Clinical decision-making – can a computer aided learning package help?

Abstract

Aim The aim of this study was to determine whether an educational intervention delivered by a computer aided learning package improved the sensitivity and specificity of dentists' restorative treatment decisions. Method The study was a randomised controlled study using a Solomon three-group design. Ninety-five dentists were randomly allocated to the three study groups. One group of dentists read the radiographs pre and post an educational intervention, a second group read the radiographs once, after the intervention, and a third group read the radiographs twice, but received no intervention. On each occasion the dentists read 24 surfaces on each of 15 radiographs and made 360 decisions on how certain they were about restoring the tooth surface. Comparisons of mean sensitivity, specificity and areas under ROC curves were made within and between the study groups. Kappa values were used to assess changes in the level of agreement between dentists. Results There were no significant changes in sensitivity, specificity or area under ROC curves caused by the intervention. There was no evidence that the level of agreement between the dentists improved after the intervention. Conclusion A computer aided learning package had no effect on dentists' treatment decision-making behaviour.