Rahul S Naidu

University of the West Indies, St. Augustine | UWI · School of Dentistry

Objective To determine the prevalence of periodontitis in patients with and without gestational diabetes in Trinidad. Methods A convenience sample was obtained from antenatal clinic collaborating sites; patients were invited to undergo oral examinations at the School of Dentistry. The basic periodontal examination (BPE) assessed the periodontal dis...

Dental caries can be effectively managed and prevented from developing into cavitated lesions while preserving tooth structure at all levels. However, the strong correlation between caries and socioeconomic factors may compromise the efficacy of preventive strategies. The high prevalence of persistent inequalities in dental caries in Latin American...

Aim To obtain a consensus on the domains of cariology for undergraduates in dental schools in the Caribbean. Materials and Methods Dental school deans from the Dominican Republic (DR) and Puerto Rico (PR) were invited to participate. Afterwards, 24 cariology faculty members from the dental schools in the DR received a 40‐hour workshop on the curre...

Objective: Both periodontal disease and peripheral neuropathy are complications associated with poorly controlled diabetes. This study aimed to determine whether periodontal disease was more prevalent and more severe among patients with severe diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Methods: A case-control study was performed; 46 patients with and 48 wi...

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of dental anxiety in an adult Caribbean population and explore its relationship to socio-demographic factors and dental attendance. Methods: An anonymous self-administered questionnaire was distributed to students attending The University of The West Indies, in Trinidad. The questionnaire included demographi...

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe oral health knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of parents and caregivers of preschool children in order to inform an oral health promotion strategy. Materials and methods: A sample of parents and caregivers of children attending nine randomly selected preschools in central Trinidad were invited to...

Purpose: To assess the prevalence of dentin hypersensitivity (DH) in an adult population and explore its association with sociodemographic variables, dietary habits and oral health behaviours as there is very little data on this from the Caribbean. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted of consecutive dental patients (18 year...

Objectives: Little is known about the oral health of paediatric oncology patients in the Caribbean. Poor oral health can complicate oncology treatment, negatively affecting a child's health. In children undergoing chemotherapy or bone marrow transplant, odontogenic infections can progress to life-threatening sepsis. The aim of this study is to inv...

Objective To determine paediatrician's knowledge and attitudes about oral health in Trinidad and Tobago. Design and method A pre‐tested questionnaire was sent out via survey monkey to 70 out of 75 paediatricians registered with the Medical Board of Trinidad and for whom email addresses were available. Hard copies of the questionnaires were deliver...

Background Early childhood caries (ECC) is a public health problem in developed and developing countries. The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) and ECC among preschool children in a Caribbean population. Method Parents/primary caregivers of children attending nine, randomly s...

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the prevalence of developmental defects of enamel (DDE) and their relationship with early childhood caries (ECC) among preschool children in Trinidad. Methods: A cross-sectional oral health survey of 251 three- to five-year-old preschool children was undertaken in central Trinidad. The decayed,...

Background To describe the prevalence of missing teeth, use of bridges and dentures and unmet dental needs among those aged 60 years and above. The associations of these conditions with socio-demographics, type 2 diabetes mellitus and depression were also studied. The work was carried out in 7 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) cities in 1999-2000....

Motivational Interviewing (MI) has been used across primary healthcare and been shown to be effective in reducing the prevalence of early childhood caries (ECC) in preschool children. This study aimed to compare the effect of MI, in contrast to traditional dental health education (DHE), on oral health knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours am...

The Caribbean Oral Health Initiative (COHI), the School of Dental Medicine, at the University of Puerto Rico, and Colgate-Palmolive convened the summit "Engaging the Caribbean Region for Oral Health", in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on November 13th and 14th, 2013. The event followed conversations between Colgate and key oral health leaders to advance a...

Early childhood caries (ECC) is a public health problem due to its impact on children's health, development and well being. Little is known about early childhood oral health in the West Indies or the influence of social and behavioural factors on the prevalence and severity of early childhood caries in this preschool population. The aims of this st...

