The aim of the study is to obtain the views and opinions of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAS), community leaders and other stake holders (care providers and AIDS orphans), so as to assess the role of Non-Governmental Organisations in the control of HIV infection with the purpose of making appropriate recommendations for policy formulation on issues related to the health and care of PLWHAs. A qualitative research was carried out using in-depth interview method with a questionnaires as a guide. In all, 12 seropositives, 13 community leaders and 34 AIDS orphans were interviewed. Results indicate that there was a lack of networking between the six Non-Governmental Organisations working in the state in relation to HIV/AID. Also, none of these PLWHAs had concrete plans for the future of their children, though they all expressed some form of anxiety about their children's future. The burden of care of AIDS orphans often fall on the maternal family members. Top on the list of the problem of AIDS orphans was their poor education due to financial difficulties. There is the need for the government to provide, support, encourage and monitor the activities of the Non-Governmental Organisations and network with them so as to maximise the benefits that can be obtained from the role they play in HIV/AIDS management.

To evaluate patient's attitudes to the use of gloves by dentists.This consisted of a four-item questionnaire administered to 445 consecutive patients attending our dental clinic.
. Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals' Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Four hundred and forty five patients above the age of fifteen years attending the dental clinic for the first time.
Majority of the patients were in the 20-30 year age group and over 93% had formal education. Most of the respondents (88.8%) stated that glove wearing was essential and over 63% considered that glove wearing protected both the operator and the patient. Whilst about one-third of respondents would attend for treatment when gloves were not worn, 81.3% felt that gloves should be changed after each patient. There were statistically significant differences (p<0.05) in responses in relation to age-groups and educational attainment, however no sex differences (p>0.05) were reported.
This survey showed a high level of awareness by patients on the use of gloves by dentists. It also found that age-groups and levels of educational attainment influenced patients attitude to glove use.

Oral health programmes for refugees should emphasize a Primary Health Care approach focusing on prevention, based on appropriate technology, and promoting involvement of the refugee community in the provision of services. This report describes a unique programme at the Liberian refugee camp Gomoa Buduburam, Central Region, Ghana. The programme resulted in the effective participation of a refugee community in oral health promotion, and empowerment of members of the community to take care of their own oral health. A comprehensive primary oral health care programme is essential for refugee camps, especially when the camp has become stable. This programme represents an approach to oral health promotion in refugee situations characterized by full community participation. It is recommended that UNHCR should accommodate oral health within the major health framework for refugee populations, including provisions for Community Oral Health Worker remuneration as well as equipment and material supply.

In this study, 1,325 school children from 7 farm schools were examined. Their mean age (+/- SD) was 10.5 +/- 3.0 (range 6-11) years. At baseline, the mean DMFT score was 1.1 +/- 1.7 and 36.4% of the children had caries. The prevalence of fluorosis among the children was 12.6%. Curative treatment was offered to all the children. A total of 113 children (8.5%) with one-surface cavities on permanent teeth and without fluorosis were treated using the atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) approach. A total number of 163 cavities were included in the study, of which 82 were treated with Fuji IX glass-ionomer cement and 81 with Ketac-MOLAR (hand mix). One year after treatment, restoration and sealant parts of ART fillings were examined. Caries status was also determined. The placing of the ART fillings and their evaluation were performed by different practitioners. A total number of 108 restorations (58 with Fuji IX, 50 with Ketac-MOLAR) were evaluated. Results of ART fillings showed a survival rate of 93.1% with Fuji and 94.0% with Ketac-MOLAR. Retention of the sealant parts of ART fillings was observed in 81% of restorations with Fuji IX and 76% with Ketac-MOLAR, not connected to the filled cavity. Caries was absent on all teeth restored with Fuji IX and noted in only one tooth restored with Ketac-MOLAR, not connected to the filled cavity. The retention rate after a 12-month period was acceptable and ART approach proved to be an appropriate technique for restoring teeth in this population group. There were no statistically significant differences between the survival rates of the two glass-ionomer restorative materials (P > 0.05).

