scholarly journals The national dental undergraduate clinical skills competition known as the Guanghua Cup: an innovative and effective program that promoted undergraduate dental education in China

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaolan Li ◽  
Yanbo Shan ◽  
Yangjingwen Liu ◽  
Yingwen Lin ◽  
Lin Li ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The National Dental Undergraduate Clinical Skills Competition known as the Guanghua Cup was held in Guangzhou, China, for three consecutive years from 2017 to 2019 to promote the clinical teaching of undergraduate dental education and to enhance communication among different universities. The present study aimed to introduce the organization, procedures, and consequences of the competition, in addition to analyzing the influences of competition on the reform of undergraduate dental education. Methods By analyzing the descriptive statistics of the Guanghua Cup, the competitions’ organization, the participating students’ performances, and the outcomes of competitions were analyzed. After distributing questionnaires to all participants of the 2nd and 3rd Cups, their attitudes towards the competition and their evaluation of the role of the competitions in promoting undergraduate dental education were analyzed. Results A total of 24 schools participated in the 3 competition years. The contents of the competitions covered cariology, endodontics, periodontology, prosthodontics, oral and maxillofacial surgery, dental anatomy, and first aid (e.g., operative skills and theoretical knowledge). Compared with those of the 2nd Cup, the mean scores of the operative skills significantly improved in the stations related to periodontology, prosthodontics, and dental anatomy (p < 0.05) in the 3rd Cup. In addition, 338 valid questionnaires were collected, for a response rate of 87.79 %. Overall, the participants spoke highly of the Guanghua Cup. Based on their self-perception and self-evaluation, the majority of interviewees agreed that the competition helped develop collegiality and teamwork among the participating students, improved the students’ clinical skills and promoted the improvement of teaching resources (e.g., purchasing and updating equipment, models or experimental materials). Conclusions The competition enjoyed the widest coverage since it involved dental schools from all of the different geographical regions of China. Dental students could exhibit their clinical skills in a competitive environment and develop collegiality and teamwork. Future competitions should be optimized through their organization and contents. The education quality of the participating schools affected by such competition should be investigated in a more objective and comparable way.

Author(s):  
Ibrahim Almutairi ◽  
Abdullah AlQarni ◽  
Mohammad Alharbi ◽  
Ahmed Almutairi ◽  
Mohammed Aldohan ◽  
...  

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reham Hassan ◽  
Ayman R. Khalifa ◽  
Tarek Elsewify ◽  
Mohamed G. Hassan

Objectives: To evaluate the perceptions of clinical dental students on the role of online education in providing dental education during the COVID-19 crisis.Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was sent to four Egyptian dental schools from the 20th of January 2021 to the 3rd of February 2021. Survey questions included the demographics, uses, experiences, perceived benefits, and barriers of distance learning in dentistry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Responses were collected from the clinical dental school students. Categorical data were presented as frequencies (n) and percentages (%) and were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test.Results: Three hundred thirty-seven clinical dental students across four Egyptian dental schools responded. Most students used either Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams to access the online content. The data showed that the COVID-19 pandemic affected the academic performance of most participants (97.4%) with varying degrees. On average, students were neutral when asked to rate the online lectures, but did not find online practical education as effective (81.3%) as online theoretical teaching. The commonly described barriers to online teaching included loss of interaction with educators, inappropriateness in gaining clinical skills, and the instability of the internet connection.Conclusion: Despite the reported benefits, clinical dental students in Egypt preferred the hybrid approach in dental education as distance learning represented a prime challenge to gain adequate clinical dental skills.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Kamal ◽  
Mohammad Abdulwahab

Abstract Background: To evaluate the self-confidence of undergraduate dental students in relation to oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) in order to assess the teaching curriculum at Kuwait University using a validated questionnaire originally developed by the Association of British Academic Oral Maxillofacial Surgeons (ABAOMS).Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 6th year (n=20) and 7th- year (n=19) dentistry students was conducted Kuwait University Faculty of Dentistry between the 1st and 15th May 2020. The ABAOMS questionnaire is composed of 17 questions assessing various areas of the undergraduate OMFS curriculum. The response options to the questionnaire utilised a Likert scale. Independent sample t-tests were performed to assess the difference in responses between the two year groups. Spearman’s Rho correlations were calculated to measure the strength of association between confidence in all aspects of surgical and forceps exodontia.Results: A total of 39 questionnaires were completed by the students. The majority of students expressed that they feel confident that they have enough knowledge to undertake independent practice (61%). General aspects of the questionnaire were answered favourably except for surgical extraction of teeth, in which both classes reported a lower level of self-confidence.Conclusions: This survey revealed the students’ self-confidence in undertaking independent practice and preforming basic oral surgery procedures. Students felt comfortable with exodontia using forceps and elevators, root removal, managing acute pericoronitis, managing haemorrhage from a socket, assessing impacted teeth, and recognising the clinical features of potentially malignant and malignant lesions of the oral cavity. They reported a lower level of confidence for performing surgical procedures. The ABAOMS survey instrument is a useful and thorough tool to assess the self-confidence of dental students according to their undergraduate oral and maxillofacial surgery teaching.


