An investigation into security, self-confidence and gender differences related to undergraduate education in Endodontics

Evaluation of the efficacy of a simulation model used in oral and maxillofacial surgery education

BACKGROUND

The traditional teaching methods of dental education are gradually being replaced with futuristic education methods based on the usage of educational tools such as mannequin-based simulation models and virtual reality. However, the effectiveness of mannequin-based simulation models as a learning method in the field of oral surgery remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the efficacy of training on a tooth extraction model (TEM) in view of undergraduate dental students' experience and perception of their education.

METHODS

A quasi-experimental trial was implemented with two consecutive year classes, totaling 136 students at the Dentistry Faculty of Altinbas University, Turkiye. Two cohorts were created from dental students in the classes of 2023 and 2022 graduates. Cohort 1 (n = 71) received 14 h of theoretical education followed by 10 h of preclinical education on TEM. Cohort 2 (n = 65) received only 14 h of theoretical education. An anonymous questionnaire was prepared with four main sections including the preferences of learning style, participants' perceptions of the preclinical training methods, the students' competency and free text comments. Students' opinions were quantified with both 7-point Likert scales and thematic analysis. Anxiety levels were measured with the interval scale of anxiety response (ISAR). Descriptive statistics, inferential statistical and thematic analyses were conducted according to survey responses. Student characteristics were summarized and compared for two cohorts using a t-test. For all statistical analyses, the significance level was set atP ≤ 0.05.

RESULT

Cohort 1 was more comfortable with sequential motions performed with the forceps (P = 0.033) and felt more ready for their first clinical tooth extraction experience (P = 0.028). Cohort 2 showed a significantly higher preference for textbooks among supplementary materials (P = 0.04); however, they tended to exhibit lower self-confidence and higher anxiety levels, though without any statistical significance (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

It is clear that the students who have yet to start seeing patients benefit from increased practice with training models, which adequately reflect and represent real-life situations encountered in everyday practice.

Knowledge, Practice and Self-Reported Confidence Level of Croatian Dentists in the Use of Local Anesthesia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objectives: To provide safe and effective local anesthesia, dentists must have knowledge of neuroanatomy, anesthesia agents, techniques, equipment, and proper use of local anesthetics. This study aims to explore the knowledge, practices, and confidence regarding local anesthetics and anesthetic techniques in dentistry. Material and Methods: The online cross-sectional questionnaire was conducted via social media, and yielded 441 responses from across the country (69.8% women and 30.2% men; 70.7% general dentists; and 29.3 specialists). The data collected included sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, and practices pertaining to the usage of local anesthesia. The questionnaire also documents their self-assessed confidence level in applying different local anesthetic techniques and experiences with adverse reactions. The obtained data were processed by description and using a generalized linear model for regression. Results: The respondents had a median knowledge score of 6 out of a possible 14 points regarding local anesthetics in dental medicine, and their median self-confidence level in the successful application of various techniques of local anesthesia was 54 out of a maximum of 85 points. The results showed that a higher knowledge level was associated with the female gender (OR 1.83, CI 1.13-2.98, p = 0.014) and specialization in oral surgery (OR 7.04, CI 1.71-29.07, p = 0.007). In contrast, a lack of confidence in using various local anesthetic techniques was also associated with the female gender (OR 0.63, CI 0.41-0.99, p = 0.047) and specialization in orthodontics (OR 0.16, CI 0.03-0.88, p = 0.035). Of the respondents, 81.4% (n = 371) experienced a local complication, and 42.2% (n = 186) experienced a systemic complication during local anesthesia. The complications experienced cannot be associated with a lack of knowledge or self-confidence (p > 0.05). The majority of respondents (364 of the 441 total-82.5%) expressed interest in receiving further education on the topic of local anesthesia. Conclusions: The research results show that the dentists involved in the study have poor knowledge of local anesthetics and moderate self-reported confidence levels in using various local anesthetic techniques. Moreover, dentists' self-confidence in applying different techniques of local anesthesia is not related to their knowledge. Therefore, it would be necessary for dentists to undergo a continuing dental education program that enables them to enhance their skills and knowledge in local anesthesia.