Managed health care (MHC) has emerged in South Africa as an alternative system to control the cost of health care. Fears, negative perceptions and much uncertainty have surrounded this issue since its introduction in South Africa. The purpose of this study was to assess the understanding, perceptions and opinions of dentists residing in the Gauteng province about the emergence, benefits, impact, and future of MHC in South Africa. Eighty-six dentists (21.5%) out of the sample population of 400 responded to the questionnaire. The majority (66.7%) of the respondents perceived MHC to be a threat to their practices, with most feeling that MHC will interfere with the doctor-patient relationship. Forty-two per cent of the respondents were of the opinion that MHC will not succeed in South Africa. The results suggest that this sample of dentists do not consider MHC to be an alternative to the existing fee-for-service system. The introduction of MHC in South Africa is mostly based on models used in the USA, which might not be appropriate in the unique South African environment.

This study determined the knowledge, attitude and practice of oral health care workers in public clinics in South Africa towards HIV/AIDS and investigated the implementation of infection control measures. A total of 727 questionnaires were distributed to dentists, dental therapists, oral hygienists and chairside assistants in the public dental clinics of 9 provinces, of which 276 were returned from 8 provinces, giving a response rate of 38%. The questionnaire covered demographic factors and assessed issues such as knowledge, infection control practices, continuing education, legal, ethical and psychosocial issues and available support for HIV/AIDS. The common oral manifestations seen by respondents were candidiasis, acute necrotising ulcerative gingivitis (ANUG), hairy leukoplakia and Kaposi's sarcoma. Of the 174 who had a previous HIV test, 48% were for insurance purposes and 21% for post-needle-stick injury. Over 10% of the respondents indicated that gloves were not available at all, that there was an inadequate supply of water, and that there was no autoclave in their clinic. Nearly 50% of the clinicians had not had hepatitis B vaccination in the last 3 years. Fifteen respondents (5.4%) were not willing to treat HIV-positive patients. Only 48% had access to a written post-exposure management protocol and post-exposure medication was available to only 36.6%. The vast majority of the respondents clearly expressed a need for additional education on HIV/AIDS. The study demonstrated a need to add knowledge, enhance personal skills and improve the application of universal precautions

A structured, 40-item, self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 290 nurses attending an international health care conference held in Pretoria, South Africa. The questionnaire focused on; personal and demographic details of the respondents, history of dental disease and dental attendance, exposure to oral health during and after basic nurse training, opinions on oral health and the nursing curriculum, perceptions on the relationship between nurses and oral health personnel, perceived ability to promote oral health and self-reported contributions to oral health. The 153 respondents were predominantly female (140, 93.3%) with a mean age (+/- Standard deviation) of 43.0 +/- 7.5 years. One hundred and twenty one (79.1%) had previously visited a dental clinic for personal care and 105 (68.6%) had suffered from dental disease, dental pain, bleeding gums or bad breadth. Only 71 (46.4%) were exposed to experiences in assessing and caring for clients with oral disease during their training. Significant positive correlation were found between exposure (during training) to experiences in assessing and caring for clients with oral diseases and some factors. One hundred and forty-eight (96.7%) agreed oral health should be integrated into the nursing curriculum. Forty-one (26.8%) indicated they have not been contributing to the oral health of their clients or community while 92 (60.1%) described their personal contributions as fair. One hundred and thirty six respondents (88.9%) wished to be able to do more for their clients in the area of oral health.

The changing profile of oral care rendered through the Mobile Dental System (MDS), after the introduction of the Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) approach is described. During the first year of introduction of ART, the percentages of amalgam restorations and tooth extractions decreased significantly (P < 0.0001). This is partly ascribed to a change in choice of treatment by dental operators in favour of ART and also due to an increase in acceptance by patients because of the reduced fear, and the patient-friendly nature of the ART approach. The reduction in amalgam restorations was 16.0 per cent for permanent and 1.4 per cent for primary posterior teeth. Extraction of posterior teeth was reduced by 17.4 per cent in the permanent and 35.7 per cent in the primary dentitions. The restorative component of oral care increased by 33.4 per cent in the permanent and 37.1 per cent in primary posterior teeth. The one-year survival of one-surface ART restorations using Fuji IX and KetacMolar was 93.6 per cent. Full and partial (more than 90 per cent) retention of the sealant part of the ART restoration was obtained in 75 per cent of the cases after one-year. During the one-year period, infection control was made more simple and this facilitated easier maintenance of mobile dental equipment. The introduction of the ART approach reduced extraction, restored more teeth and made oral care in the MDS more preventive, less threatening and thus more patient-friendly.

