Harvard School Of Dental Medicine Research Articles

Evaluating student performance assessment methods in Objective Structured Clinical Exam: perspectives and comparisons.

This study aims to evaluate how student performance and perspectives changed when the Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) assessment system was changed from a composite score to discipline-specific grading at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. The retrospective study population consisted of all students (n=349) who completed three OSCEs (OSCE 1, 2, and 3) as part of the predoctoral program during the years 2014-2023. Data on the students' OSCE scores were obtained from the Office of Dental Education, and data on students' race/ethnicity and gender were obtained from their admissions data. The likelihood of a student failing the OSCE after the assessment system change significantly increased with an adjusted odds ratio of 20.12. After the change, the number of failed subjects per student decreased with an adjusted mean ratio of 0.48. Students perceived the OSCE as being less useful after the change. Independent of the grading change, OSCEs 1 and 2 were seen as more useful compared to OSCE 3, which is administered in the last year of the Doctor of Dental Medicine program. The discipline-specific nature of the new assessment system helps focus on specific areas of remediation, rather than blanket remediation used previously, in order to isolate the actual areas of deficiency and to focus remediation efforts so that students can align their learning needs appropriately.Therefore, although the actual number of fails identified increased for the course, the assessment change has allowed for more directed, actionable information to be gained from the OSCE to prepare students to work toward competency standards.

Evaluating dental student self-assessment across preclinical anatomy waxing and operative exercises.

A career in healthcare is built on the foundations of continuous self-reflection and self-assessment. Previous studies have solely compared student self-assessment to faculty grades in a single discipline. The objective of this study was to investigate whether associations of a student's self-assessment skills exist across multiple disciplines in the predoctoral setting. Sixty-five students from two class years at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine completed preclinical competency exams in dental anatomy waxing and operative dentistry. The difference between the student's self-assessment score and average faculty grade for each exercise was calculated as the student‒faculty (S-F) gap, which served as a proxy to determine how students evaluate their work. Regression analysis was performed to assess associations between wax-up and preclinical operative S-F gaps. Mean S-F gaps for waxing and preclinical operative procedures were positive (5.7±6.1 and 7.6±6.7, respectively). Additionally, students in the lower quartile tended to overestimate performance to a greater degree than their peers in the upper quartile. Furthermore, the waxing S-F gaps were positively associated with S-F gaps of each operative procedure, particularly with the combined operative exercise S-F gaps, where a statistically significant association was seen (coefficient=0.28; p=0.04). Previously, we identified a negative correlation between students' self-assessment skills (S-F gaps) and their preclinical performance. In this study, we further demonstrated an association of S-F gaps in two fundamental exercises: wax-up and operative dentistry. This underscores the roles of S-F gaps as possible indicators of students' preclinical and clinical performance, and it holds potential to become a widely standardized and applicable calculation that may help evaluate the effectiveness of the dental curricula and optimize student learning.

Students’ perceptions of virtual interactive clinical case-based learning: A comparative study with three different cohorts

Background/purpose: Since the introduction of virtual learning into dental education, students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of virtual versus in-person learning formats have evolved for interactive clinical case-based learning (ICCBL). This study aimed to undertake a comparative analysis of three different cohorts that received various formats of ICCBL instruction. Materials and methodsA survey was distributed to the Classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025 following each class completion of interactive clinical case-based-tutorials (ICCBT) as part of the Treatment of Active Disease (TxAD) course at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. ResultsA total of eighty-five participants from the three cohorts, twenty-three students from the Class of 2023 (virtual format, 71.9 % participation rate), thirty-one students from the Class of 2024 (combination of virtual and in-person, 91.2 %), and thirty-one students from the Class of 2025 (in-person, 83.8 %) completed the post-course survey. Across three classes, all cohorts were more likely to perceive the virtual format as more effective than in-person ICCBT. In addition, the classes were more likely to prefer virtual based classes compared to in-person tutorials in the future. ConclusionThis study highlights the dynamic shifts in educational approaches to align with the evolving demands of contemporary students. Our findings show that all cohorts expressed a preference for virtual ICCBT sessions and perceived virtual ICCBT sessions as somewhat more effective for learning compared to in-person sessions. These findings challenge the notion that such sessions must be conducted in person, prompting further research and the exploration of potentially more effective and optimized educational methods.

