European Journal of Dental Education最新文献

Background/aim: One of the largest unmet dental care needs in Germany concerns dependent older people (DOP). The aim of this Delphi study was to define learning objectives (LOs) for the dental curriculum, specifying the skills, abilities, and attitudes necessary to enable and motivate future dentists to provide oral health care to DOP.

Method: LOs from international guidelines for special care dentistry and gerodontology were mapped and aligned with the current guidelines of the German dental curriculum. Based on this alignment, comprehensive LOs were formulated and ranked through a Delphi process. The target group consisted of dental education experts from German universities (14 in first round/12 in second round), all of whom had expertise in gerodontology or special care dentistry.

Results: A framework consisting of six competence areas was established: (1) Care dependency in older individuals, (2) Access & barriers to oral health, (3) Legal aspects, (4) Communication, (5) Effects of medical and functional condition on oral health, (6) Clinical management of DOP. The participants agreed on a total of 43 LOs. After refinement, a graduate profile for dental students in Germany with 21 LOs with a focus on the oral health of DOP was developed.

Discussion: The results of this study can be used to provide standardised education about dental care of DOP in Germany. By implementing the LOs and the graduate profile to the undergraduate dental curriculum, students should be prepared for the requirements of dental care for DOP after graduation.

Introduction: This paper describes Doctor of Dental Surgery students' perspectives on participating in NPAL sessions at the School of Dentistry at the University of Alberta. NPAL provides early clinical experiences (ECE) for junior students (mentees) assisted by senior students (mentors).

Method: A convergent, parallel mixed method of concurrently collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative data was used. Junior students completed daily forms and a written reflective assignment. Senior students completed an end-of-year survey and participated in a focus group.

Results: Most junior students found their NPAL sessions useful and their interactions with senior peers very positive. Benefits included an enhanced sense of the importance of patient care and the opportunity to apply concepts in practice. Senior students appreciated the collegiality and support provided by the mentees. The majority of senior students reported that their NPAL experiences as mentees themselves during the early years of the program helped with their transition to fully immersive comprehensive patient care in the third year. Recommendations for improvement included ensuring all mentees are exposed to a wide range of patient cases and have more opportunities to perform procedures.

Conclusion: ECE using NPAL enabled junior students to become comfortable in the clinical environment and perform simple procedures on patients as their skill set developed. Senior students also benefited from the experiences as they provided opportunities to develop mentorship and leadership skills. This strategy may be useful for other institutions interested in implementing early clinical experiences to ease the pre-clinical-clinical transition for students.

Introduction: Although magnification loupes offer well-documented advantages, their initial adaptation can be challenging, often deterring widespread adoption. Without sufficient training during this critical period, students may feel inadequately prepared, limiting their ability to benefit from loupes and contributing to reluctance in their use. To address this issue, this study designed and evaluated a training program focused on the use of Galilean loupes, aiming to enhance the ergonomic posture of dental students.

Methods: Thirty-one second-year dental students were divided into an experimental group and a control group. Response variables were compliance with ergonomic posture requirements, neck angular deviation, muscle contraction of the back and neck and self-reported perception of pain/discomfort. The independent variables were training program and timing of evaluation (T0, before the program; T1, 1 week after the program). Data analysis used mixed repeated-measures ANOVA and nonparametric mixed repeated-measures ANOVA (α = 5%).

Results: For posture compliance, the experimental group showed improved scores at T1 (p = 0.044), while the control group showed no change. Angular deviation was smaller at T1. No significant interaction was found for muscle contractions. Pain/discomfort perception significantly decreased over time (p = 0.006).

Discussion: The training program significantly improved students' compliance to ergonomic posture requirements, though it had no measurable effect on the other variables assessed. These findings are noteworthy, as they indicate that targeted training in the use of magnification loupes can effectively improve students' compliance to ergonomic posture standards. Notably, changes in neck angular deviation and reported pain or discomfort were associated with the timing of assessment rather than the training itself. This suggests that the use of magnification loupes may contribute to reducing angular deviation in the neck as students gain confidence and become more accustomed to magnification. Overall, the training program demonstrated a clear benefit in supporting ergonomic compliance among dental students.

Objective: To determine which model - the banana or the 3D-printed anatomical model - is most effective for teaching sutures and biopsies to third-year dental students, considering both non-technical and technical aspects.

