AIMThe objective of this study was to analyze the oral health among Japanese adults, with and without diabetes mellitus.

METHODOLOGYThe subjects were 518 community residents aged 20 to 91 years in Japan, who participated in the "Akita health and nutrition survey" and the "Akita dental disease survey", conducted in 2006. The surveys comprised a self-administered questionnaire, along with medical and dental examinations.

RESULTSUsing the community periodontal index (CPI), the mean numbers of sextants presenting codes 0, 1 and 2 were significantly lower in diabetics than non-diabetics among the 59 years or younger age group. Although the mean numbers of sextants with codes 0, 1 and 2 among the 60 to 69 years age group were lower, and sextants with a code X among the 59 years or younger age group were higher in diabetics than non-diabetics, no statistically significant differences were detected. The tendency of lower mean numbers of natural teeth and functional tooth units in diabetics than non-diabetics was observed, however no differences were statistically significant.

CONCLUSIONThe outcome of periodontal disease seemed to be influenced by the diabetic state to some degree, but a clear association between diabetes and oral health status was not found.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 ; complications ; Female ; Humans ; Japan ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Periodontal Index ; Periodontitis ; complications ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tooth Loss ; complications ; Young Adult

Medical students at Kurume University begin practical training in clinical skills in their fourth year. At that time, students use the skills laboratory to improve their clinical skills. Medical education resources in the skills laboratory include simulators for emergency resuscitation and heart diseases, wireless stethoscopes, and videotapes. All students use the skills laboratory for 2 months, and its usefulness was evaluated with questionnaires after practical training. More than 50 % of students approved of their practice in the skills laboratory. However, some students were unsatisfied because they were unable to make effective use of the simulators. In the future, an improved skills laboratory will be necessary to improve practical training in the clinical skills for medical students.

We analyzed the scores of objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) and written examinations administered to fourth-year medical students after practical training in clinical skills and to fifth-year medical students after clinical training and scores of graduation examinations taken by sixth-year medical students. Correlations were analyzed among the scores of 96 students who had taken all 3 examinations during a 3-year period. Mean scores on examinations in the fourth, fifth, and sixth years were compared between sixth-year students who did or did not graduate and between graduating students who did or did not pass the national examination for medical practitioners in Japan. Significant correlations in the scores were found between 1) OSCEs and written examinations for fourth-year students versus those for the fifth-year students; 2) OSCE and written examinations for fourth-year students versus graduation examination scores for the sixth-year students; and 3) OSCE and written examinations for fifth-year students versus graduation examination scores for sixth-year students. In addition, the mean scores in the fourth and fifth years were significantly higher for sixth-year students who graduated and passed the national examination than for students who did not graduate or who graduated but failed the national examination. These results suggest that the practical training in clinical skills given to fourth-year students and the clinical training given to fifth-year students strongly affect the overall evaluation of the ability of sixth-year students and success on the national examination.