RESUMEN

OBJECTIVES: In recent years, digital technology has been rapidly expanding in dental practice, which entails an early integration of digital dentistry into the preclinical dental curriculum. This study introduces first-year dental students to a digital carving exercise and investigates its role in enhancing their understanding and performance in traditional wax carving activities. Another objective was to explore the students' challenges and needs for support in the digital carving activity. METHODS: Digital carving exercise was introduced into the first-year dental morphology curriculum in 2020. Students' performance in anterior wax carving was quantitively compared prior to and following the implementation of the exercise. The students' grades in the digital carving exercise were also compared across three academic years: 2020, 2021, and 2022. Qualitatively, an interpretive description approach using focus group with 31 first-year dental students was utilized to explore their perspectives regarding the digital exercise. RESULTS: A statistically significant improvement was found in the students wax carving performance following the incorporation of the digital carving activity (p-value = 0.0001). Students' performance in the digital carving exercise also statistically improved over the years. Students' challenges included the technology's unfamiliarity, and a perceived irrelevance of the exercise. Additional guidance, resources, and timely feedback were reported among the students' support needs during the exercise. CONCLUSION: Digital carving is a promising tool in anatomical education that can improve the students' spatial understanding and manual dexterity. However, educators need to carefully integrate it into the curriculum to address the students' challenges and optimize their learning experience.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

PURPOSE: This study aims to report the development of a preclinical simulation laboratory Demonstration Video Series (DVS) for the 2021-2022 academic year, measure its usage and usefulness, and compare these findings to the usage and usefulness of the existing didactic lecture videos. METHODS: The DVS videos were intended to be viewed before each preclinical simulation laboratory session along with the pre-existing didactic lectures (DL) by University of California San Francisco (UCSF) learners. Usage measurements included the percentage of the class that viewed each video, the number of views that each video received, and the average duration of each video that was watched. Usefulness of the videos was measured by a survey that assessed learner perspective on knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge during the simulation lab exercises. Both usage and usefulness of the DVS were then compared to the usage and usefulness of the DL. Both descriptive statistics and independent sample hypothesis tests were performed to compare the differences in proportion between DVS and DL mediums. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found in terms of both usage and usefulness of the DVS compared to the DL, with DVS being utilized more overall. With an 81% response rate, survey analysis revealed statistically significant differences among the learners' perspectives on the usefulness of the DVS compared to the DL, with a clear preference for the DVS over the DL and an overwhelmingly positive perception of the DVS. CONCLUSION: The DVS was found to be a valuable addition to the preclinical laboratory sessions for first-year learners.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

INTRODUCTION: Class IV composite restorations are one of the biggest challenges in dentistry. Furthermore, replacing adequate proximal contours on Class IV restorations is crucial for the function and aesthetics. The objective of this study is to assess four different teaching strategies used to improve first-year dental students' Class IV restoration proximal contact performance over a period of 4 years. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We assessed four cohorts of first-year dental students who were exposed to four different teaching strategies during the first-year preclinical training over two consecutive academic terms. The four different teaching strategies used were: (a) two waxing exercises (control cohort, strategy 1); (b) digital dentistry and four waxing exercises (strategy 2); (c) four waxing exercises (strategy 3); and (d) four waxing exercises and live demonstrations (strategy 4). All cohorts were exposed to the same didactic lecture of Class IV restorations. RESULTS: Our results showed that all teaching strategies resulted in better student's performance and content retention compared to the control cohort. However, the teaching strategy that resulted in the best pass/fail ratio was the association of waxing exercises with live demonstrations (strategy 4). DISCUSSION: Increasing the number of waxing exercises may improve students' performance either alone or associated with different teaching strategies. However, when associated with live demonstrations, waxing exercises have significantly reduced critical errors. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated for the first time the benefits of the affordable and traditional waxing exercises associated with instructor demonstrations as a teaching strategy for first-year dental students.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

INTRODUCTION: Research shows 54% to 93% of practicing dentists suffer from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), with many developing afflictions early in their careers. Studies also show that dental students are developing MSDs early in their professional education. OBJECTIVE: The research goal was to quantify the prevalence, anatomical location and initial onset of MSDs among first-year dental students. The study also assessed the students' self-reported opinion as to whether there were enough educational touchpoints to improve their ergonomics in daily activities. METHODS: At the conclusion of a 9-month preclinical restorative course, that included 2 lectures on MSDs, ergonomics, and postural cueing sessions, a dental and physical therapy faculty member administered a survey to 143 first-year dental students. This survey included questions about the history and presentation of the students' MSD symptoms and their opinion on the relative value of the educational interventions. RESULTS: There was a 96.5% response rate to the survey with 87.8% of students reporting mild to moderate pain. The cervical spine (41.7%) and hands (42.4%) were the most common areas afflicted. 55.4% reported pain commencing 1 month after starting in the simulation clinic. Over 60.9% of students "agreed" or "somewhat agreed" that the 2 sessions of hands-on ergonomic educational interventions resulted in improved biomechanics and students requested additional educational resources. CONCLUSION: Dental students are developing MSDs as soon as 1 month after commencing dental school. Dental education should include ongoing ergonomic training throughout the curriculum to help students prevent MSDs.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

