Dental Knowledge Research Articles

Investigating the Role of Personalized Nutritional Counseling in Enhancing Oral Health Management: A Cross-Sectional Survey among Saudi Arabian Dental Practitioners

Abstract Objectives This study evaluated Saudi Arabian dental practitioners' knowledge, practices, and perceptions regarding personalized nutritional counseling (PNC) and its integration into oral health management. Materials and Methods A total of 207 dental practitioners in Saudi Arabia were the subjects of a cross-sectional survey.The survey consisted of four sections: (1) knowledge and practices of PNC, (2) training and resources, (3) challenges and barriers, and (4) perceptions of the impact of PNC on oral health management. The data were stratified by age, gender, years of experience, specialization, and workplace setting. Statistical Analysis Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the frequency of responses, and chi-square tests were performed to assess associations between demographic variables (e.g., gender, experience) and critical outcomes. A significance level of p <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Out of 207 practitioners, most (80%) of respondents acknowledged the importance of nutrition in oral health, yet only 20% regularly provided nutritional counseling. Gender showed a significant association, with females more likely to consider dietary habits (72%, p = 0.003) and medical history (85%, p = 0.005) during counseling. Notably, confidence levels in nutritional counseling increased with experience, with those with more than 10 years of experience being significantly more confident (p < 0.001). Private clinic professionals were also more likely to offer personalized nutritional guidance (36.4%) compared to those in government (3.8%) and teaching institutions (30.3%; (p < 0.001). Common barriers identified included insufficient training (65%, p = 0.024) and time constraints (45%, p = 0.062). Moreover, the perceived impact of nutritional counseling on oral health management was significant, with 70% of participants agreeing that it enhances overall patient outcomes. Conclusion The findings suggest that while dental practitioners recognize the value of PNC, significant barriers impede its consistent application. Addressing these barriers through enhanced training and resources is essential for integrating nutritional counseling into routine oral health care practices, ultimately benefiting patient outcomes. There is a strong call for improved training and resources to equip dental practitioners to provide personalized nutritional advice.

General dental practitioners' knowledge, attitudes and practice towards psychoactive substance use screening: A systematic review.

Dentists can play a key role in screening for psychoactive substances use. This systematic review aimed to identify the knowledge, attitudes and practices of dentists related to screening for use of psychoactive substances and the facilitating factors and barriers. According to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses, four databases were searched until July 2024 to identify reports relating to screening for substance use by dentists. Search terms used key words relating to knowledge, attitudes or practices concerning the screening of tobacco, alcohol or any other substance use. Twenty reports met the inclusion criteria for this review. In practice, dentists were more likely to identify tobacco use than alcohol or other substance use. Although the screening for tobacco was widely performed by dentists, the proposal of interventions was less frequent. Despite the opinion of many dentists that screening is part of their professional role, particularly tobacco, their knowledge of how to identify and intervene seemed low. Lack of knowledge or training were identified as barriers. Identification of these factors should encourage greater diffusion of recommended tools for screening and development of initial and continuing training for dentists. These factors should convince decision-makers to help dentists to identify referral solutions, in particular coordinated care pathways, and to consider the acceptability and feasibility of the screening tools available to dentists. Tobacco use was more frequently identified than was other substances, screening was always more frequent than interventions, and lack of training proved to be the main barriers to screening. Education and training in the screening of psychoactive substance use is a key factor in encouraging improved practices, particularly on intervention following detection and on substances other than tobacco.

Perbedaan Efektivitas Pendidikan Kesehatan Gigi Menggunakan Media Ular Tangga dan Busybook terhadap Pengetahuan Kesehatan Gigi Anak

Abstract: Around 3.5 billion people worldwide face dental health problems, primarily due to a lack of knowledge about the importance of dental care. Therefore, dental health education, especially for children, is crucial. This study was conducted at GMIM Tateli Elementary School, Pineleng District, Minahasa Regency, North Sulawesi Province. The aim of this research was to determine the difference in the effectiveness of dental health education using Snakes and Ladders and Busybook media on children's dental health knowledge. This study employed a quasi-experimental method with a pretest and posttest design involving 32 children aged 6-8 years. The Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests were used for analysis. The Wilcoxon test results for Snakes and Ladders and Busybook media showed a significance value of p = 0.001 (p < 0.05), indicating statistical significance. The Mann-Whitney test showed a significance value of p = 0.048 (p < 0.05), also indicating statistical significance. The conclusion of this study is that dental health education using Snakes and Ladders and Busybook media can improve elementary school children's dental health knowledge, with Snakes and Ladders being more effective than Busybook. Keywords: dental health education; snakes and ladders; busybook

