Dental Students’ Perceived Preparedness to Treat Patients in Clinic After a Fixed Prosthodontics Course: Survey Results of a Case Study

Contrasting student and staff perceptions of preclinical-to-clinical transition at a Chilean dental school

INTRODUCTION

Dental education is a challenging and demanding field of study as students are expected to acquire various competencies to fulfil their professional requirements after graduation. The objective of this study was to investigate and compare dental students' and clinical staff instructors' perceptions of the preclinical-to-clinical transition training at a Dental School in Santiago, Chile.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Two questionnaires containing 11 quantitative and one qualitative item were developed to assess our year three, four and five (n = 244) dental undergraduate students' challenges when they begin treating patients, and clinical staff (n = 78) perceptions of the preparedness to treat patients of the same students. Both questionnaires were voluntarily and anonymously implemented eight weeks after the beginning of the 2019 academic year. Responses were analysed using a Chi-squared test for each quantitative question, while qualitative comments were studied to form themes and dimensions.

RESULTS

A total of 234 (96%) students and 60 (77%) instructors completed their respective questionnaire. There were considerable variations between students in the different years of the programme, as well as between students and staff members. Students and instructors felt the former had enough knowledge to treat patients though it was difficult for them to apply it in clinical practice. Again, both believed they could communicate with patients, but third year students asked for more training on this. Regarding practical skills, fourth- and fifth-year students felt prepared but not third year students, who preferred to work in pairs with senior students, a preference that was shared by the instructors. All student groups asked clinical staff to provide more frequent, constructive and consistent feedback and felt that the difference between simulation and clinical environments and the amount of clinical work to fulfil clinical requirements made them feel stressed. Another mentioned stressor was students' low self-confidence when working with patients. Among the requested improvements, students requested better training on how the dental clinic works to save time.

CONCLUSIONS

Preclinical-to-clinical transition training presents several challenges. Some of the problems highlighted by both students and clinical staff members persisted with the transition after three, four and even five years of training, which needs to be addressed.

Class II composite restoration technique teaching: A randomised controlled crossover laboratory-based trial involving a novel ringless sectional matrix technique

INTRODUCTION

Objectives were to assess how different techniques (including a novel ringless sectional matrix approach) affect students' restorative outcomes, and their preferences for and preparedness to clinically implement new techniques with the aim of introducing appropriate techniques to the undergraduate curriculum.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Students performed two class II composite restorations in plastic teeth using two sectional matrix techniques (separating ring vs. without [ringless]), and two composite restorative techniques (incremental vs. injection-moulded bulk-fill). Restorations were assessed on multiple parameters which were combined to rate them as "good" or not. Online surveys assessed students' preferences for and preparedness to clinically implement new techniques.

RESULTS

Contact area concavity (OR = 106, p < .001) and cervical marginal overhang (OR = 7.4, p < .001) were much more likely with the separating ring compared to the ringless sectional matrix technique. "Good" restorations were 29.5 times more likely when using ringless compared to separating ring techniques and 3.3 times more likely when using the injection-moulding bulk-fill compared to layered composite technique. A majority of students preferred the ringless to separating ring sectional matrix technique and the injection-moulding bulk-fill to layered composite technique. Large majorities felt prepared to implement the new techniques clinically with no or minimal guidance.

CONCLUSIONS

A classic sectional matrix technique with separating ring resulted in a much greater occurrence of contact area concavity and cervical marginal overhang than a novel ringless approach. When allied with student preferences and clinical preparedness, inclusion of the novel ringless approach in the undergraduate curriculum can be supported alongside bulk-fill injection-moulding techniques.

Influence of a major pre-clinical programme restructure on undergraduate student fixed prosthodontics clinical unit completions

INTRODUCTION

Research is limited in measuring the effectiveness of pre-clinical programmes in preparing students for fixed prosthodontics clinical practice. The aim of this retrospectively study was to assess the influence of a major pre-clinical programme restructure on undergraduate student fixed prosthodontics clinical unit completions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The fixed prosthodontics treatment registers from 2011 to 2020 were reviewed, and units completed per student (UCS) and units completed per student per session (UCSS) were calculated in the years before (2011-2013) and after (2014-2020) a major pre-clinical programme restructure (PR). Data were summarised in Microsoft Excel software (version 2016), and Student's t-test and paired t-tests were performed to determine the significance of difference in UCS and UCSS in the years before and after the PR.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference in the UCS (p < .05) and UCSS (p < .01) in the years before and after the PR. The average UCS in the years before the PR was 2.20 units compared with 3.86 units after the PR, an increase of 75% per student. The average UCSS in the years before the PR was 0.15 units compared with 0.28 units after the PR, an increase of 87% per session.

CONCLUSION

The fixed prosthodontics pre-clinical programme restructure resulted in statistically significantly increased student clinical unit completions.

Preclinical to clinical transition experiences of dental students at an Australian Regional University

INTRODUCTION

Clinical experience is a crucial component of dental education as it prepares students for real-world practice. Our study aimed to investigate the transition from preclinical to clinical training experiences of dental students at a regional Australian dental school.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A mixed-methods study was conducted using a survey and focus groups. Participants were dental students who recently transitioned into clinical training. Survey data were analysed quantitatively using descriptive statistics, whilst the qualitative data were thematically analysed using the conceptual framework of organisational socialisation theory (OST).

