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BackgroundPhysician rating websites have been gaining in importance in both practice and research. However, no evidence is available concerning patients’ ratings of dentists on physician rating websites.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to present a comprehensive analysis of the ratings of dentists on a German physician rating website over a 2-year period.MethodsAll dentist ratings on a German physician rating website (Jameda) from 2012 and 2013 were analyzed. The available dataset contained 76,456 ratings of 23,902 dentists from 72,758 patients. Additional information included the overall score and subscores for 5 mandatory questions, the medical specialty and gender of the dentists, and the age, gender, and health insurance status of the patients. Statistical analysis was conducted using the median test and the Kendall tau-b test.ResultsDuring the study period, 44.57% (23,902/53,626) of all dentists in Germany were evaluated on the physician rating website, Jameda. The number of ratings rose from 28,843 in 2012 to 47,613 in 2013, representing an increase of 65.08%. In detail, 45.37% (10,845/23,902) of dentists were rated once, 43.41% (10,376/23,902) between 2 and 5 times, and 11.21% (2681/23,902) more than 6 times (mean 3.16, SD 5.57). Approximately 90% (21,324/23,902, 89.21%) of dentists received a very good or good overall rating, whereas only 3.02% (721/23,902) were rated with the lowest scores. Better ratings were given either by female or older patients, or by those covered by private health insurance. The best-rated specialty was pediatric dentistry; the lowest ratings were given to orthodontists. Finally, dentists were rated slightly lower in 2013 compared to 2012 (P=.01).ConclusionsThe rise in the number of ratings for dentists demonstrates the increasing popularity of physician rating websites and the need for information about health care providers. Future research should assess whether social media, especially Web-based ratings, are suitable in practice for patients and other stakeholders in health care (eg, insurance providers) to reflect the clinical quality of care.

Gardner's syndrome is characterized by colorectal adenomas, multiple osteomas, especially of the skull, and various soft-tissue tumours. The disease is inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder and all untreated patients will develop colorectal adenocarcinomas. Since the clinical and radiological stigmas in the maxillofacial area, such as exosteal and endosteal osteomas, skin cysts, atypical skin pigmentation and abnormal dental findings or radiopaque lesions can precede the often symptomless adenomas for many years, dentists, maxillofacial surgeons and radiologists should be familiar with the manifestations of this disease. A case is reported to illustrate the dentist's role in the diagnosis of Gardner's syndrome. In a follow-up study of 11 patients with colorectal adenomas, the typical triad of features of Gardner's syndrome was found in eight. In six patients, bony changes were demonstrated by panoramic radiography. It is proposed that radiography of the jaws may serve as a valuable tool for the early detection of carriers of Gardner's syndrome.

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Since the first description of bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (BRONJ), numerous research groups have focused on possible pathological mechanisms including the suppression of the bone turnover of the jaw, antiangiogenic effects and soft tissue toxicity. In our review we focused on summarizing the role of the soft tissues in the development and progression of BRONJ. The biological behavior of fibroblasts can be significantly influenced by bisphosphonates (BP) such as a concentration dependent reduction of cell viability. High concentrations of BP can induce apoptosis and necrosis of the cells. Comparable effects could be detected for keratinocytes. Compared to non-nitrogen containing bisphosphonates, nitrogen-containing BP have worse effects on cell biology by blocking the mevalonate pathway. Further, the cell architecture and expression levels of several genes and proteins are significantly disturbed by BP. These inhibitory effects of BP are in accordance with BP-related reduced angiogenesis and neovascularization and could underline the hypothesis that inhibition of fibroblasts and keratinocytes results in delayed wound healing and can induce and trigger BRONJ.