Association of student performance between dental anatomy waxing and preclinical operative dentistry

Spatial perception and psychomotor skills are critical components to clinical dentistry. However, measures within the dental school curricula have not been sufficiently studied and evaluated for their effectiveness in predicting preclinical performance. The objective of this study was to examine whether students’ waxing skills are associated with preclinical operative performance. This study included 65 students from two class years at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Regression analysis was utilized to assess associations between waxing scores and operative exam scores. Waxing scores were found to be positively correlated with all operative practical exam scores and significantly associated with the class III resin composite restoration (coefficient, 0.42; P = 0.02) and the combined operative exam scores (coefficient, 0.33; P = 0.04). Wax-up assessments could serve as a predictor for preclinical performance and identify students who would benefit from additional assistance to help foster a more inclusive learning environment.

The Role of Peer Teachers in Dental Skills Education - A Phenomenological Study

Learning a new clinical skill in dentistry is stressful as it is, coupled with large student to teacher ratios, this can sometimes lead to students being overlooked. Peer teaching was piloted at The Faculty of Dentistry, Oral and Craniofacial Sciences (FoDOCS) and seemed to be positively received amongst the students. Furthermore, cross collaboration with data from Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) helped to understand the lived experience of the students in relation to peer teaching from both the student’s point of view and the peer teacher’s point of view. The hope was to identify from the student’s perspective, if the scheme had any benefits and/or if improvements were needed. The study group consisted of 10 students from FoDOCS and 9 students from HSDM who were interviewed after clinical skills sessions with both staff teachers and peer teachers. Data was analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis to identify key themes. A number of important themes were identified that highlight the overall positive effect that peer teaching has had on both students and peer teachers.

Changing tide: Student perceptions of remote virtual examinations over time.

Journal of Dental EducationAccepted Articles ADVANCING THROUGH INNOVATION Changing tide: Student perceptions of remote virtual examinations over time Kristie Kaczmarek BS, Kristie Kaczmarek BS DMD candidate at Harvard School of Dental MedicineSearch for more papers by this authorHiroe Ohyama DDSMMScPhDDMD, Corresponding Author Hiroe Ohyama DDSMMScPhDDMD [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0002-3599-1671 Department of Restorative Dentistry, and Biomaterials Sciences at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine Correspondence Hiroe Ohyama DDS, MMSc, PhD, DMD, Associate Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author Kristie Kaczmarek BS, Kristie Kaczmarek BS DMD candidate at Harvard School of Dental MedicineSearch for more papers by this authorHiroe Ohyama DDSMMScPhDDMD, Corresponding Author Hiroe Ohyama DDSMMScPhDDMD [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0002-3599-1671 Department of Restorative Dentistry, and Biomaterials Sciences at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine Correspondence Hiroe Ohyama DDS, MMSc, PhD, DMD, Associate Professor, Department of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, 188 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author First published: 29 April 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13243 This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13243 AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Accepted ArticlesAccepted, unedited articles published online and citable. The final edited and typeset version of record will appear in the future. RelatedInformation

Fostering the development of dental educators worldwide: A mini-residency model.

Journal of Dental EducationAccepted Articles ADVANCING THROUGH INNOVATION Fostering the development of dental educators worldwide: A mini-residency model Irina F. Dragan DDS, DMD, MS, eMBA, Corresponding Author Irina F. Dragan DDS, DMD, MS, eMBA [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0002-4045-8564 Adjunct Associate Professor of Periodontology, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston - MA, USA, Lecturer on Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA Correspondence Dr. Irina F. Dragan, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Department of Periodontology, One Kneeland Street, Boston - MA, 02111. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorTahir Hamza BDS, MS, Tahir Hamza BDS, MS Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, Resident PGY-1, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USASearch for more papers by this authorGabriela Lagreca DDS, MBA, Gabriela Lagreca DDS, MBA Director of Faculty Education & Calibration and Assistant Professor of Prosthodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USASearch for more papers by this authorNadeem Y. Karimbux DMD, MMSc, Nadeem Y. Karimbux DMD, MMSc Dean and Professor of Periodontology, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USASearch for more papers by this author Irina F. Dragan DDS, DMD, MS, eMBA, Corresponding Author Irina F. Dragan DDS, DMD, MS, eMBA [email protected] orcid.org/0000-0002-4045-8564 Adjunct Associate Professor of Periodontology, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston - MA, USA, Lecturer on Oral Medicine, Infection, and Immunity, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USA Correspondence Dr. Irina F. Dragan, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Department of Periodontology, One Kneeland Street, Boston - MA, 02111. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorTahir Hamza BDS, MS, Tahir Hamza BDS, MS Department of Periodontics and Oral Medicine, Resident PGY-1, University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USASearch for more papers by this authorGabriela Lagreca DDS, MBA, Gabriela Lagreca DDS, MBA Director of Faculty Education & Calibration and Assistant Professor of Prosthodontics, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USASearch for more papers by this authorNadeem Y. Karimbux DMD, MMSc, Nadeem Y. Karimbux DMD, MMSc Dean and Professor of Periodontology, Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Boston, MA, USASearch for more papers by this author First published: 28 April 2023 https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13237 This article has been accepted for publication and undergone full peer review but has not been through the copyediting, typesetting, pagination and proofreading process, which may lead to differences between this version and the Version of Record. Please cite this article as https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13237 AboutPDF ToolsExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Accepted ArticlesAccepted, unedited articles published online and citable. The final edited and typeset version of record will appear in the future. RelatedInformation

