Melbourne Dental School - Research Publications

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    Sociodemographic profiles and career motivations of Australian dental students
    Tran, H ; Ahmed, F ; Yousuf, M ; Chan, G ; Mariño, R ; Wylie, M ; Paolini, R ; Canfora, F ; McCullough, M ; Celentano, A (Nihon University School of Dentistry, 2024-01-16)
    PURPOSE: Prior studies explored factors influencing dental study choice, but shifts from BDSc to DDS degrees in some countries impact demographics and motivations, potentially affecting the dental workforce. The aim of this study was to establish Australian DDS and BOH students' sociodemographics and career motivations. METHODS: Questionnaires conducted in mid-2019 assessed sociodemographic profiles and career motivations. Statistical analysis utilized descriptive statistics and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 71.3%. DDS students had an average age of 25.2 years, while BOH students averaged 21.5 years. Most BOH (80.7%) and DDS students (52.0%) were female. They were mainly single, local, Australian citizens from metropolitan areas. Self-motivation ranked highest, particularly for DDS students (P < 0.05). Significant motivators included healthcare occupation, helping others, interesting career, and flexible hours (P < 0.05). DDS students were more motivated by flexible hours and independence (P < 0.05), while females emphasized a healthcare profession (P = 0.003). International students were motivated by being their own boss (P = 0.003), and private school graduates valued lifestyle within the profession (P = 0.049). CONCLUSION: Despite sociodemographic changes, the main motivations for studying dentistry remain consistent. DDS students prioritized lifestyle factors such as time and remuneration over BOH students.
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    To prescribe or not to prescribe? A review of the Prescribing Competencies Framework for dentistry
    Teoh, L ; Park, JS ; Moses, G ; Mccullough, M ; Page, A (ELSEVIER SCI LTD, 2023-10)
    OBJECTIVES: Dentists in Australia are the second largest prescriber group, and are generally not formally taught how to prescribe. The objective of this review is to describe the Prescribing Competencies Framework and its relevance to dentistry. DATA: The four-model stage of prescribing by Coombes and colleagues, and the seven competencies within the Prescribing Competencies Framework devised by the Australian National Prescribing Service MedicineWise, are discussed and applied to dentistry. SOURCES AND STUDY SELECTION: Each of the seven competencies are analysed and detailed in the context of clinical dental practice. Competencies 1-5 describe the skillset and tasks required by dentists to safely prescribe, whereas Competencies 6 and 7 describe the clinical environment and recommended resources to support dentists to prescribe safely and effectively. CONCLUSIONS: The Prescribing Competencies Framework provides an overview of safe and effective prescribing. Prescribing is a process, and a separate skillset to clinical dentistry. The process involves information gathering, clinical assessment, effective communication and review of the patient. Access to timely and appropriate resources and relevant electronic sources of health information for clinicians are important to provide the support required for better informed prescribing decisions. The framework describes a patient-centered prescribing process, and ultimately prescribing should be a shared decision between the dentist and the patient. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Safe and effective prescribing is an integral part of dentistry and dentists are the second largest prescriber group. However, dentists display high rates of inappropriate and unnecessary prescribing, and to minimise errors, the Prescribing Competencies Framework has been established. This article details how the Framework applies to clinical practice dentistry.
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    Transcriptional regulation of glucose transporters in human oral squamous cell carcinoma cells
    Paolini, R ; Moore, C ; Matthyssen, T ; Cirillo, N ; McCullough, M ; Farah, CS ; Botha, H ; Yap, T ; Celentano, A (WILEY, 2022-09)
    The increased glucose uptake observed in cancer cells is mediated by glucose transporters (GLUTs), a class of transmembrane proteins that facilitate the transport of glucose and other substrates across the plasma membrane. Despite the important role of glucose in the pathophysiology of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), there is very limited data regarding the expression of GLUTs in normal or malignant cells from the oral mucosa. We analysed the messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of all 14 GLUTs in two OSCC (H357/H400) and one non-malignant oral keratinocyte (OKF6) cell line using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction. GLUT expression was evaluated at baseline and after treatment with two specific GLUT inhibitors, namely, BAY876 (GLUT1) and WZB117 (GLUT1, GLUT3 and GLUT4). Here, we show that GLUT1, GLUT3, GLUT4, GLUT5, GLUT6, GLUT8, GLUT12 and GLUT13 transcripts were measurably expressed in all cell lines while GLUT2, GLUT7, GLUT9, GLUT11 and GLUT14 were not expressed. GLUT10 was only found in H357. In the presence of BAY876 and WZB117, OSCC cells exhibited significant alterations in the transcriptional profile of GLUTs. In particular, we observed distinct proliferation-dependent changes of mRNAs to GLUT1, GLUT3, GLUT4, GLUT5 and GLUT6 in response to selective GLUT inhibitors. In summary, we documented for the first time the expression of GLUT5, GLUT6 and GLUT12 in normal and malignant oral keratinocytes. Whilst regulation of GLUT transcripts was cell line and inhibitor specific, GLUT3 was consistently upregulated in actively proliferating OSCC cell lines, but not in OKF6, regardless of the inhibitor used, suggesting that modulation of this transporter may act as one of the primary compensation mechanisms for OSCC cells upon inhibition of glucose uptake.
