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148 Journal of Dentistry, Vol. ~/NO. 3 to use this book in such a way because the author seems to be out of touch with the mainstream of orthodontic thought. This may not be a fault in itself, if it is the result of an enlightened rejection of accepted theories and techniques. The method of presentation makes it clear that this book is intended only for the American dentist who is about to extend his practice to include simple orthodontic treatment. The unique approach of the author makes it advisable for any orthodontic teacher to examine the book closely before placing it on the list of recommended reading for his students. B. C. LEIGHTON Dental Hygienist ‘Mock’ National Board. By EDWARD E. LEVY. 228 x150mm. Pp. 112+xv. Illustrated. 1974. Springfield, Ill. : Thomas. $9.75 cloth, $6.95 paper. The aim of this book is stated to be ‘to provide a measuring device to detect the positive or negative characteristics of a particular dental hygiene program’. The value of this book is just about summed up by that piece of jargon. The mock exam is claimed to ‘provide the student with needed confidence’, and the success or failure of this volume may be examined in relation to state- ments of this kind. The contents are 400 questions with multiple choice answers. There are nine sections, including exposing and processing radio- graphs, assisting in emergencies, performing oral inspection, applying topical agents, performing prophylaxis, etc. The key at the end of this book merely indicates the correct answer for each question and there is no explanation. It should be very clear that if a book of this type has any chance of being successful it must be assembled with great care and must be completely accurate in its presen- tation of the questions. Regrettably this is a slovenly production and a study of the questions would on the whole serve only to confuse the student. There are enough errors to make this a joke puzzle book rather than a ‘mock’ examination book. Just a few examples should suffice: on p. 15 question 40 enquires (showing a bite-wing) which of the teeth shown should be restored tirst because of urgency, and the answer indicates the upper left second premolar. The radiograph is, however, printed upside down! The reproduction of the radiographs for other questions is extremely poor, and that printed with question 42 (a panoramic study) must indeed be a Rorschach ink blot test carried out by one of the students. Question 25 asks ‘what type of massage is recommended for the soft tissue of the maxible?’ The reviewer rushed to his anatomy dictionary (having lost confidence by now) and still not convinced, checked with the library, but if ‘maxible’, why not ‘mandilla’ ? Question 322 describes ‘the use of de-sensitizing past [sic] to the hypersensitive area’. Some ques- tions are just stupid, for example, 345 : ‘The hygien- ist could cause discomfort to Mr. Smith from the mirror when : 1. She presses the mirror against the gingiva. 2. The metal of the mirror contacts the cementurn. 3. Both of the above. 4. None of the above.’ Why not add a fifth possibility: 5. Pokes it in his eye? Throughout the language is that type of Americanese which jars: the act of ‘curettaging’ is referred to often, and so is ‘fulcruming’ which sounds obscene. Some confusion could arise by the spelling differences, such as ‘Jackette’ instead of Jacquette, ‘calcarious’, etc. There is nothing to be gained by using this book and it should be kept as far away as possible from British dental hygiene students who are deserving of better than this. It does not have any value to the teacher either-the joke wears thin pretty quickly. J. 0. FORREST Radiographic Interpretation for the Dentist. By S. N. BASKAR. Second edition. 245 x 170 mm. Pp. 226+ix, with 424 illustrations, 1975. St Louis: Mosby (London: Kimpton). g7.35. Readers may well recall the lirst edition of this book, which was entitled Roentgenographic Znter- pretation for the Dentist, and the philosophy behind its arrangement. This book is intended as a rapid source of reference for the busy general dental practitioner and must be judged in this con- text. The arrangement is unusual and ingenious. As there are guides to the identification of wild flowers which classify them according to colour and habitat for those with no botanical knowledge, so General Baskar classifies the radiographic appearances of the lesions he describes according to whether they are radiolucent, radio-opaque or have a mixture of radiolucent and radio-opaque components. The second edition is now more clearly subdivided into sections dealing with normal landmarks, the teeth, the jaws and the soft tissues. Thus, it is like an illustrated dictionary of dental radiographic appearances.
