Magnification in undergraduate endodontic teaching in the UK and Ireland: a survey of teaching leads in Endodontology.

Abstract

To investigate the use of magnification in undergraduate endodontic teaching in dental schools within the UK and Ireland and identify factors that may impact on levels of adoption. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to teaching leads in undergraduate endodontics in all UK and Ireland dental schools. Completed questionnaires were received from 15 of 18 course leads. The study revealed magnification is not universally embedded within the undergraduate curricula, and the majority of schools had no expectation for students to use magnification, although it was encouraged. The study provided insight into teaching staff factors, student factors and institutional factors that impact upon the adoption of magnification in undergraduate endodontic teaching. Although course leads utilized magnification in their own practice, this did not translate into institutional expectation for students to use magnification. Barriers to adoption of such an institutional expectation included cost and lack of staff training. Magnification has become viewed as an essential part of endodontic practice. The dental operating microscope has the most significant impact on endodontic visualization; however, the use of dental loupes in nonsurgical endodontics could be considered the minimum standard. The pedagogical dilemma faced by dental educators training undergraduates to behave in a manner that they themselves would not, cannot be rationalized on the basis of cost and lack of staff training. It is proposed that although significant, these barriers are not insurmountable and the use ofdental loupe should become an expectation in undergraduate training in the UK and Ireland.