European Journal of Dental Education最新文献

Introduction: Evidence on the pre-clinical and clinical performance of internationally trained dental students compared with domestic students and competency standards is limited. The aim of this study was to compare, relatively and normatively, the psychomotor skills of domestic and internationally trained dental students who participated in the same pre-clinical, 9-week, fixed prosthodontics course.

Materials and methods: Course grades were collected for a total of 224 domestic and 66 internationally trained dental students between 2014 and 2020. Descriptive statistics, t-tests and chi-square tests were used to describe and compare the two groups.

Results: At the start of the course, slightly developed or underdeveloped psychomotor skills were observed in 47.8% of domestic students and 34.8% of internationally trained dental students; however, at the end of the course, 78.1% of domestic students and 69.7% of internationally trained dental students had developed or very developed psychomotor skills. Internationally trained dental students had significantly higher psychomotor skills at the start (p = 0.009), but not at the end (p = 0.285) of the course compared to their domestic counterparts. The improvement in psychomotor skills observed in domestic students was significantly greater than that of internationally trained dental students (p = 0.003). At the start of the course, 85.7% of domestic students and 75.5% of internationally trained dental students exhibited training needs. Training needs decreased at the end of the course in both groups but remained sizable.

Conclusions: While internationally trained dental students outperformed domestic students at baseline, no significant differences were observed between the two groups by the end of the course. Both groups exhibited training needs at both time points, underscoring the necessity for continued scaffolded support.

Introduction: A number of papers have reported on stressors to students in the dental curriculum. This paper analyses perceptions of strategies to improve well-being among final-year dental students in a dental curriculum.

Methods: A literature review was performed to create a question guide to explore issues of wellness and stress in a dental curriculum. Final-year dental students were invited to an interview using random sampling and issues related to strategies for well-being were analysed by an inductive-deductive approach.

Results: Fourteen interviews were conducted, yielding three themes under the overarching domain of strategies to improve dental student well-being. Under the theme of well-being management, students wished for training on stress reduction for their personal well-being and guidance on communication, referral and mental health support to manage the well-being of colleagues and patients. The second theme, mentoring, covered peer support in the form of a 'buddy system' and sharing from recent graduates to help students gain practical and career advice about post-graduation challenges. Finally, suggestions for institutional support included providing in-house counsellors in the dental hospital with specialised knowledge about the unique concerns of dental students and clear leave of absence policies that treat mental and physical health equally to encourage help-seeking and reduce the fear of disclosure.

Conclusion: The experiences of final-year dental students were sampled to explore potential approaches to improve well-being in the dental school environment. Guided by these student perspectives, specific strategies have been implemented and recommended to improve the wellness support provided by the faculty for dental students.

Background: Traditional oral diagnosis education often relies on passive lectures and individual case assessments. Team-based learning (TBL) offers an interactive alternative, but implementation challenges can exist. The 'Case of the Week (COW)' method presents a potentially modified TBL approach for oral diagnosis education.

Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the COW method in enhancing student engagement for acquiring knowledge and diagnostic skills in oral diagnosis. Additionally, we seek to explore its impact on promoting teamwork and collaboration among students, as well as assessing overall student satisfaction with this learning approach.

Methods: Students were invited to participate in a post-COW questionnaire. This questionnaire utilised a five-point Likert scale to gather student ratings across five distinct domains: Knowledge acquisition, Learning environment, Student preparedness for assessment, Student preparedness as a clinician and overall student experience with the COW activity.

Results: The response rate was 75%, with 140 responses gathered from two groups of 70 students in each. The majority of students found COW activity valuable for acquiring knowledge (intellectual stimulation, critical thinking), teamwork and presentation skills and creating a comfortable learning environment. Furthermore, students indicated that the COW was more effective than traditional lectures in preparing them for future clinical practice. Furthermore, students reported that the COW motivated independent learning, facilitated research skills development and enhanced communication abilities.

Conclusion: The COW method has the potential to be an effective and engaging modified TBL approach for oral diagnosis education. By fostering knowledge acquisition, promoting teamwork and enhancing student satisfaction, it offers a dynamic and impactful learning experience.

Background: The correlation between the three-dimensional spatial representation (3DSR) abilities, specifically involving spatial orientation, spatial visualisation and spatial relationship, and the performance in exercises related to preclinical practical exams in fixed prosthodontics and removable partial denture is not studied.

Objective: Assess the correlation between the 3DSR abilities and the performance in exercises related to preclinical practical exams in fixed prosthodontics and removable partial denture carried out by second and third year dental students.

Materials and methods: The 3DSR abilities (spatial orientation, spatial visualisation and spatial relationship) and the scores of preclinical practical exams in prosthetics were tested on 187 students. All tests were carried out during 2 weeks. The association was tested by Spearman's correlation or Wilcoxon's signed ranks test and adjusted using Holm's method. The comparison of the 3DSR scores between second and third year students was performed by Student's test (α = 0.05).

