Evaluation of a strategic practice demonstration method applied to endodontic laboratory classes

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate a strategic method of real time visual demonstration of the operatory procedures using an intraoral camera system and monitor videos, comparing them to those of conventional laboratory classes. METHODS: Fifty-two structured, multiple choice questionnaires were applied to undergraduate students of the 4th year (G1) and 3rd year (G2) submitted to the traditional and strategic teaching methods, respectively. These tests were also able to detect the main problems faced by the students during the training of this operatory phase. RESULTS: Students of both groups (G1- 30.8% and G2- 34.6%) considered the access cavity to be one of the most difficult phase of endodontic treatment. The results of the evaluation among the 3rd year students demonstrated that 23.1% graded the new method as excellent, 38.4% as very good and 38.5 % as good, whereas none of the students (0%) considered the method to be regular, bad or very bad. A minor accident occurrence (P<0.05) was reported by the 3rd year students (G1- 50% and G2- 34.6%). CONCLUSION: The new strategy was found to favor learning, reduce the incidence of errors and was appraised as efficient by the students.