Gender Differences in Perceived Working Conditions of General Practitioners During the COVID-19 Pandemic-a Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has revealed gender-specific differences between general practitioners in adapting to the posed challenges. As primary care workforce is becoming increasingly female, in many countries, it is essential to take a closer look at gender-specific influences when the global health care system is confronted with a crisis.

OBJECTIVE

To explore gender-specific differences in the perceived working conditions and gender-specific differences in challenges facing GPs at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

DESIGN

Online survey in seven countries.

PARTICIPANTS

2,602 GPs from seven countries (Austria, Australia, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Slovenia). Of the respondents, 44.4% (n = 1,155) were women.

MAIN MEASURES

Online survey. We focused on gender-specific differences in general practitioners' perceptions of working conditions at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

KEY RESULTS

Female GPs rated their skills and self-confidence significantly lower than male GPs (f: 7.1, 95%CI: 6.9-7.3 vs. m: 7.6, 95%CI 7.4-7.8; p < .001), and their perceived risk (concerned about becoming infected or infecting others) higher than men (f: 5.7, 95%CI: 5.4-6.0 vs. m: 5.1, 95%CI: 4.8-5.5; p = .011). Among female GPs, low self-confidence in the treatment of COVID-19 patients appear to be common. Results were similar in all of the participating countries.

CONCLUSIONS

Female and male GPs differed in terms of their self-confidence when dealing with COVID-19-related issues and their perceptions of the risks arising from the pandemic. To ensure optimal medical care, it is important that GPs realistically assess their own abilities and overall risk.

Differential attitudes and outcomes of endodontics education between mainland and non-mainland chinese students during COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the learning style and campus life of dental students. This study aimed to evaluate the learning attitudes and outcomes of endodontics among mainland Chinese students and non-mainland Chinese students (students from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) during the pandemic.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in November 2022 at the School of Stomatology, Jinan University, utilizing a self-report online questionnaire, including demographic characteristics and attitudes toward the endodontic course and the COVID-19 pandemic. The endodontics scores were collected from recruited students for further analysis. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 software, with independent two-sample t-tests to compare continuous variables and chi-square tests for categorical variables.

RESULTS

A total of 215 dental students completed the survey, with 126 (58.6%) of them being non-mainland Chinese students. Compared to mainland Chinese students, non-mainland Chinese students had lower scores in both theoretical (63.6 ± 13.5 vs. 83.2 ± 8.00) and skill (88.4 ± 5.38 vs. 90.0 ± 4.91) endodontic assessments. Non-mainland Chinese students reported significantly greater impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on their learning emotions, personal hygiene, and future career choices compared to mainland Chinese students.

CONCLUSIONS

Non-mainland Chinese students had poorer academic performance in endodontics and experienced a greater impact from the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of their studies and lives. Dental educators should consider the diversity of students and take necessary measures to support their mental health and enhance learning outcomes in the post-COVID-19 era.

The impact of endodontic workload and allocated treatment time of dentists in turkey on perceived stress and complication frequency and suggested solutions

Background

Procedural complications and workload have been reported as sources of stress in dentistry.

Aim

To investigate the impact of endodontic workload and allocated treatment time of dentists on perceived stress and frequency of complications.

Material and Methods

The online survey included questions to evaluate the average number of root canal treatments per week, stress levels during root canal treatment, frequency of single-visit root canal treatments, time spent on single-visit treatments, frequency of endodontic complications per week, preference for management of complication, and proposed solutions.

