Impact of the Dental Anatomy Course Trainings on the Psychomotor Skills of Students

Background. Knowledge and psychomotor skills are essential in dental education. The aims were to (1) investigate the correlation between dental students’ didactic and psychomotor skills performance in the dental anatomy and preclinical operative dentistry courses and (2) explore the impact of gender on students’ performance in both courses. Materials and Methods. A retrospective cohort study was performed on dental students’ (164 students; 72 males and 92 females) dental anatomy and preclinical operative courses scores of the same class over 2 years (2018–2020). Didactic and practical scores were collected. The didactic scores included examinations. Practical scores included tooth wax carving for the dental anatomy course and class II cavity preparations and restorations for the preclinical operative. Student’s t-test and ANOVA were used to analyze the difference between the didactic and psychomotor skills scores of both courses and genders. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to explore correlations ( p < 0.05 ). Results. Moderate, positive, and significant correlations were found between didactic scores in both courses and between dental anatomy’s didactic and psychomotor skills. A weak, positive, and significant correlation existed between the preclinical operative didactic and psychomotor silks ( p < 0.05 ). Females’ didactic performance was significantly better than males. Gender had a significant, positive, and moderate correlation in the dental anatomy course, but moderate-weak in preclinical operative ( p < 0.05 ). Conclusion. Students’ didactic and psychomotor performance correlations in dental anatomy and preclinical operative courses were positive. The correlation was moderate and weak and varied by course. Gender had a significant impact on student performance and varied by procedure and courses investigated.

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Tooth Carving as a Teaching Modality in the Study of Tooth Morphology: Students’ Perception and Performance

Journal of The Pakistan Dental Association ◽

10.25301/jpda.294.249 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (04) ◽

pp. 249-253

Author(s):

Madiha Anwar ◽

◽

Beenish Fatima Alam ◽

Syed Jaffar Abbas Zaidi

Keyword(s):

Student Satisfaction ◽

Dental Students ◽

Teaching Methodology ◽

Psychomotor Skills ◽

Self Assessment ◽

Tooth Morphology ◽

Dental Anatomy ◽

Live Demonstration ◽

And Performance ◽

Teaching Modality

OBJECTIVE: Dental wax carving exercise is a practical exercise to teach tooth morphology that develops psychomotor skills needed to practice clinical dentistry. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of dental wax carving as a teaching modality for tooth morphology and its assessment. METHODOLOGY: Forty-two first-year dental students were randomly divided into two groups participated in this study from February 2019 till September 2019 at Bahria University Medical & Dental College. Learning resources related to dental wax carving were provided to the first group of 21 students while the second group of 21 students received practical demonstration. The students self-evaluated their dental carving based on a standardized checklist and two examiners then evaluated the dental wax carvings randomly. A student satisfaction survey was performed at the end of this study to gain feedback regarding the dental wax carving as a teaching methodology. RESULTS: The mean scores given by self-assessment of students were significantly higher than those given by the examiners to both the groups. The group that was given a live demonstration of dental carving scored higher than the self-directed learners. Overall student feedback regarding dental carving was uniformly positive. CONCLUSION: Dental carving skills develop manual dexterity and psychomotor skills for practicing clinical dentistry and should be an integral component of preclinical dental curriculum so that clinically relevant cognitive & psychomotor skills are incorporated. Based on this study, a live demonstration of dental wax carving skills should be the preferred teaching modality. KEYWORDS: Dental carving, tooth carving, wax carving, psychomotor skills, dental anatomy, restorative dentistry HOW TO CITE: Anwar M, Alam BF, Zaidi SJA. Tooth carving as a teaching modality in the study of tooth morphology: Students’ perception and performance. J Pak Dent Assoc 2020;29(4):249-253.

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