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Transcript of sdarticle_001
148 Journal of Dentistry, Vol. ~/NO. 3
to use this book in such a way because the author seems to be out of touch with the mainstream of orthodontic thought. This may not be a fault in itself, if it is the result of an enlightened rejection of accepted theories and techniques.
The method of presentation makes it clear that this book is intended only for the American dentist who is about to extend his practice to include simple orthodontic treatment. The unique approach of the author makes it advisable for any orthodontic teacher to examine the book closely before placing it on the list of recommended reading for his students.
B. C. LEIGHTON
Dental Hygienist ‘Mock’ National Board. By EDWARD E. LEVY. 228 x150mm. Pp. 112+xv. Illustrated. 1974. Springfield, Ill. : Thomas. $9.75 cloth, $6.95 paper.
The aim of this book is stated to be ‘to provide a measuring device to detect the positive or negative characteristics of a particular dental hygiene program’. The value of this book is just about summed up by that piece of jargon. The mock exam is claimed to ‘provide the student with needed confidence’, and the success or failure of this volume may be examined in relation to state- ments of this kind. The contents are 400 questions with multiple choice answers. There are nine sections, including exposing and processing radio- graphs, assisting in emergencies, performing oral inspection, applying topical agents, performing prophylaxis, etc. The key at the end of this book merely indicates the correct answer for each question and there is no explanation. It should be very clear that if a book of this type has any chance of being successful it must be assembled with great care and must be completely accurate in its presen- tation of the questions. Regrettably this is a slovenly production and a study of the questions would on the whole serve only to confuse the student. There are enough errors to make this a joke puzzle book rather than a ‘mock’ examination book. Just a few examples should suffice: on p. 15 question 40 enquires (showing a bite-wing) which of the teeth shown should be restored tirst because of urgency, and the answer indicates the upper left second premolar. The radiograph is, however, printed upside down! The reproduction of the radiographs for other questions is extremely poor, and that printed with question 42 (a panoramic study) must indeed be a Rorschach ink blot test carried out by one of the students.
Question 25 asks ‘what type of massage is recommended for the soft tissue of the maxible?’ The reviewer rushed to his anatomy dictionary (having lost confidence by now) and still not convinced, checked with the library, but if ‘maxible’, why not ‘mandilla’ ?
Question 322 describes ‘the use of de-sensitizing past [sic] to the hypersensitive area’. Some ques- tions are just stupid, for example, 345 : ‘The hygien- ist could cause discomfort to Mr. Smith from the mirror when :
1. She presses the mirror against the gingiva. 2. The metal of the mirror contacts the
cementurn. 3. Both of the above. 4. None of the above.’
Why not add a fifth possibility: 5. Pokes it in his eye? Throughout the language is that type of Americanese which jars: the act of ‘curettaging’ is referred to often, and so is ‘fulcruming’ which sounds obscene. Some confusion could arise by the spelling differences, such as ‘Jackette’ instead of Jacquette, ‘calcarious’, etc.
There is nothing to be gained by using this book and it should be kept as far away as possible from British dental hygiene students who are deserving of better than this. It does not have any value to the teacher either-the joke wears thin pretty quickly.
J. 0. FORREST
Radiographic Interpretation for the Dentist. By S. N. BASKAR. Second edition. 245 x 170 mm. Pp. 226+ix, with 424 illustrations, 1975. St Louis: Mosby (London: Kimpton). g7.35.
Readers may well recall the lirst edition of this book, which was entitled Roentgenographic Znter- pretation for the Dentist, and the philosophy behind its arrangement. This book is intended as a rapid source of reference for the busy general dental practitioner and must be judged in this con- text. The arrangement is unusual and ingenious. As there are guides to the identification of wild flowers which classify them according to colour and habitat for those with no botanical knowledge, so General Baskar classifies the radiographic appearances of the lesions he describes according to whether they are radiolucent, radio-opaque or have a mixture of radiolucent and radio-opaque components. The second edition is now more clearly subdivided into sections dealing with normal landmarks, the teeth, the jaws and the soft tissues. Thus, it is like an illustrated dictionary of dental radiographic appearances.