Results

A negative correlation was found between endodontic workload and perceived stress, which was statistically significant at slight and moderate stress levels (P < 0.05). Amongst the clinicians who feel "very stressful" during the treatment, the clinicians who allocate only 20 minutes or less per treatment had the highest frequency, and their numbers were significantly higher than clinicians who spent 20-40 minutes per treatment (P < 0.05). Amongst the clinicians who experience instrument separation 4-6 times/week, the number of clinicians who spent 40-60 minutes or more than 60 minutes per root canal treatment was significantly lower in comparison to the number of clinicians who spent 20-40 minutes (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Increasing the quality of dental equipment and reducing the time pressure on dentists might result in lesser stress levels of clinicians and fewer endodontic complications.

How Well Prepared Are Dental Students and New Graduates in Pakistan-A Cross-Sectional National Study

The transition of an undergraduate dental student to an actual practicing dentist is a crucial phase and ensuring the preparedness of graduates for the complexity and demands of contemporary dental practice is a challenging task. This study aimed to evaluate the self-perceived preparedness of undergraduate dental students and house officers in the dental colleges of Pakistan. A cross-sectional national study was planned to collect information from dental students and new graduates in Pakistan. The pre-validated Dental Undergraduates Preparedness Assessment Scale (DU-PAS) was used. A purposive sampling technique was utilized to recruit house officers and undergraduate dental students from 27 dental schools in Pakistan. The data analysis was carried out using the R statistical environment for Windows (R Core Team, 2015). A total of 862 responses with 642 females and 219 males were analyzed in the study. Overall, the clinical skills score was 30.56 ± 9.08 and the score for soft skills was 30.54 ± 10.6. The mean age of the participants was 23.42 ± 1.28. Deficiencies were reported in various soft skills and clinical skills attributes. The results highlighted the strengths and weaknesses of dental students and new graduates in Pakistani dental institutions. The findings may be used to further develop and strengthen the teaching and training of dental students in Pakistan.

Quality of root canal treatment performed by undergraduate students using nickel-titanium reciprocating versus hand instruments

PURPOSE

To compare the technical quality of root canal treatment (RCT) depending on the incidence of procedural errors performed by undergraduate students using nickel-titanium reciprocating and conventional hand instrumentation techniques, and to assess the impact of case difficulty and localization of the teeth (maxillary or mandibular molars).

METHODS

Dental records and periapical radiographs of molars that were treated with either hand or reciprocating WaveOne (WO) instruments were evaluated retrospectively. The technical quality of RCTs, the incidence of ledge formation, perforation, instrument fracture, overinstrumentation, underfilling, overfilling, inadequate root canal filling, and the effects of case difficulty and tooth localization were compared using the chi-square test with a significance of 5% (α = 0.05).

RESULTS

While overinstrumentation was more frequent in the WO group (247 teeth), the incidence of inadequate root canal fillings was higher in the hand instrumentation group (245 teeth) (p < 0.01). No significant difference was observed in the incidence of other procedural errors (p > 0.05). The number of teeth with acceptable technical quality in preparation and obturation was 172 (69.6%) in the WO group, whereas it was 142 (58%) in the hand instrumentation group, presenting a significant difference between the instrumentation techniques (p < 0.01). Higher technical quality rates were observed with WO instrumentation in the high difficulty category and in maxillary teeth (p < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Higher technical quality in preparation and obturation can be achieved with WO reciprocating instruments and file-matched greater tapered gutta-percha cones. No significant difference was observed between the groups in the incidence of procedural errors except for overinstrumentation and insufficient root canal filling. WO instrumentation and obturation with file-matched greater tapered gutta-percha cones provided better technical quality in the high difficulty category and in maxillary teeth.

A Comparative Study of Two Martensitic Alloy Systems in Endodontic Files Carried out by Unskilled Hands

The aim of this study was to compare the behavior of two heat-treated file systems on resin blocks in unskilled hands. For this purpose, an in vitro, randomized, cross-sectional study was conducted to compare ProTaper Gold (PTG) with BlueShaper (BS) files. A total of 81 resin blocks were used and analyzed photographically to assess the amount of material removed during instrumentation. PTG removed more material on the outside of the curve in the coronal and apical third, while BS removed more material on the inner part of the curve in the middle third. The procedural errors observed in the total sample were apical transportation (33.8%), blockages (4.9%), ledges (3.7%), and canal perforation. PTG produced more apical transportation, and there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in the formation of ledges, canal perforations, or blockages. No file fractures were recorded during the study. Within the limitations of this study, we can affirm that neither file excessively deformed the artificial canals, and the PTG file produced more apical transportation.