Can self-assessment ability predict student performance in a dental anatomy course?

The development of early self-assessment skills and determining its correlation with academic performance could provide evidence to alter dental curricula. The aim of this retrospective study was to examine the relationships between students' early self-assessment ability in waxing and three different evaluation methods (waxing assessment, written examinations, and tooth identification examination) in a dental anatomy course. The dental anatomy scores during the academic years of 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 from two cohorts of second-year pre-doctoral dental students at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine were analyzed. Regression analyses were completed to assess the relationship between all evaluation methods. There was a statistically significant correlation between self-assessment ability and the waxing assessment but no significant correlation between self-assessment ability and the other evaluation methods. Our results showed that the introduction of self-assessments in dental anatomy waxing was correlated with successful waxing skills. Furthermore, a relevant finding is that students who received higher classifications were also capable of doing better self-assessments. These findings provide evidence that impacts dental curricula.

We'll Fight It Out Here: A History of the Ongoing Struggle for Health Equity: How a coalition of Black health professions schools made health equity a national issue by David Chanoff and Louis W. Sullivan (review).

Reviewed by: We'll Fight It Out Here: A History of the Ongoing Struggle for Health Equity: How a coalition of Black health professions schools made health equity a national issue by David Chanoff and Louis W. Sullivan Rueben C. Warren, DDS, MPH, DrPH, MDiv (bio) We'll Fight It Out Here: A History of the Ongoing Struggle for Health Equity: How a coalition of Black health professions schools made health equity a national issue. David Chanoff and Louis W. Sullivan. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2022. We'll Fight It Out Here: A History of the Ongoing Struggle for Health Equity by David Chanoff and Louis W. Sullivan, MD is an extraordinary story of women and men who worked to improve the health and human condition of Black and other underserved or unserved populations. They established and sustained academic health professions institutions and provided health care, including health services and health education, to targeted populations. The Association of Minority Health Professions Schools has served all segments of society dating back to the 1800. The book chronicles instances where member schools engaged in human subjects research and educated a diverse population including racial/ethnic minority, sex/gender minoritized, low-income, rural, and urban students. They sustained a social agenda that extended across the globe. Minority health professions schools have historically targeted and educated African American students and students from other parts of the African Diaspora and the African continent. As a result, their impact extends beyond the U.S. Because of their common missions and the need to build a sustained collation, in 1976, the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools (AMHPS) was founded for the modern era. The Association of Minority Health Professions Schools' work dates to the middle 1800s. Historically, minority health professions schools provided formal education and training in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, nursing, biomedical science, and various allied health programs. Due to limited resources, perceived need and demand, the schools modified or closed some of their education and training offerings. As they do to the present day, graduates participated in human subjects research; were among the pillars in educating health care professionals of minority health professions schools; engaged in direct patient care in the public and private sectors; assumed federal, state, and local government positions; and provided leadership in a plethora of public health areas. As global health communities strive for health equity, these Black health professions schools banded together to form the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools (AMHPS) to "fight" for health equity before the term health equity was popularized by health professionals, educators, and public health officials. The hallmark of AMHPS's major achievements begins with its founding in 1976, continues with the 2010 elevation of the National Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities to an Institute within the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. Department of Health [End Page 513] and Human Services. The AMHPS member schools continue to press the United States towards a framework of equity in both health and health care. Chanoff and Sullivan's book chronicles the AMHPS story in 11 chapters, starting with an unnamed, enslaved Black man owned by a White doctor. The Black man assisted the doctor in his medical practice in Windsor, Connecticut. After "working" with the White physician for many years, the enslaved man was granted his freedom, adopted the name Prius Manumit, and established his own medical practice. According Chanofff and Sullivan, Manumit was the first African American physician accepted by White society. Better-known African American physicians include James Derham (Durham), who was born in 1762, in Philadelphia, and practiced medicine there, and Martin Robinson Delany and James McCune Smith who were in medical school, but who were forced to withdraw due to racist objections from their Harvard classmates. Harriet Kezia Hunt, an African American woman, also was forced to withdraw from Harvard because of racism and patriarchy. Interestingly, in 1869, Robert Tanner Freeman, an African American man, graduated in the first class of the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. After their forced withdrawal from Harvard, Delany and Smith completed medical school abroad, returning to the U.S. to practice medicine. Both became involved in civil rights...