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    Metabolomic Profile of Indonesian Betel Quids
    Zhang, P ; Sari, EF ; McCullough, MJ ; Cirillo, N (MDPI, 2022-10)
    Consumption of areca nut alone, or in the form of betel quid (BQ), has negative health effects and is carcinogenic to humans. Indonesia is one of the largest producers of areca nuts worldwide, yet little is known about the biomolecular composition of Indonesian areca nuts and BQs. We have recently shown that phenolic and alkaloid content of Indonesian BQs exhibits distinct geographical differences. Here, we profiled for the first time the metabolomics of BQ constituents from four regions of Indonesia using non-targeted gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. In addition to well-known alkaloids, the analysis of small-molecule profiles tentatively identified 92 phytochemicals in BQ. These included mainly benzenoids and terpenes, as well as acids, aldehydes, alcohols, and esters. Safrole, a potentially genotoxic benzenoid, was found abundantly in betel (Piper betle) inflorescence from West Papua and was not detected in areca nut samples from any Indonesian region except West Papua. Terpenes were mostly detected in betel leaves and inflorescence/stem. Areca nut, husk, betel leaf, the inflorescence stem, and BQ mixture expressed distinctive metabolite patterns, and a significant variation in the content and concentration of metabolites was found across different geographical regions. In summary, this was the first metabolomic study of BQs using GC-MS. The results demonstrate that the molecular constituents of BQs vary geographically and suggest that the differential disease-inducing capacity of BQs may reflect their distinct chemical composition.
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    Characterization of a novel dual murine model of chemotherapy-induced oral and intestinal mucositis
    Mohammed, AI ; Celentano, A ; Paolini, R ; Low, JT ; McCullough, MJ ; O' Reilly, LA ; Cirillo, N (NATURE PORTFOLIO, 2023-01-25)
    Oral and intestinal mucositis are debilitating inflammatory diseases observed in cancer patients undergoing chemo-radiotherapy. These are devastating clinical conditions which often lead to treatment disruption affecting underlying malignancy management. Although alimentary tract mucositis involves the entire gastrointestinal tract, oral and intestinal mucositis are often studied independently utilizing distinct organ-specific pre-clinical models. This approach has however hindered the development of potentially effective whole-patient treatment strategies. We now characterize a murine model of alimentary tract mucositis using 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU). Mice were given 5-FU intravenously (50 mg/kg) or saline every 48 h for 2 weeks. Post initial injection, mice were monitored clinically for weight loss and diarrhea. The incidence and extent of oral mucositis was assessed macroscopically. Microscopical and histomorphometric analyses of the tongue and intestinal tissues were conducted at 3 interim time points during the experimental period. Repeated 5-FU treatment caused severe oral and intestinal atrophy, including morphological damage, accompanied by body weight loss and mild to moderate diarrhea in up to 77.8% of mice. Oral mucositis was clinically evident throughout the observation period in 88.98% of mice. Toluidine blue staining of the tongue revealed that the ulcer size peaked at day-14. In summary, we have developed a model reproducing the clinical and histologic features of both oral and intestinal mucositis, which may represent a useful in vivo pre-clinical model for the study of chemotherapy-induced alimentary tract mucositis and the development of preventative therapies.
