HIV/AIDS in dental practice: A handbook for dental practitioners in India,

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HIV/AIDS in dental practice: A handbook for dental practitioners in

India,

S.R. Prabhu, A. Kholi, C. Bhaskar Rao, editors (Dental Council of

India, New Delhi) 2007. 298 pages. Price: not mentioned.

The editors as well as contributors of this publication have

attempted to encompass the medical, social and preventive aspects of

this pandemic in their tome for dental practitioners. This handbook

is voluminous and sufficiently extensive to be a textbook and fills

the need for an Indian centricview of the HIV infection.

The contributors, from different areas of expertise, convey relevant

information in varied but effective style. The contents are well

thought out and are presented in a logical sequence. The ncorporation

of sections on ethics in dental practice, nutrition and home-care

protocols are commendable.

The book is comprehensive. Certain sections such as the demographics

are subjected to change with time - the authors have rightly pointed

this out and have provided the appropriate websites for the readers

to update themselves.

The reason for two sections on PEP (chapters 19 and 34), is not

readily evident, their amalgamation would have made it more

effective. It should also be noted that regimens and recommendation

for PEP are also changing with time, and the dental practitioners

should frequently update themselves appropriately.

With respect to the meditications the contributors should be

commended for the use of generic nomenclature. However, a note of

their availability/non availability in India would have been useful.

By and large the text is accurate and there are only a few

typographical errors. Interestingly, the data in the text draw

extensively on that available from the net reflecting the way our

access to medical literature is changing.

Though plate 10, figure 3; plate 11, figure 3) would benefit from

improved resolution and clarity.

Overall, this handbook is a good compilation of important

contributions from experienced practitioners in the field of HIV

medicine and will be an important source of information to the dental

practitioners.

K. Ranganathan

Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Pathology

Ragas Dental College & Hospital

2/102, East Cost Road, Uthandi

Chennai 600 019, India

ran2@ vsnl.com

http://icmr.nic.in/ijmr/ijmr.htm