-9) TIPS ON EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE
Disciplining your employees is probably not your favorite task. Tips on how to do it positively and effectively appear in an article in the June issue of Journal of Dental Technology. Vince D. Abate explains that discipline and punishment are not the same. The primary goal of discipline—which is correcting the performance and behavior of employees—is not to punish employees, but is to help guide them back to satisfactory performance and behavior. Abate advocates disciplining employees using progressive discipline—using the least severe option first. In cases in
BOOK REVIEWS UNDERSTANDING DENTAL HEALTH
By Francis G. Serio, Jackson, Miss., University Press of Mississippi, 100 pages, $12, 1998, ISBN 1-57806-010-9
In writing “Understanding Dental Health,” Dr. Francis
which you need to discipline an employee for a performance problem—when he or she fails to meet certain performance goals—Abate suggests the following steps, which are listed from least to most severe: dVerbal counseling: can range from a simple, spontaneous correction performed in the hallway to a more formal, sit-down meeting in your office. dWritten counseling: document the employee’s shortcomings in a written memo, which can become part of the employee’s personnel file. dNegative performance evaluation: use if the above two are not effective. This option is not ideal for acute situations, because performance evaluations usually occur only once a year. dDemotion: move the employee to a lower position that he or she may be able to perform better. dTermination: use termination only as a final option. In cases in which an employee needs to be disciplined for misconduct—unacceptable behavior—Abate suggests the following steps, listed in order of severity: dVerbal warning: discuss the
employee’s behavior with him or her face to face. dWritten warning: you may need to start with this step, if offense is severe enough. It signals the employee that you are serious and are documenting his or her behavior. dReprimand: this is generally the same as a written warning but is the last chance for an employee to correct his or her behavior before suspension or termination. dSuspension: remove employee from the workplace with or without pay, to ensure safety, repair morale or investigate the offense. dTermination: this may be done in cases of repeated misconduct or as a first choice in serious situations. To effectively discipline employees at each level, Abate suggests following these steps: ddescribe the unacceptable behavior; dexplain the impact the behavior has on the office; dspecify what changes are required of the employee; doutline the consequences of what will happen if the unacceptable behavior continues. (J Dent
Serio attempts the arduous task of explaining to the consumer dental health, dental disease, the role of the dentist and recent changes in the dental office. This concise, up-to-date book contains brief descriptions covering topics from basic dental anatomy through current dental technology. Written as “a user-friendly manual on the basics of dental health,” this book is exactly what it states. The author’s oc-
casional use of vernacular dental language, used in conjunction with appropriate dental terminology, helps educate the reader. The conciseness of each subject covered makes it appealing, an easy read and understandable for anyone interested in obtaining basic information relating to dental health. The author clearly explains to the patient the need and importance of a current and accurate health history. This is but one
JADA, Vol. 129, July 1998 Copyright ©1998-2001 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
837
HEALTH MEDIA WATCH ONLY GOOD BEHAVIOR FOUND HERE
Dental treatment using con-
scious sedation, or CS, with physical restraint does not adversely affect the future dental behavior of young children, says a report in the March-April issue of Journal of Dentistry for Children. Israeli researchers compared the dental behavior of 24 young children previously treated at a private hospital under general anesthesia, or GA, with the behavior of 30 young children treated at a dental clinic under CS. At the beginning of the study, the children ranged in age from 36 to 72 months and were first-time patients who required extensive dental treatment. At a six-month recall examination, researchers separated parents from their children. Dentists asked parents to predict how they thought their children would behave at the recall examination. During the examination, dental assistants assessed the children’s responses to the dental setting by measuring their behavior and anxiety using the 836
Society, 100 Dorset St., Suite 18, South Burlington 05403, 1-802-864-0115, Sept. 25-26, Killington. Virginia Dental Association, P.O. Box 6906, Richmond 23230, 1-804-358-4927, Sept. 16-20, Williamsburg. West Virginia Dental Association, 300 Capitol St.,
Suite 1002, Charleston 25301, 1-304-344-5246, July 16-19, White Sulphur Springs. Wisconsin Dental Association, 111 E. Wisconsin Ave., Suite 1300, Milwaukee 53202, 1-414-276-4520, Sept. 26-28, Milwaukee.
