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Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the learning approaches of undergraduate dental students in Saudi Arabia. Methods This was a cross-sectional study in which an electronic questionnaire using the Biggs Revised two-factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) was completed by 222 undergraduate dental students from 1st year to 5th year. R-SPQ-2F contains 20 items to measure learning approaches through a structural model contrasting deep and surface learning. Results The mean value of the deep approach was higher among 4th- and 5th-year students than among 1st-, 2nd-, and 3rd-year students. The mean values of the surface approach in male subjects and subjects with lower grade point averages were statistically significant higher than those of the deep approach. Conclusion This study highlights that dental students have a greater tendency to adopt the surface approach when they are in preclinical years and in the 3rd year, when they experience a transition to clinical training. A deep approach to learning was mostly adopted among 4th- and 5th-year dental students. The surface approach was higher among male than female students. Students who used a deep approach had higher academic achievement than students who used a surface approach.

Background We hypothesized that crestal bone loss (CBL) and peri‐implant soft tissue inflammation are increased when conventionally‐loaded dental implants are placed in cigarette and waterpipe smokers compared to nonsmokers. Purpose The present 8‐years' follow‐up retrospective clinical study evaluated the stability of the conventionally‐loaded dental implants placed in cigarette‐ and waterpipe (narghile) smoking and nonsmoking population group. Materials and Methods Self‐reported cigarette‐smokers, waterpipe users along with never‐smokers have been included. Data pertaining to gender, age, duration and frequency of cigarette‐smoking, and usage of waterpipe were collected using a preformed questionnaire. Probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and peri‐implant plaque index (PI) were recorded measuring mesial and distal CBL on digital bitewing radiographs. Study power estimated with group comparisons performed using the Kruskal‐Wallis and Bonferroni post‐hoc adjustment tests. Statistically significant P‐values of less than 0.05 were considered. Results Forty‐one cigarette‐smokers, forty waterpipe‐users, and forty‐two never‐smokers with mean ages of 44.5 ± 4.3, 41.2 ± 4.7, 43.3 ± 2.8 years, respectively, were included. The mean duration of smoking habit and duration of each session of cigarette‐smoking was 5.5 ± 0.3 years and 7.7 ± 1.2 minutes, respectively. The mean period of waterpipe use and time of each session of was 10.6 ± 0.8 years and 20.2 ± 3.1 minutes, respectively. Among cigarette‐smokers, waterpipe‐users and never‐smokers, the implants had been in function for 8.5 ± 0.3, 8.6 ± 0.3, and 8.5 ± 0.5 years, respectively. PD, CBL, and peri‐implant PI were positively more among cigarette and waterpipe smoking users (P < 0.05) than with never‐smokers. Peri‐implant bleeding on probing was significant among never‐smokers (P < 0.05) compared to waterpipe‐users and cigarette‐smokers. There was no difference in Peri‐implant PI, PD, and CBL in cigarette‐smokers and waterpipe‐users. Conclusions Cigarette‐smokers and waterpipe users are vulnerable to peri‐implant soft tissue inflammation and CBL than never‐smokers. There is no variation in the severity of peri‐implant soft tissue inflammation and CBL in waterpipe and cigarette users.

The pathological role of human herpesviruses (HHVs) (Epstein-Barr virus [EBV], Human cytomegalovirus [CMV], and Herpes simplex virus [HSV]) in peri-implant health needs clarification quantitatively. To determine the weight of evidence for HHVs in patients with peri-implantitis (PI) and substantiate the significance of HHVs in peri-implant inflammation, electronic databases including EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane Oral Health Group Trials Register, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched from 1964 up to and including November 2018.Meta-analyses were conducted for prevalence of HHVs in PI and healthy controls.Forest plots were generated that recorded risk difference (RD) of outcomes and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Five clinical studies were considered and included. Four clinical studies reported data on EBV while three clinical studies reported data on CMV. Considering the risk of these viruses in PI, significant heterogeneity for CMV (χ 2 = 53.37, p < 0.0001, I 2 = 96.25%) and EBV (χ 2 = 14.14, p = 0.002, I 2 = 78.79%) prevalence was noticed between PI and healthy control sites. The overall RD for only EBV (RD = 0.20, 95% CI, 0.01-0.40, p = 0.03) was statistically significant between both groups. Frequencies of the viruses were increased in patients with PI compared with healthy nondiseased sites. However, the findings of the present study should be interpreted with caution because of significant heterogeneity and small number of included studies.

Background The aim was to assess the association between levels of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and periodontal parameters among cigarette-smokers and waterpipe-users. Methods Self-reported cigarette-smokers; waterpipe-users and never-smokers were included. Demographic data was recorded using a questionnaire. Periodontal parameters (plaque index [PI], gingival index [GI], clinical attachment loss [AL], probing depth [PD], and marginal bone loss [MBL]) were assessed in all groups. The GCF samples were collected using standard techniques and assessed for AGEs levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Sample-size estimation was done and group-comparisons were done. Correlation between levels of GCF AGEs levels and periodontal parameters was assessed using a logistic regression model. Level of significance was set at P < 0.01. Results Eighty-two individuals (28 cigarette-smokers, 28 waterpipe-users and 26 never-smokers) were included. There was no difference in mean ages of all patients. Cigarette-smokers had a smoking history of 5.1 ± 0.2 pack years and waterpipe-users were using waterpipe for 4.4 ± 0.6 years. There was no statistically significant difference in PI, GI, clinical AL, PD and MBL in all groups. Levels of AGEs were significantly higher among cigarette-smokers (P < 0.001) and waterpipe-users (P < 0.001) than never-smokers. There was no significant correlation between levels of GCF AGEs levels and periodontal parameters in all groups. Conclusion Clinical periodontal status of individuals with a short history of cigarette-smoking and waterpipe-usage may appear similar to never-smokers. On a molecular level, cigarette-smoking and waterpipe-users express raised levels of AGEs than never-smokers that sirens about the ongoing yet latent periodontal inflammatory process.