Skills Of Dental Students Research Articles

Association between Decision-Making Styles and Socioemotional Skills in Dental Students

Association between Decision-Making Styles and Socioemotional Skills in Dental Students

Effects of simulation-based flipped classroom in developing head and neck examination skills in dental students.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a simulation-based flipped classroom in developing dental students' head and neck examination skills. Second-year dental students (n=118) participated in a simulation-based flipped classroom experience. A pre-class recorded lecture and video were posted online one week before the simulation date. In class, students completed a pre-quiz assessing pre-class coursework understanding of head and neck examination content. Then, students attended a question-and-answer session before the patient simulation. A formative assessment of head and neck examination simulation on a patient in the clinic was completed. Lastly, students completed an in-class post-quiz assessing understanding of head and neck examination content after the simulation, classroom simulation discussion, and open-response survey. Student post-quiz scores were significantly higher than pre-quiz scores, with an average improvement of 4.8 ± 7.2 percentage points. There was no difference between male and female improvement in scores. Student survey responses indicated that students liked combining simulation and flipped classroom methodology, flexibility with their schedules, learning at their pace, and opportunities for a deeper level of learning. Students reported wanting more practice sessions for their technical skills and more accessibility to faculty. According to this study's results, students had significantly higher post-quiz scores than pre-quiz scores and reported positive perceptions of this combined teaching technique. A simulation-based flipped classroom might be an effective teaching approach for developing head and neck examination skills that can be applied at other dental facilities with potentially similar results.

Use of clinical simulators and development of professional skills in dental students: systematic review

With the advancement of new technologies and teaching methods, dental schools face significant challenges in reorganizing their educational processes. This requires the incorporation of pedagogical systems that enhance the intellectual abilities of students, allowing them to respond effectively to the demands of society. The objective of this review was to analyze the impact of the use of clinical simulators on the development of professional skills in dental students. A systematic review was carried out using the Scielo, Lilacs and Redalyc databases. The search focused on studies related to the variables: simulators, learning, skills, students and dentistry. From the analysis of the content of the selected articles, three main themes were identified: the importance of the use of dental simulators, the development of skills in simulated environments, and the types of clinical simulators used in the training of dental students. The use of simulators in dental training is essential to improve clinical practice safely. These devices allow students to fine-tune their motor skills and develop a high level of confidence, which is crucial for performing procedures on real patients in their future professional practice

Evaluation Of Development Of Clinical Reasoning Skills In Dental Students Through Diagnostic Thinking Inventory.

To assessthe clinical reasoning skills among dentalstudents, and to compare the diagnostic thinking ability of male and female students. The cross-sectionalstudy was conducted from May to July 2021 at a public-sector dental school in Karachi, and comprised students of both genders from across allthe four years ofdentalschool.Datawas collectedusing thediagnostic thinking inventory which also assessed flexibility in thinking and knowledge structure inmemory.Datawas analysedusing SPSS 18. Of the 111 forms distributed, 108(98.2%) were received duly filled; 32 (29.35%) from male students and 76(69.72) from female students. Participants from the first year were 24(22%), second year 23(21%), third year 33 (30.27%) and the fourth year 29(26.6%).The reliability of diagnostic thinking inventory was 0.906, for knowledge structure in memory 0.661, andflexibility inthinking0.573.The correlationwassignificantforstudentsintheir 2nd, 3rdand4thyearsofstudies(p=0.01) The overall mean score was <150 which was poor. Both the knowledge structure in memory, and flexibility in thinking scores were higher for females compared to males(Significant at the level of 0.01). The clinical reasoning skills of students were low, and the diagnostic thinking ability of female students was better than that of their male counterparts.