Frankl Behavior Rating Scale. After the examination, the dental assistants asked the children about their dental fears and willingness to return to the dental clinic. Researchers found that 13 percent of GA patients’ parents and 14 percent of CS patients’ parents predicted their children would be anxious at the recall examination. They also found that while 17 percent of the GA patients and 20 percent of the CS patients reported being afraid to go to the dentist, 92 percent and 93 percent, respectively, exhibited positive behavior at the recall examination. (J Dent Child 1998;65:122-7)
Drug Resistance Surveillance between 1994 and 1997. The scientists analyzed data from cross-sectional ad hoc drugresistance surveys and surveillance program reports provided by the participating countries. These countries followed guidelines to ensure they used representative samples, took accurate treatment histories, followed standardized laboratory methods and used common definitions. A network of reference laboratories provided quality assurance. The number of patients studied in each country ranged from 59 to 14,344 with a median of 555. Scientists found that among patients being treated for TB for the first time, a median of 9.9 percent of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains tested were resistant to at least one drug. The prevalence of multidrug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains among first-time TB patients was 1.4 percent. Among patients with histories of TB treatment of one month or less, the prevalence of M. tuberculosis strains’ resistance to any one of the four drugs was 36 percent. Thirteen percent of the M. tuberculosis strains were resistant to two or more of the four first-line drugs. Drug-resistant TB evolves when TB treatment is incomplete or inappropriate, allowing some bacteria to survive and de-
DRUG-RESISTANT TB POSES GLOBAL THREAT
Strains of drug-resistant tuberculosis are surfacing worldwide and could threaten efforts to control the disease, according to a report in the June 4 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. Scientists found strains of TB that are resistant to one or more of the four first-line drugs—isoniazid, streptomycin, rifampin and ethambutol—in all 35 countries that took part in the World Health Organization–International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease Global Project on Anti-Tuberculosis
Compiled by Anita M. Mark, senior editor, ADA News.
JADA, Vol. 129, July 1998 Copyright ©1998-2001 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
NEWS
HEALTH MEDIA WATCH velop defenses against the drugs. The prevalence of multidrugresistant strains was found to be highest in Latvia (22.1 percent), India (13.3 percent) and Estonia (11.7 percent). In the United States, the prevalence of multidrug-resistant strains was 2.4 percent. (N Engl J Med 1998;338:1641-9) TIPS ON EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE
Disciplining your employees is probably not your favorite task. Tips on how to do it positively and effectively appear in an article in the June issue of Journal of Dental Technology. Vince D. Abate explains that discipline and punishment are not the same. The primary goal of discipline—which is correcting the performance and behavior of employees—is not to punish employees, but is to help guide them back to satisfactory performance and behavior. Abate advocates disciplining employees using progressive discipline—using the least severe option first. In cases in
BOOK REVIEWS UNDERSTANDING DENTAL HEALTH
By Francis G. Serio, Jackson, Miss., University Press of Mississippi, 100 pages, $12, 1998, ISBN 1-57806-010-9
In writing “Understanding Dental Health,” Dr. Francis
which you need to discipline an employee for a performance problem—when he or she fails to meet certain performance goals—Abate suggests the following steps, which are listed from least to most severe: dVerbal counseling: can range from a simple, spontaneous correction performed in the hallway to a more formal, sit-down meeting in your office. dWritten counseling: document the employee’s shortcomings in a written memo, which can become part of the employee’s personnel file. dNegative performance evaluation: use if the above two are not effective. This option is not ideal for acute situations, because performance evaluations usually occur only once a year. dDemotion: move the employee to a lower position that he or she may be able to perform better. dTermination: use termination only as a final option. In cases in which an employee needs to be disciplined for misconduct—unacceptable behavior—Abate suggests the following steps, listed in order of severity: dVerbal warning: discuss the
employee’s behavior with him or her face to face. dWritten warning: you may need to start with this step, if offense is severe enough. It signals the employee that you are serious and are documenting his or her behavior. dReprimand: this is generally the same as a written warning but is the last chance for an employee to correct his or her behavior before suspension or termination. dSuspension: remove employee from the workplace with or without pay, to ensure safety, repair morale or investigate the offense. dTermination: this may be done in cases of repeated misconduct or as a first choice in serious situations. To effectively discipline employees at each level, Abate suggests following these steps: ddescribe the unacceptable behavior; dexplain the impact the behavior has on the office; dspecify what changes are required of the employee; doutline the consequences of what will happen if the unacceptable behavior continues. (J Dent
Serio attempts the arduous task of explaining to the consumer dental health, dental disease, the role of the dentist and recent changes in the dental office. This concise, up-to-date book contains brief descriptions covering topics from basic dental anatomy through current dental technology. Written as “a user-friendly manual on the basics of dental health,” this book is exactly what it states. The author’s oc-
casional use of vernacular dental language, used in conjunction with appropriate dental terminology, helps educate the reader. The conciseness of each subject covered makes it appealing, an easy read and understandable for anyone interested in obtaining basic information relating to dental health. The author clearly explains to the patient the need and importance of a current and accurate health history. This is but one
JADA, Vol. 129, July 1998 Copyright ©1998-2001 American Dental Association. All rights reserved.
837