To promote community involvement in the provision of oral health services.The project consisted of a four-week training course in oral health for selected refugees, an oral health survey based on WHO guidelines and conducted by the refugees themselves and the provision of oral health care services to the community by the trained refugees.
Liberian refugee camp, Gomoa Buduburam in Ghana.
Liberian refugees of all ages.
Twelve refugees were given short term training in oral health. In the oral health survey, 196 refugees were clinically examined for dental caries, periodontal disease and malocclusion.
DMFT (for dental caries), CPITN (for periodontal disease), and malocclusion scores for selected subjects. Also clinical services rendered.
Oral health survey revealed a mean age (+/- SD) of 25.7 (+/- 9.5) years. Only thirty nine (19.9%) of the subjects were caries-free, and total DMFT was 2.5 +/- 2.2. Based on the CPITN, 107 (54.6%) required oral hygiene instructions (OHI), and 41 (20.9%) required prophylactic scaling with OHI. Forty four (22.5%) of the subjects had normal occlusion and 152 (77.5%) mild to severe malocclusion. Periodontal (75.5%), prosthetic (52.5%) interventions and extractions (34.2%) constituted the bulk of the treatment needs required. Clinical treatment was rendered by the trained refugees to 846 patients over a twelve month period.
Relief programmes for refugees should emphasise a primary health care approach, focusing on prevention, based on appropriate technology, and promoting involvement by the refugee community in the provision of services.

We determined the prevalence of oral disorders and the dental treatment needs of outpatients with epilepsy.A questionnaire was administered to 56 consecutive patients (35 males, 21 females) presenting to an outpatient clinic. All patients underwent dental examinations. The clinical and diagnostic features of each patient's epilepsy were also obtained.
The mean age (+/-SD) of the patients was 25.1 +/- 12.1 years (range, 12-56 years). Of 9 patients receiving phenytoin (PHT) monotherapy, 3 (33.3%) had gingival hypertrophy; 15 of 18 (83.3%) patients receiving PHT in combination with phenobarbital (PB) manifested the disorder. Traumatized anterior teeth were found in 26 (46.4%) patients with the males significantly more affected than females (p = 0.02). When the dental treatment needs were considered, 24 (42.9%) patients required dental prophylaxis with oral hygiene instruction, and an equal number required various types of restorative treatments. Only 13 patients (23.2%) had previously visited a dental clinic; the 43 (76.8%) who had never sought dental treatment claimed they did not see any need for it.
Our study showed an increased predilection to anterior dental injuries in patients with epilepsy as compared with the prevalence earlier reported for those without epilepsy in Nigeria (p = 0.00). There is a clear need for effective interaction between medical and dental practitioners in the management of epilepsy.

We determined the prevalence of oral disorders and the dental treatment needs of outpatients with epilepsy.A questionnaire was administered to 56 consecutive patients (35 males, 21 females) presenting to an outpatient clinic. All patients underwent dental examinations. The clinical and diagnostic features of each patient's epilepsy were also obtained.
The mean age (+/-SD) of the patients was 25.1 +/- 12.1 years (range, 12-56 years). Of 9 patients receiving phenytoin (PHT) monotherapy, 3 (33.3%) had gingival hypertrophy; 15 of 18 (83.3%) patients receiving PHT in combination with phenobarbital (PB) manifested the disorder. Traumatized anterior teeth were found in 26 (46.4%) patients with the males significantly more affected than females (p = 0.02). When the dental treatment needs were considered, 24 (42.9%) patients required dental prophylaxis with oral hygiene instruction, and an equal number required various types of restorative treatments. Only 13 patients (23.2%) had previously visited a dental clinic; the 43 (76.8%) who had never sought dental treatment claimed they did not see any need for it.
Our study showed an increased predilection to anterior dental injuries in patients with epilepsy as compared with the prevalence earlier reported for those without epilepsy in Nigeria (p = 0.00). There is a clear need for effective interaction between medical and dental practitioners in the management of epilepsy.