Oral and maxillofacial surgery is largely a post-graduate subject. This chapter begins with a section on advanced trauma life support and goes on to include details of the diagnosis and management of facial trauma, orthognathic surgery, as well as head and neck surgery and reconstruction. Only basic aspects of this specialty have been included here as advanced techniques are beyond the scope of this chapter. However, this chapter provides enough information so as to ensure success for final year dental students but it can also be of use to those working in oral and maxillofacial units.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 95
Author(s):  
Paulina Poblete ◽  
Sean McAleer ◽  
Andrew G Mason

The aim of this study is to identify topics (knowledge and skills) from the dental curricula that would benefit from having a 3D learning resource using an exploratory sequential design method. The first phase targeted stakeholders from a Scottish dental school. Seven focus groups and three interviews disclosed 97 suitable topics for 3D technology development. These results were used to construct a survey that was sent to final year dental students, newly dental graduates and academics from three Scottish universities. The survey asked participants to rank each item based on the perceived benefit that a 3D learning resource would have for dental education. Results revealed that detailed anatomy of the temporomandibular joint, dental anaesthesiology, dental clinical skills techniques, dental occlusion and mandibular functioning were top priorities. Gender differences only appeared in relation to ‘Extraction techniques: movements and force’ (p < 0.05), this topic was considered to be more beneficial by females than by males. No statistical difference was found when comparing results of graduates with undergraduates. These results serve as a starting point when developing a new 3D technology tool for dental education, considering users demands and perceived needs has the potential to benefit dental students and dental education directly.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shervin Shafiei ◽  
Ahmad Sofi-Mahmudi ◽  
Mohammad Behnaz ◽  
Hannaneh Safiaghdam ◽  
Soroush Sadr

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea is a relatively common sleep disorder, which leads to multiple sleep arousal and hypoxemia. It also has a significant socioeconomic impact. Dentists can have a role in screening as well as treating apnea by orthodontic devices. No study has evaluated the knowledge and attitude of dental health professionals about obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in Iran. We aimed to measure knowledge and attitude among students and faculty members of Shahid Beheshti Dental School, Tehran, Iran about OSA. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey among residents and professors in oral and maxillofacial surgery, orthodontics, and oral medicine specialties and dental students. The Obstructive Sleep Apnea Knowledge and Attitude (OSAKA) questionnaire was used to obtain the information regarding knowledge and attitude. We used Chi-square, Kruskall Wallis, Mann-Whitney U test for statistical analysis. The data were analyzed by SPSS 22.0 and a p-value lower than 0.05 considered to be significant. Results: One hundred ninety-seven participants, including 43 dental students, 68 dental residents, and 64 dental professors filled the survey. Mean knowledge score among all participants was 10.69 (SD=3.133). Overall, oral medicine and oral and maxillofacial surgery professors had significantly higher correct answer ratios in the knowledge section than fifth and sixth-year dental students (p<0.001). There was no significant difference among other groups (p>0.05). About attitude, 91% of respondents reported that OSA is an important or extremely important disorder. However, only 10.2% and 16.9% felt confident about the ability to manage patients with OSA and identifying patients at risk for OSA, respectively. Conclusion: All of the participants had poor knowledge but a positive attitude towards OSA. This shows the necessity of better education about OSA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Saman Tauqir

