judyball@mail.weber.edu, leesahohosh@mail.weber.edu,

Student Phone                                   Student email address

Wright, Scott________________________________________________

Faculty Mentor Name (last, first)

Yasmin Simonian, Ezekiel R. Dumke College of Health Professions______

Faculty Mentor Department, and College

__________________________________                _________________ 

Student Signature                                                          Date

__________________________________                _________________

Project Mentor Signature                                              Date

MC3905                                  6716                                       

Campus Mail Code                  Phone Extension          

TWO METHODS OF DETECTION FOR STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANS

Judy F. Ball and Leesa K. Gabrielsen (Scott Wright), Department of Clinical Laboratory Science,Weber State University, 3750 Harrison Blvd., Ogden Utah 84408

Streptococcus mutans is a predominant organism of oral flora in most individuals and has the ability to convert sugars and carbohydrates into lactic acid.  The presence, or even absence, can be a strong predictor of high or low susceptibility to dental caries.  Since the human mouth contains a large variety of oral flora, standard nutrient cultures tend to be very time consuming and non-specific for the detection of S. mutans.  Two other tests have recently been developed for rapid and specific identification of the bacterium, polymerase chain reaction (commonly known as DNA fingerprinting) and Dentocult SM Strips.  The objective of this project is to compare the two techniques.

The first phase of the project will be to validate the PCR procedure for S. mutans.   The sample collection, DNA extraction, and PCR conditions will be optimized for validation.  The second phase of the project will be to validate the Dentocult SM Strips using the package insert.  Phase three will be to collect 50 saliva and plaque samples from volunteer college students and perform both the PCR and Dentocult detection methods on each sample.  The two methods will be compared statistically by calculating the specificity and sensitivity.

Judy Ball                                             

4020 West 5600 North                       

Brigham City, Utah 84302     

Leesa Gabrielsen

2361 East 8100 South

South Weber, Utah 84405