Preclinical 3D-printed laboratory simulation of deep caries and the exposed pulp reduced student anxiety and stress, while increasing confidence and knowledge in vital pulp treatment

Aim

To evaluate the impact of a preclinical laboratory session using 3D printed teeth on dental student stress, anxiety, confidence and knowledge when treating deep caries and pulp exposure.

Methodology

This was a two‐centre controlled study, with randomized distribution of students into two groups: a vital pulp treatment (VPT) lecture‐only (control) group and a VPT‐lecture combined with a VPT‐laboratory (experimental) group. In both universities, preclinical students with endodontic or operative dentistry laboratory sessions could participate. All students were invited to the lecture. Two weeks later (timepoint‐T1), both groups completed validated and bespoke questionnaires and scales to evaluate their stress (Stress‐VAS), anxiety (STAI Trait [T] and State [S]), self‐confidence and knowledge. Thereafter, only the experimental group attended the hands‐on laboratory session demonstrating the techniques of selective caries removal and partial pulpotomy on a commercial 3D‐printed tooth. Two weeks later (timepoint‐T2), the participants from both groups repopulated the same questionnaires and VAS. The control group had the laboratory session after the completion of the study. The statistical analysis was performed with Statistica® (significance p = .05). The homogeneity between the two samples was checked by Khi² and Student tests. Stress‐VAS, STAI‐S, confidence and knowledge scores were compared within each group, and between the two groups, at T1 and T2, with a repeated measures anova test (+/−Tukey post‐hoc test).

Results

The groups comprised 54 students each, with no statistical difference between the groups regarding demographic, academic data and STAI‐T score. The two groups had no significant difference of Stress‐VAS, STAI‐S, confidence and knowledge scores at T1 while they presented a significant difference in stress, anxiety and confidence scores at T2, but with no significant difference in knowledge score. However, knowledge score, as other parameters, improved significantly between T1 and T2 in the experimental group.

Conclusions

The addition of a laboratory session using 3D‐printed teeth that simulated deep caries and pulp exposure management, significantly reduced the stress and anxiety of students and increased their confidence. Within the limitations of this study, the benefit of introducing new technology in increasing student confidence and reducing stress offers opportunity for educational improvement in the VPT and cariology areas.

Influence of dental education on adoption and integration of technological aids in the delivery of endodontic care by dental practitioners: a survey

OBJECTIVE

To investigate adoption and integration of technological aids during endodontic treatment and where dental practitioners (DPs) learnt to use this technology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An electronic questionnaire was distributed to all 459 dentists who graduated from University of Bergen between 2008 and 2018. The respondents were divided into two cohorts, older graduates (2008-2013) and newer graduates(2014-2018).

RESULTS

A total of 314(68.4%) DPs answered the questionnaire. Magnification in the form of dental operating microscopes (DOM) and dental loupes was used by 180 (59.6%), electronic apex locators (EAL) by 271(89.7%) and motor-driven files by 281 (93.4%) DPs. The most frequent response, as to where they learnt to use them was: during undergraduate dental (UG) education. Significantly more newer graduates (90.7%) performed instrumentation based on what they learnt during UG education (p < .001). Older graduates based their instrumentation method equally on what they learnt during UG education (51.9%) and continuing dental education(42.6%). Rubber dam was used during all treatment procedures by 93% of the DPs.

CONCLUSIONS

UG education is a communication channel with long-lasting importance for adoption and integration of technology by DPs. Exposure to innovations (awareness) during UG education is adequate for integration of technology. Continuing dental education is as valuable as UG education for adoption of technology for older graduates.