A phenomenological study on East and Southeast Asian dental educators: perceived importance, challenges, and strategies in teaching dental materials science

BackgroundEffective teaching of dental materials science is crucial for dental students to develop a comprehensive understanding of materials used in clinical practice. However, literature on educators’ views on teaching this subject is still scarce. This qualitative study aimed to explore the lived experiences of dental educators in teaching dental materials science subjects, thereby addressing potential gaps and enhancing teaching practices.MethodsThirteen dental educators from East and Southeast Asian countries (Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, South Korea, and Japan) participated in the present study. The present study adopted a transcendental phenomenological approach. One-to-one semi-structured online interviews were conducted. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was employed to identify patterns in the educators’ experiences.ResultsThree themes emerged from the present study. First, perceptions of the importance of dental materials science, highlighting its relevance in clinical practice, patient care, and lifelong learning. Second, the challenges faced in teaching dental materials science include limited instructional time, complex content, and insufficient resources. Third, specific strategies, such as applying interactive teaching methods, integrating clinical scenarios, and promoting critical thinking skills have been suggested to enhance teaching and learning.ConclusionUnderstanding dental educators’ experiences can improve dental materials science education, curriculum development, teaching methods, and faculty training programmes, ultimately enhancing the knowledge and skills of dental students in this field.

Assessment of reflection-based education on reflective thinking skills of dental students: A quasi experimental study

Assessment of reflection-based education on reflective thinking skills of dental students: A quasi experimental study

Potential of intraoral optical scanning to evaluate motor skills' improvement for tooth preparation: A prospective cohort study.

This prospective cohort study investigated the potential of digital assessment using intraoral scanning (IOS) combined with software analysis (prepCheck) to evaluate the outcome of repetitive tooth preparation and its influence on the acquisition of motor skills in dental students. Twenty-six students completed 177 full-crown preparations of the same tooth in six practice sessions followed by a final examination. Preparations were assessed digitally using prepCheck and conventionally by calibrated faculty instructors. In addition, students assessed their own performance and this was compared with the instructors' assessments. Conventional assessment showed that students preparations improved over time, with 43.5% of students receiving score 2 (highest grade) at the fifth practice session. With the prepCheck assessment, statistically significant improvements indicated by an enlarged area within the tolerance range set at 0.2mm were found between the first and the second practice session (7.5% improvement; 95% CI: 2.2%, 12.7%, p=0.006), and between the first run and the final exam preparation (6.7%; 95% CI: 1.7%, 12.5%, p=0.011). Agreement between instructor/student assessments was best immediately after students received visual feedback using prepCheck (76% agreement; Spearman's rho 0.78). These data indicate that IOS technology was useful for student's self-evaluation by visual feedback.

Evaluation of Clinical Communication Skills in Dental Students with Objective Structured Clinical Examination

Evaluation of Clinical Communication Skills in Dental Students with Objective Structured Clinical Examination

Comparison between Virtual and Traditional Learning Methods for Orthodontic Knowledge and Skills in Dental Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

A gradual transition from traditional face-to-face learning to online learning has been observed globally following the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to compare online and traditional learning methods in relation to orthodontic knowledge and skills acquired in undergraduate courses. A quasi-experimental design was used with two consecutive year classes of 198 dental students at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. The experimental (virtual) group of 92 students received the content of a clinical orthodontic course virtually using the Blackboard Collaborate™ platform. The control (traditional) group consisted of a previous cohort of 106 students who enrolled in the same course but received traditional classroom education. The students were evaluated through a semester, and both groups obtained the same content and exam questions. The students in the virtual group scored higher in the final theory exam than the traditional group (p-value < 0.05). However, no significant difference in the overall orthodontic knowledge and skills was observed between the groups at the end of the course. Both learning methods showed moderate positive correlation between orthodontic knowledge and skills. In conclusion, virtual learning can serve as an effective alternative to traditional face-to-face learning for teaching orthodontic knowledge and skills to the dental students.