Results: For second year students, there is no correlation between the 3DSR score and the removable partial denture score, whereas a correlation (p = 0.048) was found with the fixed prosthodontic score. For third year students, there is a positive correlation (Rho = 0.23) with the removable partial denture score (p = 0.024), but no correlation was found with the fixed prosthodontic score. There was no significant difference between the second year and the third year students (p = 0.360).

Conclusions: The 3DSR tests permitted to improve the performance of dental students during preclinical practical exams in fixed prosthodontics or removable partial denture.

Introduction: The review was intended to evaluate the relationship of the nature of sleep with academic performances among undergraduate dental students.

Materials and methods: Scopus, Embase, Medline, and Web of Science databases were explored using a combination of MeSH terminologies for studies published until May 2023. JBI Institute's Critical Appraisal Checklist was considered for data extraction and quality assessment while Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation was considered for the assessment of certainty of evidence.

Results: Seven studies that fulfilled the selection criteria were considered and they comprised an overall of 2738 students. Different questionnaires to assess the quality of sleep were recorded in the studies such as the Dental Environmental Stress questionnaire and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. The academic performance was evaluated through self-reported grade point average. Based on the observations, a significant relationship between sleep quality and scholastic performance was established. Subjects with better sleep quality showed greater academic performance, along with enhanced cognitive abilities. The specific quality of sleep indicators, comprising duration of sleep, disturbances in sleep patterns, stimulant drinks, and efficiency of sleep, were reported to be linked with academic performance outcomes. A majority of the studies revealed a higher risk of bias.

Conclusion: These findings emphasise the importance of the promotion of healthy sleep habits and attendance of sleep-related issues for the optimisation of scholastic achievements and general well-being in this particular population. Future research should concentrate on the development of interventions and strategies for the enhancement of sleep quality.

Trial registration: PROSPERO number: CRD42024507372.

Introduction: Digital simulation in dental education has substantially evolved, addressing several educational challenges in dentistry. Following global lockdowns and sustainability concerns, dental educators are increasingly adopting digital simulation to enhance or replace traditional training methods. This review aimed to contribute to a uniform taxonomy for extended reality (XR) simulation within dental education.

Methods: This scoping review followed the PRISMA and PRISMA-ScR guidelines. PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched. Eligible studies included English-written publications in indexed journals related to digital simulation in dental/maxillofacial education, providing theoretical descriptions of extended reality (XR) and/or immersive training tools (ITT). The outcomes of the scoping review were used as building blocks for a uniform of XR-simulation taxonomy.

Results: A total of 141 articles from 2004 to 2024 were selected and categorised into Virtual Reality (VR), Mixed Reality (MR), Augmented Reality (AR), Augmented Virtuality (AV) and Computer Simulation (CS). Stereoscopic vision, immersion, interaction, modification and haptic feedback were identified as recurring features across XR-simulation in dentistry. These features formed the basis for a general XR-simulation taxonomy.

Discussion: While XR-simulation features were consistent in the literature, the variety of definitions and classifications complicated the development of a taxonomy framework. VR was frequently used as an umbrella term. To address this, operational definitions were proposed for each category within the virtuality continuum, clarifying distinctions and commonalities.

Conclusion: This scoping review highlights the need for a uniform taxonomy in XR simulation within dental education. Establishing a consensus on XR-related terminology and definitions facilitates future research, allowing clear evidence reporting and analysis. The proposed taxonomy may also be of use for medical education, promoting alignment and the creation of a comprehensive body of evidence in XR technologies.

Introduction: Integrating digital dental technology into undergraduate curricula can better prepare dental technology students for a digitally driven workplace. However, students' perspectives on this education are sparse in the literature. This qualitative study explored dental technology students' perceptions of a digital dental technology curriculum.

Materials and methods: An online questionnaire was administered to third-year and fourth-year students, as well as recent graduates from the West China School of Stomatology. It comprised three sections: (1) demographic data, (2) perceptions of learning effectiveness and its impact, and (3) suggestions for curriculum improvements. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a chi-squared test.

Results: Sixty-nine valid responses were collected, yielding an effective response rate of 90.79%. Over 80% of respondents thought the courses beneficial for professional learning, career selection and practical work. However, 35% of third-year students reported being unable to complete digital design independently upon finishing the courses, and 62.50% of fourth-year students also lacked confidence in this area. While 95% of third-year students and 87.5% of fourth-year students intended to pursue digital-related positions, only 33.33% of employed graduates were engaged in relevant professions, indicating that the demands for digital competence in the workplace significantly exceeded the curriculum content.

Conclusion: This study found that most students had a positive perception of the digital dental technology curriculum. However, a gap remains between curriculum content and professional practice demands. Further research and curriculum shifts driven by skill application and work scenarios are required to support the digital transformation of dental technology education and dentistry.