Application of OSCE using a Virtual Assessment Platform

Introduction: This study describes the development and implementation of a virtual objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) as an alternative to in-person OSCEs during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluates its efficacy and reception by students and faculty.Methods: The virtual OSCE was conducted over Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, Inc. San Jose, CA) with students rotating through each discipline via Breakout Rooms. This study examined all 241 OSCE results from the HSDM classes of 2016-2022, with 170 in-person OSCE results and 71 virtual OSCE results. Descriptive and linear regression analysis were used to report the difference in OSCE experience and scores between virtual and in-person OSCEs.Results: Out of 100, the adjusted average score difference was 0.66 higher in virtual OSCE experience compared to in-person assessment, but it was not statistically significant (95%CI=-0.45, 1.78). A total of 35 students (49%) and 14 faculty responded to a survey regarding their virtual OSCE experience. Most students surveyed agreed that the virtual OSCE was effective (94%), accessible (97%), and should be offered post-pandemic (74%). The majority of faculty were neutral regarding the virtual OSCE as a comparable learning experience (76%) and in its accessibility (71%), and only 14% agreed that virtual OSCE should be offered in the future.Conclusion: The results show that the virtual OSCE can be a reasonable alternative to the in-person OSCE when primarily considering its clinical impact and suggest a viable role for virtual OSCE post-pandemic. Technological proficiency training could improve perceptions regarding future virtual OSCE implementation.

Evaluation of Comprehensive COVID-19 Testing Program Outcomes in a US Dental Clinical Care Academic Setting

Although many academic institutions have implemented infection control and prevention protocols, including regular asymptomatic self-testing, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the outcomes of mandatory surveillance testing programs at academic dental institutions that offer direct patient-facing clinical care has not yet been reported. To report the findings of a comprehensive surveillance COVID-19 testing program at an academic dental institution by assessing SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates and the potential association of test positivity with individual-level characteristics such as age, sex, and role. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using SARS-CoV-2 self-testing data from a mandatory surveillance program at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Test results obtained between August 24, 2020, and February 28, 2022, from students, faculty, and staff members were analyzed. Testing cadence varied from 1 to 3 times per week depending on risk status. The association of individual characteristics with test positivity was evaluated with univariate analyses and a bayesian multilevel logistic regression model. Age by decade, sex, and role or position category (staff members, faculty, and students stratified by their involvement in clinical care activities), testing cadence, and testing date. Positive results from SARS-CoV-2 real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction self-tests were assessed. Of the 390 study participants, 210 (53.8%) were women. Participants were grouped by age as follows: 20 to 29 years (190 [48.7%]), 30 to 39 years (88 [22.6%]), 40 to 49 years (44 [11.3%]), 50 to 59 years (42 [10.8%]), and 60 years or older (26 [6.7%]). Test results demonstrated an overall 0.27% positivity rate (61 test-positive cases), with a peak weekly positivity rate of 5.12% in the first week of January 2022. The mean (SD) test positivity rate among those involved in clinical activities was 0.25% (0.04) compared with 0.36% (0.09) among nonclinical participants. When adjusting for all considered covariates, test positivity was significantly associated with testing frequency (3 times vs 1 time per week: odds ratio [OR], 1.51 [95% credible interval (CrI), 1.07-3.69]) and timing of the test (after vs during the Alpha wave: OR, 0.33 [95% CrI, 0.11-0.88]; and Omicron vs Alpha: OR, 11.59 [95% CrI, 6.49-22.21]) but not with individual characteristics (age, sex, and role). These findings suggest that implementing an adaptive testing cadence based on the risk status of individuals may be effective in reducing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection within an institution. In this study, involvement in clinical activities did not pose additional risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared with other in-person activities in the presence of these control measures.