Development and questionnaire-based evaluation of virtual dental clinic: a serious game for training dental students

ABSTRACT Background The volume of literature about serious gaming in dental education has increased, however, none of the previous studies have developed a serious game for closing the gap between preclinical and clinical training. Objective Virtual Dental Clinic (VDC) is a serious game that was created to help develop clinical reasoning skills in dental students. This study aimed to evaluate VDC as an educational tool and its effectiveness on clinical skill and knowledge gain among clerkship dental students. Methods The following three stages of VDC design and testing were addressed from 2016 to 2020: development, validation, and application. The VDC was developed using Unity game engine. In the validation stage, the content validity was reviewed by five visiting staff; construct validity and face validity were examined by 9 postgraduate-year dentists and 14 clerkship dental students. Concurrent validity and predictive validity were examined by 34 fifth-year dental students during their clerkship from September, 2018 to May, 2019, the associations between VDC experiences, clerkship performance, and the score on a national qualification test were explored. In the application stage, the VDC was set up as a self-learning tool in the Family Dentistry Department from August, 2019, quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted using the 92 clerkship students’ feedback. Results The VDC showed good validity and a high potential for education in practice. Students who have used VDC received significantly higher scores on qualification test (p = 0.029); the VDC experiences significantly predicted higher performance score on periodontics (p = 0.037) and endodontics (p = 0.040). After the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, significantly higher proportion of students confirmed the value of VDC as an assistant tool for learning clinical reasoning (p = 0.019). Conclusions The VDC as an educational tool, and the effectiveness on clinical reasoning skills and knowledge gain among clerkship dental students has been validated and confirmed in this study.

Improving the Awareness of Musculoskeletal Disorder Risks Among Dental Educators.

Prolonged and static postures among dental workforce personnel may lead to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). The aim of this study was to determine whether feedback involving photography and self-assessment would improve dental educators' postures and accuracy of ergonomic self-assessment. This study used a randomized control design. The Modified-Dental Operator Posture Assessment Instrument (M-DOPAI) was used for all ergonomic evaluations over a four-week period at one U.S. dental school. At week 1, all 30 participating dental educators were photographed and completed an M-DOPAI without viewing the photographs. In weeks 2 and 3, the educators in the control group (N=15) completed an M-DOPAI without any additional photographs. The educators in the training group (N=15) had additional photographs taken and used the photographs to complete an ergonomic self-assessment with the principal investigator. From week 1 to week 4, the ergonomics training utilizing photography resulted in improvements in the dental educators' ergonomic scores but not the accuracy of their ergonomic self-assessments. All participants strongly agreed it was important for both dental students and dentists to understand proper ergonomics, properly apply proper ergonomics, and have accurate ergonomic self-assessment skills in clinical practice. Although these dental educators valued ergonomic principles, they lacked training in applying these principles with dental students. Without additional training in ergonomics and self-assessment, the development of these skills in dental students will be affected.

FOSTERING CLINICAL THINKING IN DENTAL DOCTORS THROUGH POST-GRADUATION PROFESSIONAL TRAINING

During the internship training, future dental doctors expand knowledge about understanding the pathogenetic mechanisms of various pathological conditions or illnesses. Most contemporary effective diagnosis and treatment approaches are based on clinical thinking skills, the link between sciences and practice. The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze the peculiarities of building up clinical thinking skills in future paediatric dentists at the postgraduate stage of their training. Developing clinical thinking skills in dental students typically starts since their junior years at the medical university, when they begin studying basic sciences. The background obtained during undergraduate training should be enriched in order to improve recognizing a wide variety of diseases and conditions through the internship training course. Professional thinking skills are fostered at the chair-side practice, when dealing with patients under the guidance of experienced mentors and clinicians. Clinical thinking switches on since the first minutes of doctor-patient interaction and goes on through the treatment course. At the postgraduate stage, it is essential to continue developing the holistic vision of the patient that will help to combine the evidence-based standards of medical care and patient-centred approach (personalized medical care). Conclusion. Thus, the training activities for dental intern doctors should be designed in order to maximally contribute to fostering clinical thinking skills. The mentors and teaching assistants must have clear and deep understanding of what factors can promote this process, and what can not. Among the most significant methodological achievements of postgraduate education is the emphasis on the development of critical and creative thinking skills, which are most clearly manifested by the creativity of clinical thinking.