Lesion sterilization and tissue repair Therapy in primary Teeth: knowledge of dentists in Upper Egypt – a cross-sectional study

Lesion sterilization and tissue repair Therapy in primary Teeth: knowledge of dentists in Upper Egypt – a cross-sectional study

Evaluation of knowledge and attitudes of dentists and dental students about oral cancer

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and negative attitudes of dentists and 4th-grade and 5th-grade students of dentistry towards oral cancer (OC). Methods: The study was conducted on 417 individuals consisting of 100 dentists, 186 5th-grade, and 131 4th-grade students. The questionnaire included questions on demographic characteristics, 10 questions measuring their knowledge about OC risk factors (knowledge-risk factors), 5 questions measuring their knowledge regarding the diagnosis of OC (knowledge-diagnostic procedures), and 11 questions assessing their attitudes towards OC (negative attitudes). Results: While there is no significant difference between dentists and 5th-grade students in knowledge-risk factors and knowledge-diagnostic procedures total scores, the total score of the 4th-grade students was statistically significantly different from these groups (P=.001). Looking at the negative attitudes total score, there is no significant difference between 5th and 4th-grade students, while total score of dentists was observed a statistically significant difference (P=.001). While knowledge-risk factors and knowledge-diagnostic procedures total scores were significantly and positively correlated (r=.287, P

Training received, knowledge, and use of Silver Diamine Fluoride among Italian dentists: a nationwide survey

ObjectiveTo investigate the education, knowledge and behaviour of Italian dentists regarding Silver Diamine Fluoride (SDF).MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December 2022, through an online survey linked to an online continuing medical education (CME) course sent to Italian dentists. A priori power analysis estimated the necessary sample to be 1480 dentists with an anticipated frequency of 50% and a power of 99.99%. The questionnaire included 46 questions on participants ‘ demographic characteristics, training received, clinical knowledge of SDF, and attitudes and behaviours regarding its use. Descriptive statistics, bivariate, and mutlivariable regression analyses were performed to determine the association between the variables.ResultsThe response rate was 6.1% with 3876 respondents, evenly distributed geographically. Less than 10% of respondents had received training at undergraduate, postgraduate or masters level. A minority of dentists were familiar with the use of SDF for the treatment of dentine hypersensitivity (19.0%) and for the treatment of caries in children (22.2%) and adults (15.7%). The percentage of dentists who reported SDF use at least once was 20.6%. On mutlivariable analysis (χ2(11) = 995.9 p-value < 0.01), dentists who used SDF were positively associated with those who cared for patients with special needs, those who received good undergraduate or postgraduate training, and those who knew how to use SDF (p < 0.01). A second mutlivariable analysis (χ2(11) = 47.9 p-value < 0.01) revealed that younger respondents were associated with good training and knowledge of the use of SDF received during undergraduate studies, while older respondents were associated with good training received on managing hypersensitivity and caries in adults (p < 0.01).ConclusionsOverall, Italian dentists ‘ education, knowledge, and use of SDF were relatively poor. The majority of the sample ‘s responses were not consistent with scientific evidence. The use of SDF among Italian dentists is still far from being a reality. In Italy, it is necessary to increase training on SDF, primarily through the university, to hopefully increase its use, especially in non-invasive caries treatment.

Oral health disparities in early childhood and intergenerational gaps among noncitizen migrants, Arabs, and Jews in South Tel Aviv, Israel

IntroductionDisparities in oral health are related to dental care knowledge, domestic oral hygiene practices and socioeconomic status. This cross-sectional study aimed to compare the oral hygiene and dental care practices of migrant, Arab, and Jewish children residing in Tel Aviv, Israel, and assess the influence of parental dental practices.MethodsData were collected from parents of children aged 3 to 6 years. Parents completed their own and their children’s oral health status, oral hygiene practices, dietary habits and dental care knowledge.ResultsOf the 504 children, 153 (30.4%) were migrants, 117 (23.2%) were Arabs, and 234 (46.4%) were Jews. Twice-daily tooth brushing was reported by 57.5% of migrant children, 47% of Arab children, and 63.7% of Jewish children (p = 0.001). Compared with Arab and Jewish children, migrant children had higher rates of tooth filling and urgent dental interventions under general anesthesia (22.9%, 11.1%, and 9%, respectively; p < 0.001). The parent‒child association for twice-daily tooth brushing was strong overall (69.8%), particularly among migrants (70.9%) and Jews (72.3%), but weaker among Arabs (63.0%), p < 0.01.ConclusionMigrant children exhibited better tooth brushing habits than Arab children did but required more urgent dental interventions, highlighting gaps in preventive care. The strong parent‒child link in oral hygiene, particularly among migrants and Jews, suggests that culturally sensitive, family-focused interventions could help reduce these disparities and improve dental health outcomes for underserved populations.