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    Prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders among dental professionals: A scoping review
    Wu, J ; McCullough, M ; Panisset, MG ; Galea, MP (IOS PRESS, 2022)
    BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are highly prevalent among dental professionals. Studies examining the prevention of dental work-related MSDs have been completed globally. OBJECTIVE: To identify and evaluate the available evidence regarding MSD prevention in dental practice, and to identify knowledge gaps. METHODS: An electronic search was conducted across multiple scientific databases. Identified articles were assessed according to inclusion/exclusion criteria. Systematic reviews, interventions and published expert opinion were included. RESULTS: Five systematic reviews, 27 intervention studies and 21 expert opinion articles were included. There was overall consensus that use of ergonomic equipment is beneficial in MSD prevention. Knowledge gaps identified included: a lack of systematic reviews on the role of exercise and therapy in MSD prevention; a lack of high-quality intervention studies; a lack of research in general outside of ergonomic equipment use. Expert opinion articles have been published despite a lack of dental-specific research. CONCLUSIONS: Whilst more robust research is required, current evidence supports the use of optical enhancement, saddle chairs, and wide-diameter silicone-handled instruments in MSD prevention. Knowledge gaps were identified relating to the use of exercise, therapy, and education in the prevention of dental work-related MSDs. Further research is required, specifically high-quality intervention studies.
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    Are There Betel Quid Mixtures Less Harmful than Others? A Scoping Review of the Association between Different Betel Quid Ingredients and the Risk of Oral Submucous Fibrosis
    Cirillo, N ; Duong, PH ; Er, WT ; Do, CTN ; De Silva, MEH ; Dong, Y ; Cheong, SC ; Sari, EF ; McCullough, MJ ; Zhang, P ; Prime, SS (MDPI, 2022-05)
    Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is a potentially malignant condition of the oral cavity characterized by progressive fibrosis of the submucosal tissues. OSF is typically associated with the use of betel quid (BQ), a chewing package made of natural products (e.g., areca nut, betel leaves), with or without smokeless tobacco. BQ ingredients contain pro-carcinogenic bioactive compounds, but also potentially protective biomolecules, and we have shown recently that the chemical properties of different BQ recipes vary, which may explain the unequal prevalence of OSF and oral cancer in BQ users in different geographical regions. Hence, this scoping review was aimed at evaluating the existing literature regarding different BQ compounds and their association with OSF. The repository of the National Library of Medicine (MEDLINE/PubMed), medRxiv databases, Google scholar, Baidu scholar, CNKI, and EBSCO were used to search for publications that investigated the association between BQ chewing and OSF up to November 2021. The search terminology was constructed using the keywords "betel quid" and "oral submucous fibrosis", and their associated terms, with the use of Boolean operators. The search was conducted under Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines, together with clear inclusion and exclusion criteria. The review showed that the risk of developing OSF varied between different BQ recipes, and that chewing BQ mixtures containing betel inflorescence (BI) significantly increased the risk of OSF, as did the addition of tobacco. Conversely, the use of betel leaf in the mixture was likely to be protective, which may be due to the presence of polyphenols. Although further research is needed to determine the effect of individual BQ ingredients in the development of OSF, our pilot results provide the scope and rationale for informing future chemopreventive strategies for OSF and oral cancer in BQ chewers.
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    A 2-Year comparison of quality of life outcomes between Biomet stock and OMX custom temporomandibular joint replacements
    Carter, MJ ; Ellis, OG ; Tocaciu, S ; McCullough, MJ ; Dimitroulis, G (Elsevier BV, 2022-01)
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    Questioning the Accuracy and Interpretation of Dispensed Patterns of Dental Emergency Medicines
    Teoh, L ; Moses, G ; Hollingworth, S ; McCullough, MJ (ELSEVIER, 2021-08)
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    The Potential of Calcium Phosphate Nanoparticles as Adjuvants and Vaccine Delivery Vehicles
    Sun, Z ; Li, W ; Lenzo, JC ; Holden, JA ; McCullough, MJ ; O'Connor, AJ ; O'Brien-Simpson, NM (FRONTIERS MEDIA SA, 2021-12-22)
    Vaccination is one of the most efficacious and cost-effective ways to protect people from infectious diseases and potentially cancer. The shift in vaccine design from disrupted whole pathogens to subunit antigens has brought attention on to vaccine delivery materials. For the last two decades, nanotechnology-based vaccines have attracted considerable attention as delivery vehicles and adjuvants to enhance immunogenicity, exemplified with the current COVID vaccines. The nanoparticle vaccines display unique features in protecting antigens from degradation, controlled antigen release and longer persisting immune response. Due to their size, shape and surface charge, they can be outstanding adjuvants to achieve various immunological effects. With the safety and biodegradable benefit of calcium phosphate nanoparticles (CaP NPs), they are an efficient carrier for vaccine design and adjuvants. Several research groups have studied CaP NPs in the field of vaccination with great advances. Although there are several reports on the overview of CaP NPs, they are limited to the application in biomedicine, drug delivery, bone regeneration and the methodologies of CaP NPs synthesis. Hence, we summarised the basic properties of CaP NPs and the recent vaccine development of CaP NPs in this review.