dentinogenesis imperfecta
As part of our freshman curriculum, in Histology/Embryology – Fall 2019, we were all given different topics to research and present to the class. My topic was Dentinogenesis Imperfecta, which was great as I used to date a guy who had this condition. He always stated that he was born with “weak teeth,” and I never believed him, thinking he just had poor oral hygiene. This was before I was involved in the dental field and I, myself, had a low dental IQ. After researching this topic, I was humbled to learn that his condition did, in fact, have a mostly genetic etiology, as well as environmental/systemic. Below is my short presentation:
the potential of curcumin
In Spring of 2020, we were taught the importance of using credible, scholarly sources when researching pertinent health information. We learned about PubMed and Google Scholar and the importance of the literature being peer-reviewed as well as recent (less than 3-5 years old). We were placed in groups to research consumer products being used today and their effects on oral/systemic health. My group chose to research the potential of using curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, to combat certain oral conditions. This research project was vital in teaching us to weed out non-credible literature and to help us understand the different type of trials and studies that take place. The presentation is below:
public health project – escape the vape
In our final semester, in Public Health – Spring 2021, we would normally have made an in-person group presentation on a relevant oral health topic and audience of our choice. Due to Covid-19, and most learning taking place remotely, we followed through with the research and planning, but presented the information to our classmates instead. My group chose the very relevant topic of vaping/e-cigarette use with the target population being teenagers/high school students. Using scholarly resources, this project opened my eyes to the countless dangers associated with this recent trend. It is not only important for us as dental hygienists to stay up-to-date on topics such as this, but we must also be able to relay the information in a clear and nonjudgemental manner. This project inspired and prepared us to do just that. The presentation is below and can also be found in the Community Outreach section:
