ABSTRACT
Access to oral healthcare remains a significant challenge for vulnerable populations due to social, economic, geographic, and cultural barriers that limit the availability and utilization of dental services. In response to these challenges, the Faculty of Dentistry Mexicali of the Autonomous University of Baja California developed the Friendly Dental Services Program, a university-based community oral health model designed to promote equitable access to oral healthcare through a people-centered, inclusive, and community-oriented approach. The program integrates oral health promotion, disease prevention, clinical care, referral systems, community participation, and interdisciplinary collaboration within a framework grounded in human rights, social inclusion, interculturality, and health equity. Through the operation of a Mobile Dental Unit and the establishment of collaborative partnerships with governmental institutions, civil society organizations, and community stakeholders, the program seeks to extend oral healthcare services beyond traditional clinical settings and reach populations facing barriers to care. The operational framework consists of six phases: health promotion and education, community and clinical assessment, primary dental intervention, referral and secondary care, clinical and community follow-up, and program evaluation. In addition to improving access to oral healthcare, the program contributes to professional training, community engagement, and the development of sustainable strategies aimed at reducing oral health disparities. This article describes the development, implementation, and operational structure of the Friendly Dental Services Program as a university-based model for community oral healthcare. The experience highlights the potential role of higher education institutions in promoting oral health equity, social inclusion, and community well-being through accessible and culturally sensitive dental services.

ABSTRACT
Background: Dental wear is a multifactorial condition characterized by the progressive and irreversible loss of dental hard tissues due to attrition, abrasion, erosion, or a combination of these processes. Although commonly associated with aging, increasing evidence suggests that dental wear may have important consequences beyond structural tooth loss, affecting oral function, aesthetics, and overall well-being. Objective: To review the available scientific evidence regarding the relationship between dental wear and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) among adult populations and to discuss its clinical implications for patient-centered dental care. Review Findings: Current evidence indicates that dental wear may negatively influence multiple dimensions of oral health-related quality of life. Functional limitations, dentin hypersensitivity, masticatory difficulties, aesthetic concerns, and psychological discomfort have been identified as factors that may affect patients' perceptions of oral health and well-being. Patient-reported outcome measures, particularly the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP), have become valuable tools for assessing the broader impact of dental wear beyond traditional clinical indicators. Conclusion: Dental wear should be recognized not only as a clinical condition involving the loss of dental tissues but also as a factor that may influence quality of life. The incorporation of patient-centered assessments into routine dental practice may contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of dental wear and support preventive and therapeutic strategies aimed at improving oral health outcomes and overall well-being.

ABSTRACT
Background: Plaque-induced chronic inflammatory gingival enlargement is a reversible consequence of prolonged bacterial plaque accumulation and poor oral hygiene that may impair aesthetics, comfort and masticatory function if untreated. Although its association with plaque is well established, comparative clinical evidence on the effectiveness of routine plaque control in community dental settings, particularly among South Asian populations, remains limited. This study evaluated the effectiveness of structured plaque control measures in reducing plaque-induced chronic inflammatory gingival enlargement. Methods: This prospective quasi-experimental study was conducted by the Department of Dental Public Health, Outpatients Department of Pioneer Dental College and Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from August 2025 to February 2026. A total of 50 adult outpatients with clinical evidence of plaque-induced chronic inflammatory gingival enlargement were enrolled and followed for twelve weeks after a structured plaque control intervention. Participants received oral hygiene instruction, professional scaling and reinforced brushing guidance and were assessed at baseline and 12 weeks using the Gingival Index, Modified Plaque Index and gingival enlargement score. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25.0. Results: Following intervention, the mean Gingival Index reduced from 2.14 to 0.68, Modified Plaque Index from 2.31 to 0.72 and gingival enlargement score from 2.85 mm to 1.10 mm, corresponding to reductions of 68.2%, 68.8% and 61.4% respectively (p<0.001 for all). Severe enlargement fell from 42.0% to 4.0%, while participants with no enlargement rose from 4.0% to 36.0%. Improvement was consistent across all oral hygiene habit subgroups. Conclusion: Structured plaque control measures produced substantial and statistically significant improvement in gingival health and enlargement severity within twelve weeks, strongly supporting their integration into routine preventive periodonta

ABSTRACT
3D printing, or additive manufacturing, has revolutionized modern dentistry by enabling precise, customizable, and rapid fabrication of dental devices and anatomical models. Its applications span prosthodontics, orthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, endodontics, and regenerative dentistry, facilitating the production of crowns, dentures, aligners, surgical guides, and tissue scaffolds with high accuracy. Despite these advancements, challenges such as material limitations, cost constraints, regulatory hurdles, and the need for specialized training continue to restrict its widespread adoption. Looking forward, innovations in biocompatible materials, multi-material printing, and integration with digital dentistry tools, including CAD/CAM systems and artificial intelligence are expected to enhance personalized dental care and expand regenerative and chairside applications. This review comprehensively examines the current clinical applications, limitations, and future perspectives of 3D printing in dentistry, highlighting its transformative potential in improving patient outcomes and shaping the future of dental practice.

