Tobacco and betel nut chewing have been associated to causing oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and increased risk to developing oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Objective:i) To determine the prevalence of chewing betel nut and smokeless tobacco amongst Fijians of Indian descent living in Suva, Fiji. ii) To determine the incidence rate of OPMDs in Fijians of Indian descents living in Suva, Fiji. Methods:This was a cross sectional study, designed to analyze if Fijians of Indian descent are exposed to OSCC risk factors. Firstly, a structured questionnaire was used to interview participants in order to gather information on their chewing habits. Participants included Fijians of Indian descent staying in Suva from the age of 18 and above. Thereafter, an oral examination was carried out for all participants to identify the presence of any OPMDs. Result:This study revealed that out ofthe120participants, 45% consumed either tobacco or betel quid. Furthermore, 14.2% of the participants were chewing smokeless tobacco, 20% chew betel quid or paan masala and 32.5% of the participants smoked tobacco. No OPMD's were detected in the sample. Conclusion:There was a moderate prevalence of individuals chewing smokeless tobacco and betel quid/ paan masala (45%). There were no OPMDs detected in the sample.

BACKGROUND: Wearing dentures helps rehabilitate the oral health status for the older people. Due to lack of previous data, this objective of this study was to determine the level of utilization and satisfaction of complete denture treatment at dental clinics in Fiji. MATERIALS & METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted on 85 edentulous patients and dentures at the Fiji National University (FNU) teaching dental clinic from 2010-2016.Patients who utilized the dentures fabricated at FNU and identified as complete denture patients from 2010-2016 were included in this study. Data was collected using the denture assessment form and Oral Health Impact Profile for Edentulous Patients (OHIP-EDENT) questionnaire. Correlation test was done and p less than 0.05 was considered as level of significance. RESULTS: Participants were between the age range of 40-79 years with majority being male (54%). Greater level of satisfaction noted among 60-69 years male participants and those wearing the dentures for 3-4 years than other groups. Difficulty in chewing (40%) and food catching underneath the denture (33%) were common denture related complains. One thirds of participants reported of uncomfortable dentures while 24% had sore spots due to their dentures. More than two thirds of them, (71%) were unable to eat and enjoy food and for most patients, the vertical dimension (94%), esthetics assessment (94%), tooth selection (91%), boarder extension (78%), posterior seal (99%) and centric relation (99%) were acceptable. Patients with acceptable vertical dimension (46.1±7.6), acceptable esthetics (45.8±7.9) and boarder extension (48.0±7.2) showed greater satisfaction level compared to those with unacceptable denture characteristics. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted that satisfaction among recent denture wearers was low and majority participants portrayed poor understanding regarding denture aftercare and hygiene. It can be recommended for the teaching institutes and dental clinics to evaluate the quality of treatments and help to improve the quality of services being provided to the patients. Further study is needed to determine the in- depth perceptions of denture wearers. It also can be recommended for the patients to take heed of the post operative denture hygiene instructions being given.

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