Commentary.

It was a great tribute to be awarded the 2022 Jay A. Heidbrink Award from the American Dental Society of Anesthesiology (ADSA). As part of that award, it is also my honor to select a “Landmark Article,” a contribution to the dental anesthesia literature that was of significance to the field.I am pleased to choose an article by Norman Trieger, DMD, MD, (1929-2012) published in Anesthesia Progress in 1969. Those of us with greying hair remember Norm as a consummate gentleman and scholar. Younger readers may recognize the name which headlines the Continuing Education Article in each Anesthesia Progress publication.Dr. Trieger, a Phi Beta Kappa at Emory University, completed his dental degree and oral surgery residency at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. He subsequently joined the faculty at UCLA before returning to his childhood home in New York City to become the long-standing professor and chairman of the Department of Dentistry and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where he also earned his medical degree. Dr. Trieger was a Fellow in General Anesthesia of the ADSA as well as a past president and editor of Anesthesia Progress. He helped develop the first American Dental Association (ADA) guidelines for teaching intravenous (IV) moderate sedation for dentists. He was an early supporter of a specialty in anesthesiology for dentistry, having authored the first ADA specialty application which was not submitted due to opposition from oral surgery at the time.Dr. Trieger was also a prolific researcher. One of his enduring contributions to the field became known as the Trieger Test. The test is a semi-objective measure of psychomotor recovery from sedation or general anesthesia. As this presented article points out, it was a modification of the Bender Motor Gestalt Test. I have used the Trieger Test in several of my own and my graduate students' research projects as new sedatives have been released or different techniques studied to help determine the duration of recovery needed to return to baseline psychomotor function. Oral surgeons, as they were known at the time before “maxillofacial” was added to their name, were really the pioneers of office-based anesthesia and the rapid recovery techniques that we all use today. In the early days, IV barbiturates for deep sedation and general anesthesia were commonly used as sole agents. We speak of the “Wild West” of office-based anesthesia today, but that technique could really lead to an anesthesia rodeo where only tooth extraction could be completed and more delicate dentistry impossible.One of the fascinating aspects of this article to me is that the actual data from the initial study are not presented. The data are referenced from an article in Anesthesia and Analgesia which I found and read. The data is, in fact, included in that article, and much of the same language in the Anesthesia Progress article is taken directly from the Anesthesia and Analgesia article, also co-authored by Dr. Trieger. This is a practice that would surely not be allowed today unless the article was part of a review of other published articles.Dr. Trieger made significant contributions to oral surgery, dental anesthesiology, moderate sedation for general dentists, and to the dental and medical professions. This early manuscript is but a small piece of his legacy.Respectfully submitted,This continuing education (CE) program is designed for dentists who desire to advance their understanding of pain and anxiety control in clinical practice. After reading the designated article, the participant should be able to evaluate and utilize the information appropriately in providing patient care.The American Dental Society of Anesthesiology (ADSA) is accredited by the American Dental Association and Academy of General Dentistry to sponsor CE for dentists and will award CE credit for each article completed. You must answer 3 of the 4 questions correctly to receive credit.Submit your answers online at www.adsahome.org. Click on “On Demand CE.”CE questions must be completed within 3 months and prior to the next issue.

From chemistry to dentistry: Paving my uncommon way to Harvard School of Dental Medicine as a materials scientist

Being an underrepresented minority with a unique background in a research community can be peculiar and double-edged. Here, Dr. Jianhui Liu, a new Post-doctoral Fellow at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, shares his uncommon personal experience of transition from materials chemistry to dentistry without any previous dental research experience. He shares insights and suggestions for searching, selecting, and securing ("3S") a research position, thriving as a minority in a new research community, and long-term career development. This paper can help broaden the horizons of researchers, facilitate interdisciplinary research with healthcare applications, and enlighten junior researchers for future development.

Diagnosis of Tooth Prognosis Using Artificial Intelligence.