Sociodemographic factors associated with dental students knowledge and attitudes regarding disinfection as a control measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19

Despite maintaining a lower mortality rate and greater control of victims infected by COVID-19, the world’s population and science are still confronted with this coronavirus. Therefore, the aim was to assess the association between sociodemographic factors and the level of knowledge and attitudes of dental students regarding disinfection as a control measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. This cross-sectional study evaluated 503 dental students from the capital city and one Peruvian province between February and June 2022. A validated 13-item questionnaire was used. A Poisson regression model with robust variance was used to evaluate the influence of the variables sex, age, year of study, marital status, place of origin, death of a family member due to COVID-19, and history of COVID-19, with the level of knowledge and attitudes of the dental students, considering a significance level of p < 0.05. Of the total participants, 14.3% showed sufficient knowledge, and 89.3% showed positive attitudes regarding disinfection as a control measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Furthermore, those from the capital city were 52% less likely to have sufficient knowledge regarding disinfection as a control measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19, compared to those from the province (APR = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.31–0.75). Moreover, none of the variables considered in this study were significantly associated with attitudes toward this topic (p > 0.05). A minority of dental students presented sufficient knowledge, while the majority presented positive attitudes regarding disinfection as a control measure to reduce the spread of COVID-19. In addition, being from the capital city was a limiting factor for sufficient knowledge. The variables sex, age, year of study, marital status, place of origin, death of a family member due to COVID-19, and history of COVID-19 were not influential factors for positive attitudes on this topic.

Exploring dental students' knowledge on oral cancer prevention: a cross-sectional study in Moldova, Armenia, and Belarus

BackgroundSurvival rate of patients with oral cancer (OC) remains to be very low despite advancements in therapy and surgical techniques. This is attributed to the fact that most OC cases are discovered at a late stage. Dentists play a vital role in early detection of OC through oral mucosal examination, and in informing the patients about avoidable risk factors of the disease, such as tobacco and excessive alcohol use. This study aimed at evaluating knowledge about OC among dental students in Moldova, Armenia and Belarus; three former soviet countries with high rates of tobacco use.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional, multi-country study based on self-administered questionnaire. Dental students in their clinical years at three dental faculties in Moldova, Armenia and Belarus were invited to participate in the study. Data collection took place during the period May to September 2019. Association between different categorical variables was investigated using Chi-squared test. A knowledge score ranging from 0–14 was constructed from the obtained data. Differences in the knowledge score between different groups of students was investigated using either student`s t-test whenever comparing two groups, or One-way ANOVA with Bonferroni`s correction for three or more groups. The level of significance was set to 0.05 for all statistical tests.ResultsA total of 642 dental students participated in the study. The mean knowledge score was found to be 6.62 ± 2.61, with 45% of the students scoring below the mean. Students from Belarus had the highest score (7.3 ± 2.14) in comparison to Armenia (6.66 ± 2.64) and Moldova (5.66 ± 2.81), as revealed by ANOVA test. However, we observed a significant increase (p-value < 0.001, ANOVA) in the students` knowledge score as they proceed through study years from third (6.07 ± 2.61) to fifth year (7.49 ± 2.48). In addition, we found that Students with current or previous cigarette smoking habits had significantly (p-value < 0.001, student`s t-test) lower mean knowledge score (5.96 ± 2.82) when compared to students who have never been smokers (6.98 ± 2.42).ConclusionsThe present study reveals notable gaps in OC knowledge and concerning tobacco use behaviors among dental students in Moldova, Belarus, and Armenia. By providing comprehensive education on risk factors and addressing personal habits, dental schools can better prepare future professionals to play a critical role in OC prevention and management.

Predictors of Dental Misconceptions Among Taif Population, Saudi Arabia.