Teaching Cultural Competence in Dental Education: A Systematic Review and Exploration of Implications for Indigenous Populations in Australia

Indigenous and other minority populations worldwide experience higher rates of disease including poor oral health than other populations. Cultural competence of practitioners is increasingly being recognized as fundamental to health care and quality of life in addressing these disparities. The aims of this study were to conduct a systematic review of the literature about teaching cultural competence in dental education and to explore the particular relevance of that teaching for the oral health care of Indigenous populations in Australia. A systematic review employing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement was conducted of published studies that explored cultural competency interventions in dental curricula. A total of 258 studies from 2004 to 2015 were identified; after removing duplications and applying criteria for exclusion, 12 were selected for analysis, involving 1,360 participants. The principal themes identified in the qualitative analysis of these studies were curriculum content, curriculum delivery, community service-learning, reflective writing, and evaluation. Students need knowledge of health disparities and community health to better understand the perspectives of culturally diverse populations and to communicate effectively with people from various cultures. The principal strategies that improved cultural competence in the articles examined in this study were educational seminars, community service-learning, and reflective writing. These findings suggest that integration of cultural competency curricula using a combination of didactic or online training, community engagement, and reflective writing may increase the cultural knowledge and skills of dental students.

Effectiveness of two interactive educational methods to teach tobacco cessation counseling for senior dental students.

Objective:Nowadays, one of the major health problems in many countries is tobacco use. Dental professionals are in a unique position to promote smoking cessation since they have the opportunity for regular interaction with their patients. The purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of two educational methods to teach tobacco cessation counseling (TCC) in dental practice for senior dental students.Materials and Methods:In this interventional study, 93 eligible senior dental students from two dental schools in Tehran, Iran were randomly divided into two groups. Two educational programs, role play (RP) and problem-based learning (PBL), with the same aim about TCC in dental practice, were developed and implemented for the two groups. The score of knowledge, attitude, and skill were determined in both groups before and after participation in the course using a questionnaire. The changes in the scores from pre- to post-test were statistically analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA test.Results:Total scores of knowledge, attitude, and skill of the participants showed improvements when compared to scores before training (P < 0.001, P = 0.003, and P < 0.001, respectively). However, the differences between the two study methods were statistically insignificant (P > 0.05).Conclusion:The results suggested that TCC training through RP and PBL methods leads to improvement in knowledge, attitude, and skills of dental students in the short-term evaluation.

South African Dental Students’ Perceptions of Most Important Nonclinical Skills According to Medical Leadership Competency Framework

Recent developmental frameworks suggest that dental curricula should focus on developing nonclinical skills in dental students. The aim of this study was to qualitatively map students' perceptions of the most important nonclinical skills against the Medical Leadership Competency Framework (MLCF). A representative sample of second- to fifth-year students (n=594; overall response rate 69%) from all four dental schools in South Africa participated in a cross-sectional survey in 2014-15 enquiring about nonclinical skills and dental practice management. One of the questions required students to list the four most important nonclinical skills required for a dentist. Students (n=541) most frequently noted competencies related to working with others (97.9%), personal qualities (72.3%), and managing services (42.9%) as the most important nonclinical skills. Very few students mentioned competencies related to the improvement of services (14.1%) and the provision of strategic direction (10.9%). The students' attention appeared to be on nonclinical skills generally required for clinical care with some realization of the importance of managing services, indicating a need for a stronger focus on leadership and management training in dental schools in South Africa. The results also helped to unravel some of the conceptual ambiguity of the MLCF and highlight opportunities for leadership research using the MLCF as a conceptual framework.