Materials and methods: A total of 74 students participated in this two-arm parallel randomised controlled trial (RCT). Non-technical effectiveness was evaluated by assessing students' reactions to the pedagogical models after the practical work (PW), as well as by measuring their perceived competence, confidence and anxiety both before and after the training. Technical effectiveness was objectively assessed by scoring sutures and biopsies using a criteria grid.

Results: Students in the 3D-printed anatomical group were more satisfied than those in the banana group across all assessed criteria, including ease of handling, realism and suitability for clinical preparation (p < 0.0001). After the PW, both groups showed improved competence (p < 0.001) and confidence (p < 0.001), as well as reduced anxiety (p < 0.001), with no significant intergroup differences. Objective suture assessment scores were higher in the 3D-printed anatomical group than in the banana group (17.68/20 vs. 12.97/20, p < 0.0001), while for biopsies, no significant difference was demonstrated (8.60/10 vs. 8.17/10; ns).

Conclusion: The 3D-printed anatomical model was superior to the banana model in both non-technical aspects (e.g., satisfaction) and in technical aspects for suture practicing. This superiority could be attributed in particular to the improved mechanical properties and realism. For biopsies, both models were technically equally effective, suggesting that tissue fidelity may be less critical for this procedure.

Purpose: As evidence continues to accumulate for the association between psychological trauma and poor oral health outcomes, the need for Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) approaches in dental settings has become increasingly apparent. Training initiatives represent one promising approach to promoting TIC practices within dental settings. This study evaluated a training programme designed to improve TIC practices among Dental Hospital staff.

Methods: The training program comprised an interactive session covering understanding psychological trauma, how to respond to this in dentistry, and self-care for dental staff, administered over 3 hours. Dental, nursing, and administrative staff completed measures to evaluate their confidence and attitudes toward TIC practice before training, immediately after training, and approximately 1 year after the final training session.

Results: Analysis revealed that participants consistently rated the session as highly relevant and useful. Furthermore, participants' self-reported confidence toward TIC showed significant improvement following attendance at the training (p < 0.001), with average confidence levels increasing by approximately 30% after the training. Additionally, there was a significant difference in staff attitudes toward TIC between those who had completed the training and those who had not, approximately 1-year post-training.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that training programs such as ours can positively impact staff confidence and attitudes related to psychological trauma, potentially enhancing the dental experience for people with a history of psychological trauma.

Introduction: This study describes a faculty development initiative through implementing the Issue-Based Strategic Planning Model and SWOT Analysis Framework to establish a sustainable strategic direction and strengthen faculty governance.

Methods: A qualitative case study design was adopted, involving document reviews, stakeholder consultations, and anonymous surveys. The strategic planning process engaged faculty leadership and academic staff using a bidirectional approach, top-down and bottom-up. It involved six key steps: initial preparation, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis, identification of strategic issues, reassessment of mission and vision, development of action plans, and execution with monitoring. Data sources included document reviews, management meetings, anonymous surveys, and thematic analysis of responses.

Results: The strategic planning process fostered unified understanding and engagement across departments. Twelve innovative ideas were consolidated into four strategic pillars guiding institutional transformation. The SWOT analysis identified key strengths (e.g., qualified faculty, accredited curriculum), weaknesses (e.g., lack of curriculum mapping, limited research funding), opportunities (e.g., international collaboration, faculty training), and threats (e.g., financial constraints, outdated research infrastructure). Four strategic goals were formulated: enhancing teaching and learning, promoting research, strengthening administration, and expanding clinical and community services. Implementation led to increased research output, coordinated international programs, and improved alignment of departmental Key Performance Indicators with institutional objectives.

Conclusion: Adopting structured strategic planning models enabled the faculty to align institutional goals with broader educational priorities while reinforcing academic values. This case demonstrates that strategic planning is essential for fostering institutional resilience and continuous improvement in dental education, ensuring long-term relevance, sustainability, and impact.

Introduction: Preformed metal crowns (PMCs) and pulpotomies are established treatments for carious lesions in primary molars. Despite their effectiveness, variability in knowledge and clinical experience amongst dental students has been reported. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions of Dutch dental students at the Academic Centre for Dentistry in the dental school of Amsterdam (ACTA). Regarding PMCs and pulpotomies in primary molars.

Materials and methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire study was conducted amongst second-to-final year dental students at Academic Centre for Dentistry in the dental school of Amsterdam (ACTA). The 23-item questionnaire addressed knowledge, perceived curriculum coverage, and clinical/preclinical experience. Descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation tests were used (α = 0.05).

