This powerpoint on Spina Bifida was Embryology & Histology class. I presented on what causes spina bifida, the types of spina bifida, as well as the dental complications and the role of the dental team. This project helped me get a better understanding of this neural tube defect and how to manage patients with this.
In the second semester, I wrote a review for a research article on Oil Pulling. Natural remedies have always been around, but in the recent years there is a sudden rise of interest. Many natural remedies are being marketed and claim to have many benefits. This made me curious if there was research to provide evidence to support such claims.
This particular research article was a comparative evaluation of anti-plaque efficacy of coconut oil pulling and a placebo, among dental college students. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of coconut oil pulling by reducing plaque scores when compared to mineral water. From this review, I learned that this was valuable information to disease prevention in the public health, especially in the vulnerable population. This is an accessible and cost efficient tool that can be recommended as a home preventative if they do not have access to chlorhexidine or oral health care in general. The link below will bring you to my research article review.
Research Article Review on Oil Pulling
For the final paper in Dental Anatomy class, I wrote about the existing dental disparity in the United States. Before preparing for this paper, I was oblivious about the disparity that is prevalent around us. I grew up in Manhattan, and was lucky to have dental coverage from Medicaid. But I learned that many people do not have access to health insurance, or the elderly that are Medicare that do not have dental coverage. With published peer reviewed articles, PBS documentary and group discussions with my fellow classmates, highlighted the flaws of healthcare coverage due to internal and external factors such as race, socioeconomic status, age and location. This discussion really helped me to realize the importance of education on dental disparity for dental professionals. As I am on my path to becoming a Registered Dental Hygienist, I realized that I can help to combat these issues by volunteering my time to non-profit events for those who are lacking dental hygiene care. The link below will bring you to my paper.