RESULTS

Forty-eight of the 69 students in the cohort completed the survey and 10 participated in the focus groups. The quantitative findings revealed that the transition was perceived to be abrupt and associated with a heavy workload. However, orientation sessions and engaging in chairside teaching made transitioning into clinical studies easier. The qualitative findings revealed that the transition process occurred in three phases. In phase 1, participants navigated the educational and social challenges using developmental characteristics such as resilience and positivity. Lessons learnt in phase 1 were used to make necessary learning adjustments in phase 2 and this subsequently enhanced developmental growth in the final phase, which helped ease the transition.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms that transitioning into clinical training can be complex. However, the educational and socialisation challenges associated with the transition can provide stimulating developmental learning opportunities that advance students' adjustments to the clinical environment with positive, empowering and motivational outcomes that facilitate a smooth transition.

Can an interactive case-based activity help bridge the theory-practice gap in operative dentistry?

INTRODUCTION

A theory-practice gap in pre-doctoral dental education is a common source of stress for dental students. An interactive, small-group, case-based activity was designed to bridge the gap between pre-clinical and clinical experiences. The aim of our study was to assess the effectiveness of the case-based activity by evaluating students' comfort level in operative procedures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Over 5 years, a total of 172 second-year students from the classes of 2017 through 2021 participated in the case-based activity delivered after the completion of the core operative dentistry course. The exercise included a pre-activity online quiz, an in-class case-based session and a laboratory exercise. Students' self-reported comfort levels in performing operative procedures were collected by surveys at three different times. They included the post-course survey distributed after the completion of the core operative dentistry course, the post-activity survey distributed after the completion of the case-based activity, and the follow-up survey distributed after students completed their first operative procedures in clinic.

RESULTS

There was a 93% response rate. The average rating of all eight statements revealed statistically significant increase in students' comfort level after completing the case-based activity and after performing their first operative procedures in the teaching practice.

CONCLUSION

This observation suggests that the case-based activity was effective in raising students' comfort levels. The activity may serve as an important tool in bridging the theory-practice gap between pre-clinical and clinical operative experiences.

Challenges in the transition to clinical training in dentistry: An ADEE special interest group initial report

INTRODUCTION

Curricular integration in higher education has been widely supported in the educational literature. As a result, several health care and specifically dental curricula have evolved from compartmentalised disciplinary training to integrated modalities; however, in many courses, a pre-clinical-clinical watershed remains a barrier to integration in dental education. This article introduces a general description of the pre-clinical-clinical transition in dentistry according to the outcomes of the discussion held during the first working group session of the "Transition to Clinical Training" Special Interest Group during the 2016 annual meeting of the Association for Dental Education in Europe.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An online questionnaire was made available before the meeting to survey the curricular characteristics of the participants' schools. During the meeting, a working session related to the pre-clinical-clinical transition occurred. Conclusions from the discussion are summarised in this article.

RESULTS

Fourteen dental schools from 12 countries participated in the online survey. The included programmes had an average duration of 5.3 years (SD = 0.48), with high school or the local equivalent as the required entrance level for dentistry. The hybrid curriculum was the leading curriculum design (n = 9) followed by competence-based curricula (n = 3), with patient treatment as the core of clinical training in every included programme.

CONCLUSION

The pre-clinical-clinical transition in dentistry is a recognisable matter in dental education that requires assessment and research to ease the management of a stage with relevant influence on educational outcomes. This article presents an initial framework for further research and educational intervention.

Dental Students' Perceived Clinical Competence in Prosthodontics: Comparison of Traditional and Problem-Based Learning Methodologies

The aim of this study was to compare the perceived competence for treating prosthodontic patients of two samples of fourth-year dental students: those educated using traditional methodologies and those educated using problem-based learning (PBL). Two cohorts of fourth-year dental students at a dental school in Spain were surveyed: the traditional methods cohort (n=46) was comprised of all students in academic years 2012 and 2013, and the PBL cohort (n=57) was comprised of all students in academic years 2014 and 2015. Students in both cohorts reported the number of prosthodontic treatments they carried out per year and their perceived level of competence in performing such treatments. The results showed that the average number of treatments performed was similar for the two cohorts, except the number of metal-based removable partial dentures was significantly higher for students in the traditional (0.8±1.0) than the PBL (0.4±0.6) cohort. The level of perceived competence to treat complete denture patients for the combined cohorts was significantly higher (7.3±1.1) than that for partial acrylic dentures (6.7±1.5) and combined dentures (5.7±1.3). Students' clinical competence in prosthodontics mainly depended on number of treatments performed as the operator as well as the assistant. Students in the traditional methods cohort considered themselves to be significantly more competent at treating patients for removable partial and fixed prostheses (7.8±1.1 and 7.6±1.1, respectively) than did students in the PBL cohort (6.4±1.5 and 6.6±1.5, respectively). Overall, however, the study found that practical experiences were more important than the teaching method used to achieve students' perceived competence.