Critical Thinking Disposition and Skills in Dental Students: Development and Relationship to Academic Outcomes

Critical thinking is a key element of complex problem-solving and professional behavior. An ideal critical thinking measurement instrument would be able to accurately predict which dental students are predisposed to and capable of thinking critically and applying such thinking skills to clinical situations. The aims of this study were to describe critical thinking disposition and skills in dental students at the beginning and end of their first year, examine cohort and gender effects, and compare their critical thinking test scores to their first-year grades. Volunteers from three student cohorts at the University of British Columbia were tested using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and California Critical Thinking Skills instruments at the beginning and end of their first year. Based on the preliminary findings, one cohort was retested at graduation when their final-year grades and clinical advisor rankings were compared to their critical thinking test scores. The results showed that students who entered dental school with higher critical thinking scores tended to complete their first year with higher critical thinking scores, achieve higher grades, and show greater disposition to think critically at the start of the program. Students who demonstrated an ability to think critically and had a disposition to do so at the start of the program were also likely to demonstrate those same attributes at the completion of their training. High critical thinking scores were associated with success in both didactic and clinical settings in dental school.

The Effect of Basic Life Support Workshop on Performance Skills of Iranian Undergraduate Dental Students

Background: Considering the occurrence of medical emergencies in dental practice, and the essential need of acquiring competency in Basic life support (BLS), the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of BLS workshop on the skills of dental students in the cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Methods: In this switching replication experimental study, students in the 5th year of Mashhad dental school (Iran) in 2013 participated in the study. All participants completed a baseline assessment at the skill lab (pre-test). To evaluate the practical skills of students in the cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a scenario was presented, and the students were asked to demonstrate all the actions that are necessary to rescue the patient on a manikin. A trained instructor scored their skills according to a standard checklist. Then; the participants were randomly divided into two groups. The first group took BLS workshop and was assessed immediately after the workshop (immediate post-test), while final examination was conducted one month after the course. The same scenario was used for all participants at each testing point. In the second group, the second pretest was taken within one month of the first pretest. Immediately after taking the second pretest, the students participated in workshop, and were assessed immediately after the course. To compare the score of competency in BLS in the two groups, t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test was used. Results: Primary skills of the two groups were almost similar (P= 0.77). Considerable increase in the skills of the two groups was observed after taking the workshop. One month interval between the two pretests in the second group did not cause any significant difference in the students' skills (P = 0.12). A decrease was observed in the skills of first group one month after the first exam (P = 0.003). Conclusions: BLS workshops can significantly increase dental students’ competency in life support. However, considering the retention time of skills, refreshing courses are strictly recommended.

Communication Skills in Dental Students: New Data Regarding Retention and Generalization of Training Effects

Previous studies have shown that a communications program using patient instructors (PIs) facilitates data-gathering and interpersonal skills of third-year dental students. The aim of this study was to address the question of whether those skills are retained into the students' fourth year and generalized from the classroom to the clinic. In the formative training phase, three cohorts of D3 students (N=1,038) at one dental school received instruction regarding effective patient-doctor communication; interviewed three PIs and received PI feedback; and participated in a reflective seminar with a behavioral science instructor. In the follow-up competency phase, fourth-year students performed two new patient interviews in the clinic that were observed and evaluated by clinical dental faculty members trained in communications. Mean scores on a standardized communications rating scale and data-gathering assessment were compared over training and follow-up sessions and between cohorts with a linear mixed model. The analysis showed that the third-year students' mean communication and data-gathering scores increased with each additional encounter with a PI (p<0.05) and that communication scores were not only maintained but increased during the fourth-year follow-up competency evaluations (p<0.05). Based on changes in the communications curriculum, prior instruction facilitated the students' clinical communication performance at baseline (p<0.05). This study suggests that the current Clinical Communications program improved students' data-gathering and interpersonal skills. Those skills were maintained and generalized through completion of the D4 students' summative competency performance in a clinical setting.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ САМОСТОЯТЕЛЬНОЙ РАБОТЫ СТУДЕНТОВ НА ПРОФИЛЬНОЙ СТОМАТОЛОГИЧЕСКОЙ КАФЕДРЕ В СОВРЕМЕННЫХ УСЛОВИЯХ

&lt;p&gt;This article the difficulties of forming the organization skills of dental students at the faculties specialized departments, discusses possible solutions.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;

193 Self-Reported Clinical Skills of Dental Students Completing an Office-Based Emergencies Course

193 Self-Reported Clinical Skills of Dental Students Completing an Office-Based Emergencies Course