Objective: The acquisition of motor skills is a key competency for the practice of dentistry, and innate abilities have been shown to influence motor performance. Thus, finding the most efficient manual dexterity tests may predict performance of dental students. The current study used the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, to assess motor skills of first year (D1) and second year (D2) dental students. Materials and methods: Three fine motor subsets of the BOT-2-fine motor precision, fine motor integration, and manual dexterity-were administered to D1 and D2 dental students in 2017 and 2018. The BOT-2 subset scores of D1 students were compared with those of D2 students, who had preclinical dental experiences. For D2 students, we tested for correlations between BOT-2 subset scores and performance scores in a preclinical operative dentistry course. Results: No differences were found between D1 and D2 students for any BOT-2 subtest scores (all Ps > .09). No correlations were found between total scores of each BOT-2 subtest and the operative dentistry course for D2 students (all Ps > .20). Conclusions: Our results suggested the BOT-2 was not predictive of manual skills of dental applicants or preclinical dental students. Although we assumed students would perform well with instruction, practice, and feedback, we were unable to determine whether innate abilities influenced acquisition of manual dexterity skills. More research about the acquisition of technical clinical skills in dentistry is required.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of introducing integrated jaw models, rubric criteria and homework tasks to a total clinical simulation training course to improve the clinical competence of preclinical dental students. METHODS: A total simulation training course, which involved six clinical dentistry departments, was held for 110 preclinical students in 2014 and 2015. We prepared integrated jaw models having several morbidities along with corresponding medical information and homework tasks. The students formulated diagnoses and devised treatment plans before performing dental treatment on the mannequin under the direction of instructors from the respective clinical departments. Their performance was assessed by both students and instructors using the rubric criteria. RESULTS: Based on quantitative evaluations, the introduction of integrated jaw models appeared to improve the students' ability to formulate diagnoses and devise dental treatment plans and to understand the respective clinical dentistry disciplines. The rubric criteria provided immediate feedback for the students. Based on a comparison of rubric scores, students tended to significantly underestimate their own performance compared with instructors. Moreover, the introduction of homework tasks improved student seriousness. CONCLUSION: Introducing integrated jaw models, rubric criteria and homework tasks to a total simulation training course may be a good approach for improving student performance in terms of dental diagnoses and treatment.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

The aim of the present study was to develop an analytical computer-supported assessment concept for the objective evaluation of students' practical skills, and to investigate the assessor-dependent differences by setting tolerance limits applied during the 'glance and grade' evaluation. A sample of 54 conventionally supervised dental undergraduates were given training in the preparation of a macroretentive Class II cavity. The course participants then took a mandatory practical examination. Three (plus one) course instructors performed the visual evaluations of the examination tasks according to predefined assessment criteria, followed by optical impressions (quadrant scan using Omnicam; Cerec; Dentsply Sirona, Wals, Austria) and subsequent assessment of the prepared cavities (tooth 46) using the prepCheck application (Dentsply Sirona). In this course, the maximum permissible deviation was set at ± 10% from the predefined assessment criteria. If no tolerance was applied, the statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the actually achieved cavity dimensions and the predefined values of a master preparation (P = 0.0001; Student's t-test), thus leading to an overall failure rate of 100%. The application of the initially targeted 10% tolerance led to an insignificant reduction (96.3%), while the stepwise elevation of the permissible deviation up to 35% finally matched with the result of the visual assessment (total failure rate of approximately 20%). Unlike the pronounced subjectivity of the tutors during the assessment of students' practical skills, the utilization of the prepCheck application enables precise evaluations. Further studies are clearly warranted to investigate the possible educational outcome of an advanced interactive computer-supported training with implemented tolerance corridors.

Asunto(s)

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: One of the major educational goals in preclinical dental education is to learn tooth preparation techniques. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of different preparation designs on the development of the manual dexterity of students, in order to perform a state-of-the-art tooth preparation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Seventy-two 1st semester students were divided into two groups and educated in tooth preparation for a ceramic anterior single crown. One group received cylindrical burs with a rounded edge to prepare a typodont model with a shoulder finishing line, while the other group had cylindrical burs with round noses to prepare a chamfer finishing line. All preparations were digitized and evaluated using special software focusing on the parameters of preparation depth and preparation angle. In addition, violation of the adjacent teeth was estimated. Data was statistically evaluated at a level of significance of 5%. RESULTS: The preparation design used did not show a statistically significant influence on the preparation depth or on the preparation angle. A trend to a higher tooth structure removal as required was detected. Furthermore, no influence of the type of preparation design on the number of violated adjacent teeth was found. CONCLUSION: In preclinical dental education, the type of preparation design was found to have no influence on the measured parameters representing the quality of the preparation.