An unusual case of cervicofacial actinomycosis in a 60-year old male Nigerian is reported. The patient had had partial mandibular resection for plexiform ameloblastoma one year earlier with insertion of Kirschner wire to serve as a splint. The authors highlight the possible pathophysiology of this condition. It is suggested that clinicians be aware of the various modes of presentation and natural history of the disease to facilitate prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment. This will assist in forestalling the numerous complications that may result from actinomycosis.

Fifty nine patients with histologically confirmed cases of oral malignant neoplasia were included in this study. There was a male preponderance with the male to female ratio being 2.5 to 1.0. The average waiting period before presentation was 8.9 +/- 6.5 months (range: two to 24 months). Squamous cell carcinoma was the predominant variety, 50.8%, of all malignancies recorded. The alveolar ridge and the gingivae were the commonest sites accounting for 40.7% of all cases. Majority of the patients with squamous cell carcinoma, (80.8%), presented with stage IV of this disease. The pattern of oral malignancies in the population studied appears slightly different from earlier observations in Western Europe and Asia. The necessity to strengthen research on the epidemiology of the disease in Nigeria and other African countries is highlighted.

Fifty nine patients with histologically confirmed cases of oral malignant neoplasia were included in this study. There was a male preponderance with the male to female ratio being 2.5 to 1.0. The average waiting period before presentation was 8.9 +/- 6.5 months (range: two to 24 months). Squamous cell carcinoma was the predominant variety, 50.8%, of all malignancies recorded. The alveolar ridge and the gingivae were the commonest sites accounting for 40.7% of all cases. Majority of the patients with squamous cell carcinoma, (80.8%), presented with stage IV of this disease. The pattern of oral malignancies in the population studied appears slightly different from earlier observations in Western Europe and Asia. The necessity to strengthen research on the epidemiology of the disease in Nigeria and other African countries is highlighted.

A project for improving primary health care in an underserved rural area of Osun State, Nigeria, involved the creation of a partnership between the local government, the community and a medical college. Joint administrative and technical committees were established, and community mobilization was fostered. The evidence so far indicates that partnership designs can accelerate the development of primary health care in an affordable manner.

Sugar-based Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT) is still the conventional treatment for diarrhoeal diseases. The WHO/UNICEF, and other groups endorse and actively promote its use for all cases of diarrhoea. Despite the deleterious effects of sugars promotion on dental health, and the incontrovertible role of sugars as the major factor responsible for the present upsurge in dental caries prevalence in the developing countries, the search for an ideal Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) has so far completely ignored any dental considerations. Of the presently available rehydration solutions, the cereal or food-based solutions offer greater advantages over the sugar based solutions. Further research efforts must be directed at non-sugar based ORT, and funding organisations should give support to researchers and research institutions working to replace sugars with cereal flours, improve food-based ORS, or develop novel approaches to ORT that are based on non-cariogenic ingredients. Policy makers, researchers and health care workers generally must always consider, in addition to other factors, the dental implications of their recommendations on ORT.

To determine the relationship between bacterial colonization of tooth surfaces and dental caries, selective agar media-MM10 Sucrose, Rogosa SL and Blood agar were used to isolate bacteria from the scrappings of 60 tooth surfaces of 30 children and young adults. Mean age +/- SD was 13.3 +/- 4.1 (range seven to 19 years). Streptococcus mutans was isolated from 36 surfaces representing 60pc Lactobacillus species from 38 surfaces (68pc), and Actinomyces species from 12 surfaces (20pc). The individual prevalences of these organisms decreased with age. The distribution of bacteria according to surfaces examined showed that the pits and fissures were the main habitat of Streptococcus mutans and Lactobacilli were sensitive to erythromycin. Actinomyces species were 100pc sensitive to Penicillin. All the bacteria species isolated were also found to be 100pc sensitive to Olfoxacin (Tarivid). It is suggested that the use of antibiotics may stop the growth of cariogenic bacteria in individuals and thereby contribute to a decline in the incidence and prevalence of dental caries in the community.

The relationship between socio-economic factors and dental health in an Obstetric Nigerian population was studied. The mean gestational age (+/-standard deviation) was 30.16 + 5.45 weeks (range 16-40 weeks). Acquisition of dental education was found to be unrelated to level of education. When the prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease were considered, the difference between the high, middle and low socio-economic groups were found to be significant (p < 0.05).