The accurate diagnosis of individual tooth prognosis has to be determined comprehensively in consideration of the broader treatment plan. The objective of this study was to establish an effective artificial intelligence (AI)-based module for an accurate tooth prognosis decision based on the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) comprehensive treatment planning curriculum (CTPC). The tooth prognosis of 2359 teeth from 94 cases was evaluated with 1 to 5 levels (1—Hopeless, 5—Good condition for long term) by two groups (Model-A with 16, and Model-B with 13 examiners) based on 17 clinical determining factors selected from the HSDM-CTPC. Three AI machine-learning methods including gradient boosting classifier, decision tree classifier, and random forest classifier were used to create an algorithm. These three methods were evaluated against the gold standard data determined by consensus of three experienced prosthodontists, and their accuracy was analyzed. The decision tree classifier indicated the highest accuracy at 0.8413 (Model-A) and 0.7523 (Model-B). Accuracy with the gradient boosting classifier and the random forest classifier was 0.6896, 0.6687, and 0.8413, 0.7523, respectively. Overall, the decision tree classifier had the best accuracy among the three methods. The study contributes to the implementation of AI in the decision-making process of tooth prognosis in consideration of the treatment plan.

Student Perspective on a Predoctoral Interprofessional Education Initiative

Objective- The purpose of this study was to investigate students' perspectives on a newly implemented program of Interprofessional education (IPE) in terms of its effectiveness in increasing the awareness about other health care professionals and providing tools to emerging dental professionals for comprehensive health care needs. Methods- A new IPE course was incorporated in the second year of the predoctoral dental curriculum, and educators and students from various health professionals came together to provide a collaborative learning environment. The study evaluated the survey data from the graduating classes of 2019 and 2020 in the predoctoral program at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. The students were surveyed during and at the end of the course to obtain their perspectives on the effectiveness of the program. Result-The results of the surveys showed most student respondents agreed strongly that they liked getting information from other health professionals and 93-95% agreed that collaborating with other members of the health care team can help facilitate patients' overall health care. The IPE sessions helped bring about awareness of interprofessional relations and communications within the health care team and prepared the students for holistic patient care. Conclusion- The IPE methods facilitated an interactive and interprofessional learning environment to assist students in developing awareness of interprofessional relations and communications within the health care team. The connections between oral and systemic health were reinforced, thus giving predoctoral dental students a wider view of patient treatment and consideration for their patients’ comprehensive health care needs. 

The impact of COVID‐19 pandemic on student performance and self‐evaluation in preclinical operative dentistry

IntroductionDuring the COVID‐19 pandemic, dental schools were required to reformat their curricula to accommodate regulations mandated to protect the health of students and faculty. For students enrolled in the Operative Dentistry preclinical courses at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM), this modified curriculum included frontloading the course with lectures delivered remotely, followed by in‐person laboratory exercises of learned concepts. The aim of this article was to determine the impact that the modifications had on student performance and student self‐evaluation capabilities.Materials and methodsThirty‐eight students were introduced to this restructured course. Their performance in a final multiple‐choice (MC) examination, four preclinical laboratory competency assessments (class II amalgam preparation and restoration, class III composite preparation and restoration) and their self‐assessment of these preclinical competency assessments were then compared with the pre‐COVID pandemic (P‐CP) classes from years 2014 to 2019 (n = 216 students). Linear regressions were performed to determine differences in mean faculty scores, self‐assessment scores, student‐faculty score gaps (S‐F gaps) and absolute S‐F gaps seen between the class impacted by the pandemic and the P‐CP classes.ResultsThe results demonstrated that students during the COVID‐19 pandemic (D‐CP) had a higher average faculty score in all four preclinical laboratory competency assessments and in the final MC examination. In addition, the S‐F gap was smaller in this cohort as compared with the P‐CP classes.ConclusionDespite the challenges of restructuring the preclinical curricula, D‐CP students performed better than their P‐CP predecessors in multiple facets of this Operative Dentistry course including self‐assessment accuracy.

Exploring environmental sustainability in UK and US dental curricula and related barriers and enablers: a cross-sectional survey in two dental schools.