Objective: Access to adequate oral health care is deficient in many parts of the world. Many countries are now using dental therapists to increase access, particularly for children. To inform the discussion on dental therapists in the workforce, particularly in the United States, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation funded a review of the global literature...

Objective: This study aimed to investigate levels of dental anxiety among West Indian children between the ages 10 to 16 years old. Design and Methods: Dental Fear Survey Schedule-short form (DFSS-SF) administered to patients presenting for treatment at UWI School of Dentistry’s Paediatric Emergency Clinic. Subjects were asked to rate anxiety in re...

To evaluate and compare the frequency of common operator errors seen on panoramic radiographs in dental private practices and in the dental hospital (taken by informally and formally trained operators, respectively) in Trinidad and Tobago. One thousand panoramic radiographs of patients over the age of 10 years were included in this study. These com...

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate levels of parental satisfaction with dental care at a hospital based pediatric dental clinic. Methods: Cross sectional questionnaire-based survey of 115 parents/guardians of children attending a pediatric dental clinic. Demographic information collected in a self-administered modified version of the Dental Visi...

Little is known about oral health in early childhood in the West Indies or the views and experiences of caregivers about preventive oral care and dental attendance The aims of this study were to explore and understand parents and caregivers’ experience of oral healthcare for their preschool aged children and how, within their own social context, th...

Objective: To determine whether dental patients in Trinidad would accept smoking cessation advice from their dentist. Study Design: Patients attending General Practice clinics from twelve randomly selected public Health Centres in Trinidad were invited to answer a 28-item administered questionnaire. Study Methods: Demographic data, knowledge of eff...

Oral health in the Caribbean region has largely been a low priority for regional governments. Public dental services provide most of the care with private practice treatment being difficult to access for the most disadvantaged groups. This has resulted in inequalities in oral health with a growing gap in health status across the social spectrum. Th...

To assess the dental health knowledge of primary school teachers, their attitudes toward the prevention of dental diseases and to identify any barriers to the implementation of oral health promotion programmes in schools. Teachers' knowledge of the causes and prevention of dental decay and gum disease, their attitudes toward oral health and barrier...

Objective: To determine whether dental patients in the West Indies would accept smoking cessation advice from their dentist. Study Design Patients attending Adult General Practitioner (GP) clinics from twelve randomly selected public Health Centres in Trinidad were invited to answer a 28–item administered questionnaire. Study Methods: Demographic d...

To describe periodontal disease status in diabetic patients in Trinidad. A cross-sectional study was conducted. Patients attending a tertiary referral centre for diabetes at an out-patient clinic were invited to undergo oral examinations. The basic periodontal examination (BPE) was used to assess periodontal disease status. Seventy-two patients par...

The aim of this study was to investigate the level of dental anxiety and its possible causes among people in Trinidad and Tobago. This is a cross-sectional survey of parents and guardians accompanying children who were attending a paediatric dental clinic. Participants completed a questionnaire while in the waiting room, which included the Modified...

Objective: To describe knowledge and level of involvement in smoking cessation activity among dental students at the University of the West Indies. Method: Cross-sectional survey. Clinical dental undergraduates and interns were invited to complete a self-reported 7-item questionnaire on knowledge and involvement in smoking cessation activity with t...

This study ascertained demographic information and prevalence rates of medical problems among 571 new and consecutive dental patients attending the emergency clinic of the School of Dentistry, The University of the West Indies. Patients were interviewed by specially trained and calibrated dental students and interns. Various medical problems of pat...

To describe the type and frequency of oral and dental conditions presenting to medical practitioners in Trinidad and Tobago, type of management, and interest in continuing education in oral diseases. Cross sectional survey of registered medical practitioners in Trinidad. 20-item self-reported questionnaire. 103 medical practitioners participated in...

To describe parents' views on the dental health of pre-school children in Trinidad. Self-administered 22 item questionnaire by 138 parents and guardians of pre-school children. University paediatric dentistry clinic. Consecutive parents or guardians of pre-school children attending a university paediatric dentistry clinic. Views on dental health an...