Since the birth of science, the most fascinating structure of the human body is the human brain.  Over the past centuries’ researchers have been developing the latest technologies to imitate and explore how the human brain functions. However, to develop a machine that thinks like a human brain is still a dream for researchers. Aristotle’s early efforts to devise logical thinking via his syllogisms (a three-part deductive reasoning) were a source of inspiration for modern computers and technologies1. In the1950, Alan Turing designed a machine to decode encrypted messages, which was a breakthrough of super computers in the days of yore. He designed the “Turing Test” which was coined to assess whether a computer could exhibit intelligence better known as “artificial intelligence” (AI) today2. AI is “a field of science and engineering concerned with the computational understanding of what is commonly called intelligent behavior, and with the creation of artifacts that exhibit such behaviour”3. Since 1980, AI has come a long way, virtual reality is being used in dental education these days to create real life situations and promote clinical work on simulators to eliminate risk factors associated with training on live patients. Recently artificial intelligence has been integrated with tutoring systems like “Unified Medical Language System” (UMLS), which have resulted in a better quality of feedback, which the preclinical virtual patients provide to the students4,5. This interactive phase helps students to evaluate their clinical skills and compare their skills with the standard ones, thus creating an ideal and high-quality training environment. Studies have been carried out regarding the efficacy of AI systems, which have stipulated that preclinical students build higher competencies than with the use of traditional simulator units6-8. Currently AI inbuilt virtual dental assistants are present in the market. They can execute various chair side tasks with greater accuracy and less manpower ensuring minimum error during the procedures. In the world of implantology and maxillofacial surgery AI helps plan and prepare surgeries with smallest details forgoing actual surgery. Some exceptional uses of AI include robotic surgeries in the field of maxillofacial surgery and bioprinting (where tissues and organs can be reconstructed in thin layers)9. The field of AI has flourished to great extent in the past decade; AI systems are an aid to the field of dentistry and dental education.  This narrative attempts to explain possible AI-based applications in the future, it can be used for dental diagnosis, planning out treatments, conducting image analysis, and record keeping. AI-based technologies streamline and reduce laborious workforce to routine tasks, it ensures dental procedures are possible at a lower cost and ultimately makes predictive, preventive, and participatory dentistry possible. The use of AI in dental procedures needs to be guaranteed; its application with human oversight and evidence-based dentistry shall be expected. Dental education needs to be introduced to clinical AI solutions by promoting digital literacy in the future dental liveware.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Bock ◽  
Florian Peters ◽  
Philipp Winnand ◽  
Kristian Kniha ◽  
Marius Heitzer ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The pandemic has challenged educational institutions to catalyze digitalization and rapidly develop online teaching formats. The aim of the study was to evaluate the teaching offered for oral and maxillofacial surgery at our university during the pandemic and to investigate the students’ perceptions of the current situation. Methods A 38-item questionnaire with five sections (demographic information, lectures, internships, e-learning, and pandemic-related solutions/effects) was created online. Most questions were answered on a 10-point Likert scale, with 1 indicating “fully agree/positive” and 10 indicating “totally disagree/negative.” The remaining questions were either answered with yes/no, percent value, or open-ended text responses. All 3rd-5th year dental students were invited to voluntarily participate and were sent a link by email in a general mail shot. Results A total of 63.7% of the participants had no prior experience with online courses before the pandemic. The students stated that the change from face-to-face to online teaching worked very well in the last two semesters (mean = 2.73, standard deviation = 2.05). Overall, the pandemic had a rather positive influence on the acquisition of theoretical skills and a negative influence on the acquisition of practical skills (p < 0.0001). The evaluation showed that, compared to other dental clinics at our university, the department for oral and maxillofacial surgery was well prepared for the pandemic. Conclusion Digitalization of oral and maxillofacial surgery teaching in dental education is possible but depends on the institution’s preparatory work and technological possibilities. The students declared a high acceptance of digital learning formats and indicated an increased motivation to learn due to e-learning. The pandemic’s influence on the students’ education was rated ambivalent.


Author(s):  
Luke Cascarini ◽  
Clare Schilling ◽  
Ben Gurney ◽  
Peter Brennan

This new edition of Oxford Handbook of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery has been fully updated to cover the current guidelines and research in the field of OMFS. Splitting vital knowledge into sections based on clinical areas, this handbook uses bulleted lists and summary boxes to make the information easily searchable. Chapters on ‘in the clinic’, ‘in the theatre’, and ‘on the ward’ cover all common complaints and presentations that the reader can expect to encounter in their daily activities, and a dedicated section to emergencies provides clear advice. Common drugs and dental materials are covered as a quick reference guide. With OMFS now part of the Core Training programme for surgical trainees, the handbook ensures a solid grasp of the basics and fundamentals to help support decision making for junior doctors, dental foundation trainees, specialist nurses, and medical and dental students.


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