Health education programmes play a crucial role in enhancing oral health literacy and improving treatment outcomes. However, myths and misconceptions about oral health are widespread, affecting individuals' behaviours and their willingness to seek appropriate treatment. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of oral health myths and misconceptions among adults in Taif, Saudi Arabia, and to explore potential associations with demographic factors. Participants from community health programmes in Taif (March-June 2024) completed a Google Forms questionnaire on dental myths. adults (≥18 years) without cognitive, hearing, or vision impairments. The questionnaire included sociodemographic details and 22 myth-related questions. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), with significance set P ≤ 0.05. The study included 429 participants. Knowledge of dental myths was highest in the 'Dental Treatment' domain (mean score: 6.42), followed by 'Oral Hygiene Practices' (3.46) and 'Deciduous Teeth and Pregnancy' (3.48). Higher education and healthcare-related majors were significantly associated with better knowledge. Conversely, males and older age groups had lower knowledge scores. This study highlights the prevalence of dental myths in Taif and their association with demographic factors. Higher education- and healthcare-related fields correlate with better knowledge, but significant gaps remain, particularly among the less educated, certain occupational groups, males, and single individuals. Targeted educational interventions are essential to improving dental health knowledge and practices and enhancing oral health outcomes in the community.

Children's oral health and parents’ education status in Benghazi, Libya: a cross-sectional study

Aim: The study aims to evaluate the impact of parents’ education on the promotion of child dental care. Methods: Data were collected via a questionnaire survey among parents who brought their children to the Pediatric Dental Department of the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Benghazi, Libya. The data were logged and analyzed using IBM-SPSS for Windows version 29.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Frequencies and percentages were measured to assess the influence of parental education on the dental knowledge of their children’s oral care. Results: More than two-thirds (69.2%) of parents sought dental care for their children when they expressed pain. More than half of parents (59%) reported the importance of deciduous teeth and its impact on successor teeth. Only 16% started brushing when the first primary tooth erupted, and 40% of their children brushed at least twice a day. In addition, only 39% of parents knew the correct time of the first permanent molar eruption. The frequency of parents who reported the correct total number of primary teeth, preferred treatment of primary teeth rather than extraction and asked their children to brush once daily increased with increasing the parents' education levels. Conclusion: The present study displayed that a high parents’ educational level does not directly subscribe to good oral health care for their children. The parents need further attention by presenting more programs dealing with dental health which will be useful in improving their children’s oral health.

Knowledge Levels of Child Abuse and Neglect Among a Group of Turkish Dentistry Students

Aim: Dentists play an important role in identifying signs of child abuse and neglect and reporting them to the appropriate authorities. This study aims to evaluate the knowledge of a group of dental students in the Central Black Sea region about child abuse and neglect. Material and Method: This cross-sectional study includes dental students from the Faculty of Dentistry at Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University, enrolled during the 2023-2024 academic year. An online survey consisting of 28 questions was administered to dental students who agreed to participate, covering demographic information and assessing their knowledge level regarding child abuse and neglect. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and two-way ANOVA. Results: A total of 266 (70.4%) students aged between 18 and 25 participated in this study. Among the dental students reported that 10.2% suspected child abuse and neglect, while 9.8% stated that they would prefer to report when they suspect such cases. While 58.6% of dental students believed that child abuse and neglect should be reported legally, 60.9% stated that they may not report suspected cases due to the possibility of making a misdiagnosis. While the impact of gender on dental students' knowledge levels regarding child abuse and neglect was not observed, the effect of academic year was significant (p

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Dental and Dental Hygiene Faculty and Students Toward Medical Marijuana: A Cross-Sectional Study

Assessment of Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices of Dental and Dental Hygiene Faculty and Students Toward Medical Marijuana: A Cross-Sectional Study

