ObjectivesThere is alarming rise in number of people with diabetes mellitus over these years. If glucose in saliva is linked to glucose in blood it can be used to detect diabetes mellitus at an early stage. The present study is undertaken with the aim to assess the correlation of salivary glucose level with blood glucose level in people with diabetes mellitus.Material and MethodsFor investigations, 2 sets of samples of people with diabetes and the age and sex matched non-diabetic subjects were recruited. The salivary glucose was analyzed in unstimulated whole saliva samples using glucose oxidase method. Pearson's correlation coefficient test was applied to assess the correlation between salivary glucose level and blood glucose level.ResultsThe significant (P < 0.05) positive correlation of salivary glucose level and fasting blood glucose level was observed in people with uncontrolled diabetes in both the sets of samples.ConclusionsAlthough study suggests some potential for saliva as a marker in monitoring of diabetes mellitus, there are many aspects that need clarification before we reach to a conclusion.

Scleroderma (skleros; hard, and derma; skin), is currently known as systemic sclerosis due to its progressive nature and widespread tissue involvement. It is a rare connective tissue disorder with a wide range of oral manifestations. Thickening of the skin is the hallmark of the disease. The patient education for self-care and multidisciplinary approach would be needed to manage the condition. The article presents the review of orofacial considerations in scleroderma with a report of analysis of orofacial manifestations 3 cases.

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Objectives: Student assessment is one of the vital elements in educational process. It is essential to conserve the formative nature of the assessment so that assessment is more structured and meaningful. Hence, it is necessary to review the existing formative assessment practises. The study was undertaken with purpose to estimate and compare the student and faculty perception about formative assessment examination in the institution. Materials and Methods: Seventy students and four faculties were enrolled for study on the basis of voluntary participation. The study participants were subjected to open and close-ended questionnaire, focus group discussions and individual interviews to obtain the perception. The responses were analysed by descriptive and thematic analysis. Results: Overall, the participants found the formative assessment practises to be satisfactory with few exceptions as there should be uniform judging criteria, and the feedback mechanism be more structured. Faculty mentioned that higher cognitive domain should also be tested in formative assessment. Conclusion:The study has brought forward the need for the sensitization of students so that applicability of formative assessment is enhanced. The periodic feedback should be obtained from faculty and students; the input will aid to plan strategies to maximize the student learning.

Objectives:The learning-assessment relationship is an integral part of educational process, its main purpose is to optimize learner`s abilities which can be achieved through the implementation of Objective Structured Clinical Examination as an assessment tool. The present study is undertaken with the aim to introduce an Objective Structured Clinical Examination in the faculty of dentistry for the subject of oral medicine and radiology and to obtain the perception of participants about it. Materials and Methods:The study involved 65 final year dental students and faculties from Oral Medicine and Radiology. The self-administered questionnaire and feedback forms were given to the students to record their responses. Descriptive analysis and factor analysis were used to identify key factor among the different Objective Structured Clinical Examination items. Results:The results revealed the strong consensus in favor of Objective Structured Clinical Examination. The factor analysis extracted 2 key components i.e. "I understand the aims and objectives of the Objective Structured Clinical Examination" and "it tested my diagnostic clinical skill" as significant. Conclusion: The present article suggests that inclusion of Objective Structured ClinicalExamination in the formative and summative examination would be beneficial. It is recommended that the pilot study should be carried out for the selected model of objective structured clinical examination before being implemented as an assessment tool.