Results: Out of 120 invited students, 98 (81.6%) responded. While 75.5% of students considered the curriculum adequate for teaching PMCs, 84.7% felt that pulpotomies were insufficiently addressed. All students were familiar with the Hall Technique, and 50% had placed a PMC preclinically. Fewer students had clinical experience: 19.4% had placed a PMC and 9.2% had performed a pulpotomy. A positive correlation was found between preclinical and clinical PMC placement (Spearman's rho = 0.33, p = 0.0007).

Discussion: Whilst students received appropriate training regarding the use of PMCs, both in theory and practice, exposure to pulpotomy procedures remains limited.

Conclusions: Most dental students in Amsterdam demonstrated appropriate knowledge, preclinical experience and understanding of indications for PMCs compared to performing a pulpotomy. Therefore, greater emphasis should be placed on both the theoretical and practical aspects of pulpotomy.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the extent to which special needs dentistry (SND) content is incorporated into Australian undergraduate oral health programs and to assess the depth and sufficiency of training provided.

Methods: A comprehensive content analysis was conducted by reviewing publicly available information from the official websites of Australian oral health courses, including course handbooks and subject learning outcomes. The curriculum content was compared with the established learning domains and outcomes outlined by the International Association for Disability and Oral Health (iADH), which were accessed from publicly available documents on the organisation's website.

Results: The analysis revealed significant variation in the depth and scope of SND content across different institutions, indicating a lack of consistency in training standards. Some programs demonstrated coverage of theoretical and clinical components, while others offered minimal exposure to SND-related content.

Conclusion: The findings highlight the need for enhanced education and training through curriculum development to improve the preparedness of the oral health workforce. Strengthening SND training can better equip graduates to meet the complex dental needs of people with disability and help reduce disparities in oral health care for this vulnerable population.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the loss of tooth structure after the removal of temporary restorative materials between endodontic treatment sessions performed by undergraduate students.

Methods: Twenty human molar teeth underwent endodontic coronal access and were randomly divided into two groups. One group received a temporary restoration with zinc oxide and calcium sulfate-based temporary cement (ZNO) alone, while the other group was restored with a combination of zinc oxide and calcium sulfate-based cement at the base of the restoration, and conventional glass ionomer cement as the outer layer (GIC). Every week, four trained undergraduate dental students performed the coronal reopening of the teeth. The teeth were individually weighed after the coronal access and after each removal of the temporary restoration. This process was carried out for 4 weeks. After the fourth week, two specialists in restorative dentistry fully removed any remaining temporary materials and finished the cavity.

Results: The average tooth mass variation was calculated at each removal stage. Linear regression analysis was performed to assess the variation in tooth mass as a function of the interventions. The final percentage mass variation was -1.946 (±1.096) for the teeth restored with ZNO, and -1.841 (±0.918) for those restored with ZNO + GIC. Every temporary filling removal presented a negative variation in tooth mass of 0.37% for ZNO, and of 0.63% for teeth restored with ZNO + GIC, respectively.

Conclusions: Successive removals of temporary restorative materials led to loss of dental structure. When comparing temporary restorations made with ZNO + GIC and ZNO, no differences in the lost mass were observed.

Background: Basic science subjects such as microbiology are essential to dental education but are often perceived by students as abstract or disconnected from clinical practice, which may reduce motivation and engagement. Educational strategies based on Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and active learning can help bridge this gap by promoting autonomy, competence and relatedness.

Methodology: We developed and implemented an experiential microbiology workshop focused on nitrate-reducing oral bacteria, selected for their direct relevance to oral and systemic health and their involvement in the well-characterised nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway. First-year dental students participated in a two-session intervention that included salivary nitrite measurements before and after beetroot juice intake, and culturing of oral bacteria using a colorimetric nitrate-reduction assay. A post-workshop survey assessed students' perceptions and motivation.

Results: Survey results indicated a significant increase in the students' perceived relevance (mean score from 3.66 to 4.15; p < 0.0001). Most students rated the activity as highly useful (73.4%) and interesting (77.5%), and 55.1% reported increased motivation to study microbiology. Qualitative feedback emphasized the value of applying theoretical knowledge in a clinically meaningful and personally relevant context.

Conclusions: The hands-on workshop enhanced dental students' motivation and perception of microbiology's relevance by integrating active learning with clinically contextualized content. The direct connection between oral microbiota, biochemical processes and health outcomes supports the use of similar experiential strategies in early dental curricula to foster engagement and deepen conceptual understanding.