Emergency Management Of Dental Injury; Preparedness Among School Teachers In Swabi Khyber Pukhtunkhwa - A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: Dental trauma poses a significant threat to the oral health and well-being of school-aged children worldwide. Prompt and appropriate management of dental trauma is crucial to prevent infection, abscess formation, and pulp necrosis. Methods: The descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among 320 male and female teachers via cluster random sampling from October 2023 to May 2024 to assess the level of knowledge among school teachers regarding emergency management of dental injuries, to evaluate the preparedness of school teachers in handling dental injuries in the school setting and to determine the association between demographics with knowledge and preparedness regarding emergency management of dental injuries. Data was collected about socio-demographic characteristics and emergency preparedness for dental trauma. Results: Out of 320 individuals, the level of the teachers' knowledge was moderate (53.3%). Only a few teachers were found to have undergone first-aid training in TDI (19.4%) and to have encountered TDI incidents (21.9%) before. 93(50.5%) females correctly identified fracture (p-value 0.014). A significant association was observed for identifying fractured teeth and managing avulsed teeth with first aid training with a p-value of 0.017 and 0.008 respectively. A significant association was observed between the age group 41-50 years and the Importance of seeking emergency management for dental trauma (p-value 0.018) and knowledge status (p-value 0.007).52.3% of teachers correctly identified a solution for washing a re-implanted tooth(p-value 0.000).46% of teachers whose service span was more than 19 years, had better self-rated knowledge( p-value 0.002) Conclusion: A moderate number of teachers had adequate knowledge among school teachers regarding dental trauma management. While a substantial proportion of teachers exhibit a commendable understanding and readiness to address dental emergencies, there remains a notable gap between certain aspects of knowledge and preparedness. Keywords: Emergency management, Preparedness, School teachers.

POST EXTRACTION COMPLICATIONS AND MANAGEMENT- KNOWLEDGE BASED STUDY AMONG UNDERGRADUATE DENTAL STUDENTS IN KHAMMAM, TELANGANA

Background: Complications following exodontia is not always avoidable. So, dentists should be aware about the treatment to manage complications following exodontia. Hence, it is necessary to ascertain dental students knowledge and attitude towards post extraction complications and its management. Aim: To assess the knowledge regarding post extraction complications and its management among dental students in Khammam, Telangana. Material and Method: Among 150 undergraduate (clinical) students a cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted in a tertiary care teaching dental hospital. The sample consists of 87 final years and 63 interns. They were asked to fill a questionnaire which was sent to their mobiles through google link which consists of 20 questions regarding knowledge and attitude about post extraction complications. Result and Conclusion: Majority of dental students have good quality of knowledge towards post extraction complications. Both the final years and interns have almost equal knowledge regarding post extraction complications. Although dental students have good quality of knowledge towards post extraction complications it is not adequate to manage some rare complications. So, there it is necessary to upgrade their knowledge. The need for this study is if the complications of post extractions are not treated properly it might lead to furthermorelife-threatening complications such as morbidity and death. So it is important for a dental to have an adequate idea and knowledge regarding post extraction complications including some rare complications along with its management.

Analysis of dental anatomy knowledge among dental students: A preliminary study.

This study aimed to compare the level of dental anatomy knowledge and visual acuity of dental students throughout their undergraduate course. This descriptive, observational, and cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was conducted over one year. Thirty-seven students, divided into three groups based on the time spent studying dental anatomy and carving, had their theoretical knowledge and visual acuity assessed using two questionnaires. The former was organized into two groups of questions: (1) related to the anatomy of anterior teeth, and (2) the anatomy of posterior teeth. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon test, and Spearman correlation (α=0.05). No statistically significant difference was observed between sexes in the comparison of theoretical knowledge and photograph evaluation. Overall, participants performed similarly on both parts of the questionnaire about theoretical knowledge (anterior teeth group: 5.6±1.94; posterior teeth group: 5.7±2.32) with no statistical difference. There was no significant difference in the theoretical questionnaire results (P=0.615) or in the photograph evaluation (P=0.187) among the periods. In the intra-group comparison, P10 students scored higher in the photograph evaluation than in the theoretical questionnaire, showing a significant difference (P=0.027). No significant correlation was found between theoretical knowledge and sculpture evaluation (r=0.177; P=0.256). Within the limits of this study, it was concluded that students had similar performance in theoretical knowledge of anterior and posterior teeth. However, P10 students performed better in photograph evaluation than in the theoretical questionnaire, suggesting an improvement in practical skills throughout the course.

What competencies does an orthodontic postgraduate need?

