Although a wide variety of underlying abilities important to dental skill learning have been investigated, there has been little agreement among dental researchers about which of these abilities are really significant. The purpose of this study was to discern if any of the commonly examined fine motor ability tests or any maturational characteristics were associated with early scaling and root-planing skills, which are dental skills used for treating gingivitis. One hundred twenty freshman dental students were subjected to a battery of maturational measurements and motor ability tests that other investigators had associated with dental skill development. This study suggests that the width of the wrist and the length of the first finger may be of some importance in the development of the early dental skills, scaling and root planing. However, most tests used in this study did not adequately explain the abilities underlying scaling and root-planing skills. Further studies should examine other abilities in relation to specific dental skills and the relationship of abilities to early and late skill development.

This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of a sanguinarine‐containing dentifrice on supragingival and subgingival plaque in response to suggestions that sanguinarine extract has antiplaque activity. Volunteer dental students were randomly assigned to a control or an experimental group. During an initial examination, plaque scores and samples of subgingival plaque were obtained. The students were given oral hygiene instructions and were told to floss once and brush twice daily, using either the experimental (sanguinarine‐containing) or control (any other) dentifrice for a period of 1 month, following which they were once more examined. Plaque scores and samples of subgingival plaque were again obtained. Examination of subgingival plaque was performed using a phase‐contrast microscope to determine the distribution of bacterial morphotypes. Comparison of the data from the initial examination with that at the completion of the study showed a significant reduction of supragingival plaque within each group. However, there was no significant difference in the amount of supragingival plaque between groups. There were no significant between‐group differences for any bacterial morpho‐type. It was concluded that sanguinarine extract had no detectable antiplaque activity when used in a dentifrice.

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The purpose of the present study was to examine the potential of a multivariable approach in predicting dental motor skill performance. Variables measuring cognitive knowledge, motor abilities, educational background, and family demographics were examined. Data were obtained from 33 first-year dental students. Scaling and root planing tests were administered to each student at the beginning and end of a 14-week preclinical periodontal course. Correlations were low and no variable significantly predicted pre- or posttest scaling and root planing performance. Results are discussed in terms of the problems associated with predicting motor performance.