To determine urinary fluoride levels in school children in a non-fluoridated area in Trinidad and Tobago. Morning urine samples were requested from 750 children aged 5 to 14 years, attending a primary school in the area of St Joseph, north west Trinidad. Urine was collected at home and brought to school in labelled plastic bottles. Urinary fluoride...

To describe the oral health and treatment need of schoolchildren in Trinidad and Tobago. Cross-sectional survey using stratified cluster sampling. Participants were children in primary (aged 6-8 years) and secondary school (aged 12 and 15 years). Main outcome measures were DMFT/dmft, treatment need, and fluorosis. Examinations were completed on 106...

The role of the BDJ is to inform its readers of ideas, opinions, developments and key issues in dentistry - clinical, practical and scientific - stimulating interest, debate and discussion amongst dentists of all disciplines.

The aim of this study was to compare the expressed levels of career satisfaction of three groups of comparable dental healthcare professionals, working in Trinidad, the United Kingdom and New Zealand. Three questionnaire surveys were carried out of comparable dental healthcare professionals. Dental nurses in Trinidad and dental therapists in the UK...

Abstract Aim: To assess the oral health status of Special Olympics athletes in Trinidad and Tobago (a developing country in the English-speaking Caribbean). Design: A convenience sample of athletes competing in the Trinidad and Tobago Special Olympics Spring Games in 2004. Subjects: A sample of 410 athletes who participated in the Special Olympics...

The aims of the present study were to investigate the type and prevalence of dental emergencies presenting at a teaching hospital paediatric emergency clinic in Trinidad, and to describe the socio-demographic factors related to the use of the service. The authors used a prospective study of consecutive dental patients presenting to a paediatric eme...

This oral health document was conceptualized and drafted at the Caribbean Atlantic Regional Dental Association (CARDA) meeting held in December 1995, with the assistance of the Pan American Health Organization, Regional Office of the World Health Organization, (PAHO/WHO), and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Health Desk. Further work on the docume...

The aims of this study were to describe levels of self-rated competency of dental graduates from the University of the West Indies (UWI) and to investigate relationships with gender and the effect of curriculum change. A thirty-two item self-reported postal questionnaire was sent to UWI dental alumni (1994-2002). The questionnaire included twenty-e...

To investigate reasons for use of dental quacks, treatment received, satisfaction with treatment, perceived differences to qualified dentists, and relationships to sociodemographic factors and self rated oral health. A 14-item questionnaire including closed and open questions, was administered by interview to adult patients attending government hea...

The aim of the present study was to determine the views of dental students concerning the acceptability of the use of sedation in the management of dentally anxious children. Dental students in Trinidad (n = 100) were asked to rate the acceptability of vignettes describing the management of a young teenager with dental anxiety. The vignettes varied...

Cigarette smoking constitutes the most common form of tobacco use in the western world. Although the prevalence in the Caribbean is lower compared with Latin American and North American countries, cigarette smoking is gaining popularity with adolescents in the Caribbean. Tobacco smoking is injurious to general and oral health and is responsible for...

To describe the working practices and level of job satisfaction of dental nurses in Trinidad and Tobago. Postal survey. Fifty enrolled and practising dental nurses in Trinidad and Tobago were surveyed, 38 replied (76%). Current working practice, career breaks, continuing education, job satisfaction. All dental nurses were employed by the Ministry o...

The aim of this study was to investigate sources of stress and psychological disturbance in dental students across the five years of undergraduate study at a dental school in Trinidad. Eighty-three percent of students completed a modified version of the Dental Environment Stress questionnaire (DES) and the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI). On a scale...

Many of the new materials and techniques used in endodontics (root canal treatment) require considerable practice to master and many require continuing education courses to allow formal instruction. Nothing is known regarding techniques employed and views on continuing professional education (CPE) in endodotics by dentists in Trinidad and Tobago. W...

The oral health and treatment needs of adults with a learning disability living in private households in Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham, London R S Naidu, P Pratelli, P G Robinson and S Gelbier Division of Dental Public Health, Oral Health Services Research and the Schools of Dental Nursing, Guy’s, King’s and St. Thomas’ Dental Institute, King’s C...