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Aim of the Study: To compare the inhibitory antimicrobial effect of ginger, cinnamon, pomegranate peel extracts against Enterococcus faecalis. Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Materials and Methods: Fresh ginger, cinnamon and pomegranate peel were freshly purchased and accordingly prepared for 15% ethanolic extracts, subjected to microbiological assays to determine zones of growth and/or inhibition against Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Results: Statistically significant antimicrobial inhibitory potential of Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus mutans, Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans were observed between and within the different extracted materials and the positive and negative control groups (p=0.000). The antimicrobial inhibition zone was significantly exhibited in the cinnamon extract group compared to the ginger and pomegranate peel groups, especially against Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans, compared to the other groups. While staphylococcus aureus demonstrated substantial inhibitory effect towards pomegranate and cinnamon, whereas Enterococcus faecalis showed similar inhibitory zones with cinnamon and pomegranate. Conclusion: Cinnamon, Ginger, and Pomegranate exhibited prominent antibacterial inhibitory effects that hold potential for preventive and therapeutic applications. Particularly, Cinnamon showed the most significant antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans and exhibited an anti-candidal inhibitory effect. Clinical Significance: The clinical significance of the antimicrobial effects of ginger, cinnamon, and pomegranate lies in their potential as natural alternatives or adjuncts to conventional antimicrobial agents, especially in the face of rising antibiotic resistance.

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Introduction: Acquired maxillofacial defects, most often of tumoral origin in West Africa, have major functional, aesthetic and psychological consequences. Maxillofacial prosthesis (MFP) remains the main rehabilitation option in Senegal, but local data on the lived experience of patients are scarce. The aim of this study was to assess satisfaction and the psychosocial impact of MFP in patients followed at IOS-UCAD. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 patients fitted with an MFP, recruited consecutively at the Prosthetics Department of IOS-UCAD in Dakar, from April to July 2025. Sociodemographic, clinical and prosthetic data, as well as satisfaction and psychosocial impact, were collected using a face-to-face questionnaire. Results: Mean age was 42.5 ± 18.8 years, with a female predominance (60.0%). The defect was of tumoral origin in 91.6% of patients. The MFP was maxillary in 90.0% of cases. Overall satisfaction reached 93.3%. Aesthetic (85.0%) and phonatory (85.0%) satisfaction was high; masticatory function remained the lowest-rated dimension. The patient–caregiver relationship was rated fully satisfactory by all patients on the five criteria assessed (100.0%). The psychosocial impact was positive: 96.7% of patients reported feeling at ease with themselves and having regained self-confidence; 93.3% reported improved social integration. Conclusion: MFP provides a rehabilitation considered satisfactory by the great majority of Senegalese patients and restores a quality of life compatible with social reintegration. Masticatory satisfaction is the main area for improvement. The expansion of MFP services within the Senegalese hospital network should be strengthened.

ABSTRACT
Odontogenic infections represent a significant public health concern due to their high prevalence and potential for severe complications. These conditions commonly arise as a consequence of dental caries and periodontal disease, which remain leading causes of oral pathology worldwide.¹ In many cases, effective management requires an integrated approach combining pharmacological, dental, and surgical interventions², tailored to the specific clinical circumstances. The infection may originate within the dental structures or extend to the surrounding tissues. When the inflammatory process cannot be effectively controlled through antibiotic therapy, it may disseminate to the subcutaneous regions and, in severe cases, manifest extraorally.³ Such infections frequently present with pain and swelling in the orofacial region, often necessitating emergency endodontic intervention to alleviate symptoms and control the spread of infection.⁴ In patients exhibiting acute pain and clinical signs of facial swelling, endodontic management typically involves root canal treatment in conjunction with systemic antibiotic therapy.¹,²,³,⁴ Clinical Case: A 20-year-old male patient presented to the UABC Polyclinic in Mexicali with intense pain in the right submandibular region and noticeable right-sided facial asymmetry. Pulpal diagnosis: necrosis. Periapical diagnosis: acute periapical abscess affecting tooth #46. Endodontic treatment was initiated to achieve internal decompression, followed by completion using the crown-down biomechanical instrumentation technique, irrigation with 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), and obturation with MTA-Fillapex sealer. The clinical outcome was favorable, demonstrating complete resolution of the infection and absence of recurrence during follow-up.