PRELIMINARY EXPLORATION OF PARENTING STYLES AND CHILDREN'S DENTAL ANXIETY IN MALAYSIA: INSIGHTS FROM UITM PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY CLINIC Parenting styles play a crucial role in shaping children's behaviour and anxiety levels, but there is limited information on this aspect in Asian countries, particularly Malaysia. This pilot study aims to examine parenting styles among Malaysian parents and their potential correlation with children's dental anxiety. A pilot study was conducted involving 30 parent-child pairs attending the UiTM Paediatric Dentistry Clinic. Participants aged 5 to 12 years completed the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (PSDQ) and the Malay Modified Child Dental Anxiety Scale (MCDASf). Parenting styles were classified based on PSDQ scores, and dental anxiety levels were assessed using MCDASf. Parents exhibited a predominant authoritative parenting style. Pearson’s correlation revealed a positive association between MCDASf and parenting styles in two items. However, linear regression analysis demonstrated no substantial correlation between PSDQ domains and children's total anxiety scores (R2 = 14.1%). This suggests that, in this preliminary study, parenting styles did not significantly impact children's dental anxiety. The pilot study did not find a direct association between parenting styles and dental anxiety in children. The limited sample size may have affected the ability to detect subtle associations. Further investigation, possibly through qualitative research or more detailed surveys, is recommended to explore additional factors contributing to dental anxiety in children.

ANTIMICROBIAL EFFICACY OF 2-HYDROXYISOCAPROIC ACID (HICA) TOWARDS ENTEROCOCCUS FAECALIS AS ALTERNATIVE ENDODONTIC INTRACANAL MEDICAMENT Introduction: Antibiotics are used as intracanal medicaments in endodontic therapy. However, increasing antimicrobial resistance has led to research on alternative medications. 2-hydroxyisocaproic acid (HICA) is a derivative of leucine, a normal component of human plasma that shows potential as an intracanal medicament. Objective: To determine the antimicrobial efficacy of HICA against Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis). Methods: The antimicrobial activity was screened by measuring the Zone of Inhibition (ZOI) using the disk diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). The positive control was a Triple Antibiotic Paste (TAP) containing minocycline, metronidazole, and ciprofloxacin. Sixty-six teeth were prepared, and the canals were filled with E. faecalis suspension before incubation for 21 days. Later, HICA at a concentration of 16 mg/mL, TAP at 1 mg/mL, and saline (negative control) were introduced and further incubated for seven days under anaerobic conditions at 37°C. Viable bacterial counts in the canals were used as indicators of bacterial growth. Results: At 256 mg/mL concentration, HICA exhibited a ZOI of 15.72 ± 1.60 mm, and MIC and MBC were 8 mg/mL and 16 mg/mL, respectively. TAP, at a concentration of 4 mg/mL, exhibited a ZOI of 30.74 ± 0.71 mm, and its MIC was equal to MBC at 0.25 mg/mL. The viable bacterial counts extracted from the canal were 4.33 ± 0.23log10 for saline, 4.03 ± 0.21log10 for HICA and 3.97 ± 0.34log10 for TAP. Compared with saline, both TAP and HICA exhibited a significant difference in bacterial counts (p < 0.01). Interestingly, the efficacies of TAP and HICA were similar, with p-values of 0.79. Discussion: The ZOI indicated that HICA exhibited an antimicrobial effect. E. faecalis growth was repressed at 8 mg/mL, and cell death was observed at 16 mg/mL. At 16 mg/mL, HICA showed antimicrobial efficacy comparable to 1 mg/mL of TAP. Conclusion: HICA shows potential as an alternative intracanal medicament to eradicate E. faecalis in endodontic treatment.

EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF RESIN INFILTRATION AMONGST MALAYSIAN PEDIATRIC DENTAL SPECIALIST & POST-GRADUATE STUDENTS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY Objectives: (i) To evaluate the educational experiences, attitude and practice of resin infiltration (RI) amongst Malaysian Paediatric Dental Specialists and post-graduate students (ii) to determine the relationship between their educational experiences and attitude in the practice of RI in children. Material & Methods: This cross-sectional study used a self-administered questionnaire distributed online to Malaysian Association of Paediatric Dentistry (MAPD) members from December 2022 to February 2023. Demographics, educational experiences, attitudes, and RI use were measured. Descriptive data, Cronbach alpha coefficient, and Pearson correlation tests were obtained. Results: Out of the 110 invited members, 30 surveys were completed, with a response rate of 27.3%. The knowledge subscale comprised 19 items (α=0.84), and the attitude/practice subscale had 11 items (α=0.77). A total of 46.7% agreed that their undergraduate training had prepared them well to use RI with paediatric patients. 93.4% of respondents felt their training in paediatric graduate programs had informed and adequately prepared them for RI usage. Most respondents expressed interest in learning more about RI (100%) and attending continuing education course (93.3%). The respondents positively viewed RI, especially its aesthetic benefit (100%). Only 16.7% of respondents used RI frequently, while others used it rarely (63%) or never (20%). There was no correlation between education experiences and attitude in using RI (r=0.14: p<0.46). Conclusion: While the correlation was not significant, this study showed the need to incorporate RI into the dental curriculum. Hence, expanding undergraduate, postgraduate, and continuing professional education in RI should be strengthened.

IMPACT OF DENTAL CARIES AND PAIN ON CHILDREN’S ORAL HEALTH-RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE: A PRELIMINARY STUDY The Malay language Child Oral Health Impact Profile–Short Form 19 (ML COHIP-SF 19) is a validated self-administered questionnaire designed for a wide age range of children to measure the impact of clinical conditions on the children’s oral health-related quality of life. This study aimed to compare the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) between children with and without dental caries, and between children with and without dental pain among children aged 9-to-16-year-old using the newly validated Malay language COHIP-SF 19 (ML COHIP-SF 19) questionnaire. Children who aged 9-to-16-year-old, attended the Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) and Al Amin Tropicana School Sungai Buloh, Malaysia, who understood Malay language were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. Those with low literacy in Malay language or presented with acute dental abscess and/or fistula, cognitively impaired, or had other chronic illnesses were excluded. After informed consent and assent were obtained, the children were invited to complete a questionnaire consisting of demographic details, ML COHIP-SF 19, and Faces Pain Scales-Revised. Subsequently, the children underwent dental examination. Dental caries were documented using the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS). Data were statistically analysed using an independent t-test, Spearman’s correlation test and multiple regression analysis. Although not statistically significant (p=0.34), children with dental caries were found to have a lower mean total ML COHIP-SF 19 score (52.83±8.74) compared to children without dental caries (55.11 ±11.10). The prevalence of pain experience among the children was 52.9%. Children with dental pain had a significantly (p<0.01) lower mean total ML COHIP-SF 19 score (50.57±9.40) compared to those without dental pain (57.79±9.33). Besides, males (β=-4.65, p=0.03), younger children (β=-1.26, p=0.02, those without previous pain experience (β=-4.64, p=0.03), and children who rated their oral health status more positively (β=4.46, p<0.01) had better OHRQoL. Children who had no previous dental pain demonstrated better OHRQoL compared to those with a history of dental pain. Besides, no significant differences in OHRQoL were observed between children with and without dental caries.