Introduction Very little is known about the knowledge and attitudes of dental students and educators regarding environmental sustainability in dentistry (ESD), the presence of ESD in dental curricula, and barriers and enablers to embracing ESD in dental education.Methods A cross-sectional survey using piloted online questionnaires for students and educators was carried out at the Institute of Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London and at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.Results ESD does not exist formally in the dental curricula at either institution. Despite poor knowledge, students and educators had very positive attitudes to embracing ESD in the curricula. The most noted barriers were lack of knowledge about ESD, lack of time for preparing ESD content, lack of ESD educational materials and infection control regulations. Enablers included embedding ESD in UK and US dental education standards, having institutional backing and support in terms of providing training, educational materials, capacity and incentives, as well as adopting a critical evidence-informed approach in reforming current infection control regulations.Conclusions Dental education and infection control regulatory bodies, as well as dental institutions, can embed ESD in UK and US dental curricula by supporting the implementation of identified enablers.

Ten-year follow-up of patient-centered comprehensive care using case completion curriculum.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patient-based comprehensive model in the student teaching practice at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) as a result of the case completion curriculum. The patient-centered assessment system was implemented in 2009 as a clinical reform in clinical education to redirect predoctoral clinical learning from a student requirement-driven assessment system to a patient-centered treatment delivery model. The sample for the 10-year retrospective cohort study consisted of the graduating classes of 2010 through 2019 at HSDM and all data regarding case completion and student feedback were obtained from the Office of Dental Education. The average number of completed cases by the predoctoral graduating class has risen from 22.8 in 2010 to 33.26 in 2019, and as a result, the number of completed cases required for graduation has been adjusted twice, from 15 to 20 in 2012, and from 20 to 25 including two pediatric cases in 2018. The redesigned clinical component of the curriculum can contribute to improved efforts in providing a patient-based comprehensive care environment and in helping broaden student learning experience in the predoctoral dental education program.

Opioids in oral surgery: preliminary findings between Birmingham, UK and Boston, US.

Aims This study aims to review ways in which UK and US practitioners manage post-operative dental pain following oral surgery procedures, focusing on the use of opioids in Boston, US and Birmingham, UK.Methods An anonymous online questionnaire was distributed to clinicians from either Birmingham Dental Hospital, UK and Harvard School of Dental Medicine or Boston University School of Dental Medicine, US. They were invited to fill this out via email link or in person using a tablet provided. Information was collected regarding age, years of experience, area of practice, area of undergraduate training, gender and levels of oral surgery activity. Participants were presented with six clinical scenarios and asked to indicate how they would achieve post-operative analgesia for each.Results A total of 44 responses were received, 22 from each city, including 27 males and 17 females. Fifty-five percent of respondents carried out at least ten weekly oral surgery procedures, with 52% having more than ten years' experience. Forty-one percent were aged greater than 40 years, with 32% less than 30. Boston dentists were 2.1 times (P = 0.016) more likely to opt for opioids than Birmingham dentists. Both cohorts were more likely to choose opioids for invasive surgeries involving flap procedures compared to simple extractions. Among the cases where UK respondents opted for opioids, codeine was chosen in 100% of cases compared to 9% for the US cohort, where the remainder chose more potent opioids (oxycodone, hydrocodone and tramadol).Conclusions Results of this preliminary study show that Boston practitioners were likely to opt for opioids in a higher proportion of cases (19.84%) than Birmingham practitioners (9.42%). Reasons for the discrepancies could be related to how practitioners are trained, patient expectations on pain relief and health policy in the two countries. Dental prescriptions have contributed to the US opioid epidemic and their decreased use will be important in combatting the crisis.

Use of Concept-Based eLearning Videos in Interprofessional Education

The purpose of the articles was to describe a narrative review of literature for Concept-based eLearning, which was introduced in the predoctoral interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum to teach key transferable ideas and to consider the context of dental care in the spectrum of comprehensive patient care. The COVID -19 pandemic has further presented a disruption to the usual curriculum, and time to rethink and redesign the interprofessional education course at Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) with new pedological methods. Concept-based eLearning videos were incorporated into the interprofessional educational courses in order to advance the teaching and learning approaches. It was an attempt to provide student-focused teaching strategies which not only gave students the flexibility to learn at their own pace but also aimed at helping them increase retention and synthesize and apply knowledge. Concept videos were targeted at learning goals and were kept brief and conversational to enhance engagement. The concept-based eLearning facilitated an environment to assist students in developing awareness of interprofessional relations and communications within the health care team. Continued development and evaluation of the concept-based eLearning videos are essential in addition to faculty development efforts to support the new educational methodology.