BackgroundCompetency frameworks are used to guide professional education and assessment. An orthodontic graduate needs various competencies. This study aimed to determine competencies and create a basic competency framework for orthodontic graduates.MethodsThis descriptive cross-sectional study used the Delphi method. A comprehensive literature review was conducted in the ISI, Scopus, PubMed, Eric, and Google Scholar; the orthodontic curriculum in Iran; and the available orthodontic curricula. The sub-competencies and learning objectives necessary for an orthodontic graduate were extracted. The list of competencies was designed as an electronic questionnaire as the first round of Delphi. Fifty-two orthodontic specialists (university staff) were asked to determine the degree of necessity of competencies for an orthodontic graduate using a five-point Likert scale. In the second round, nine competencies were transferred from the first round of Delphi, and four competencies were extracted from the experts' opinions and were included in the questionnaire.ResultsA total of 85 articles and 4 curricula were reviewed and 77 competencies were identified in 11 domains. In the first round of the Delphi, 68 competencies were accepted, for a quota of 70%, and nine were transferred to the second round of the Delphi. At this round, most of the competencies in the field of “data collection and recording”, “treatment procedures”, “patient-centered treatment”, “dental knowledge, “clinical reasoning and moral judgment”, “communication skills”, “Health Promotion”, “Attitude, legal responsibilities and ethical issues (professionalism)”, “information management”, and “Self-development” through participation were accepted. Finally, the domain of competence “the dentist's role in the health system” was removed, and ten domains (73 competencies) were accepted.ConclusionsThe competencies identified in this study can be used in designing competency-based curricula, education, and assessment in post-graduate orthodontic programs.

Validation of a Questionnaire on COVID-19 Knowledge and Attitude for Dental Patients.

Objectives: The current study aimed to develop a valid and reliable questionnaire in both English and Persian to assess dental patients' knowledge and attitude during the COVID-19 outbreak. Materials and Methods: Through a comprehensive literature review, we designed the primary questionnaire in English and then translated it into Persian. The questionnaire consisted of six sections covering background information, knowledge of emergency dental treatments, transmission routes of disease, required preparation, source of information, and attitude. To evaluate the validity of the questionnaire, the researchers obtained expert opinions using the Item Content Validity Index (I-CVI) and Scale Content Validity Index (S-CVI/Ave). They distributed online versions of the questionnaire to a total of 60 English-speaking adults in Nigeria and the United States, and 60 Persian-speaking adults in Iran to measure its reliability using Cronbach's alpha. Results: I-CVI score, S-CVI/Ave, and Cronbach's alpha of the questionnaire ranged from 0.29-1, 0.62-0.99, and 41.1-87.6%, respectively. After reviewing the scores and comments received on each item, taking into account the opinions of the research team, a decision was made to remove, merge, modify, or retain certain items. This led to a final version of the questionnaire consisting of nine questions in the background section and 46 items in the remaining five sections. Conclusion: Overall, the developed questionnaire appears to be valid and reliable for assessing the knowledge and attitude of dental patients toward COVID-19 in dental settings. It can potentially serve as an appropriate scale in future infectious disease epidemics across diverse populations.

Impact of a novel environmental health module on dental students' knowledge and attitudes.

Impact of a novel environmental health module on dental students' knowledge and attitudes.

From anatomy to surgery: Effectiveness of virtual simulation adjuvant to traditional methods in the preclinical training of apicoectomy.

Anatomy forms the foundation for the training and execution of routine surgical procedures. However, a gap persists in effectively bridging anatomical knowledge with the confident performance of procedures. Virtual simulation (VS) techniques, based on experiential and situated learning theory, hold promise in addressing this challenge. Apicoectomy, a procedure involving root apex resection to preserve a tooth, requires a blend of regional and dental anatomy knowledge, making it an ideal model for assessing the effectiveness of VS. This prospective cohort study evaluated primarily the enhancement of incorporating VS training in the preclinical skill training of apicoectomy for undergraduate dental students, compared to relying solely on traditional methods. VS training includes the simulated dissection process, patient examination, and apicoectomy based on graphically synthesized virtual models. Secondly, the study investigated the influence of exposure to VS training on students' confidence and satisfaction. The training was divided into three progressive levels aligned with students' cognitive processes, employing Miller's competence learning framework. Participants were categorized into the control group (CG) (n = 214) and VS training group (VSTG) (n = 220) based on their classes. The results demonstrated that VSTG showed significantly greater training enhancement (VSTG: 7.14 ± 1.74; CG: 6.57 ± 2.02, p = 0.002) and higher confidence levels (VSTG: 2.94 ± 0.13; CG: 2.69 ± 0.13, p < 0.001), along with greater satisfaction with the training compared to the CG (VSTG: 3.70 ± 0.18; CG: 3.20 ± 0.17, p < 0.001). In conclusion, VS proves to be a valuable adjunct for enhancing procedural skill training in surgical procedures.