Search

A survey of 429 general dentists attempted to verify anecdotal reports of ethical lapses in clinical dental licensing examinations. It found significant occurrence of not arranging followup care for the patient even though indicated, intentional creation of lesions, premature treatment for the purpose of the examinations, coercing patients into treatment, and unnecessary radiographs. (Author/MSE)

Two studies investigated interrater agreement among 10 clinical dental examiners who scored residual subgingival calculus after student scaling on 4,160 real and 92 manikin tooth surfaces. Interrater reliability was low. Results suggest a need in periodontics for effective examiner calibration methods and objective subgingival calculus detection techniques. (Author/MSE)

A survey investigated the application of constructs related to acquisition of psychomotor skills in the preclinical dental curriculum in 220 departments of operative dentistry, fixed and removable prosthodontics, pediatric dentistry, and periodontics. Results indicate insufficient opportunities for students to define desired outcomes and performance and conditions not simulating clinical practice. (Author/MSE)

A study of the relative effectiveness of an introductory activity to teach intracoronal operative preparations to dental students (n=35) found that in comparison with traditional classroom methods used with 29 students, the leadup activity resulted in more efficient instruction and improved learning. Amount of teacher supervision was also a controlled variable. (Author/MSE)

A study found that dental students' previous experience with simulated operative procedures transferred well to subsequent training in other operative procedures but not to procedures in fixed prosthodontics, suggesting that transfer of training is highly specific. (Author/MSE)

A traditional instructional format that provided instructor-generated terminal knowledge of results was compared with one that also trained students to generate continual knowledge of results using two sections of an operative laboratory. (Author/MLW)

Twenty-six student volunteers participated in an eight-hour self-instructional program and were compared to students in a control group. Analyses of covariance with perceptual ability test indicated that the experimental group statistically significantly outperformed the control group on all but one preparation. (Author/MLW)

In 1995, a survey requesting information about the utilization of certain prosthodontic techniques was mailed to 3,544 graduates of a midwestern dental school. Responses were received from 1,455 alumni, representing a 41 percent return rate. In general, the results are consistent with international and national trends and show significant disparity in the utilization rates of certain procedures between general dentists and prosthodontists, as well as a disconnect between what is taught in the undergraduate dental educational program and what is applied in practice. For example, while prosthodontists typically apply what was taught in their educational program, utilization rates of general dentists for the facebow was 29.64 percent; the custom tray 68.48 percent; border molding 58.67 percent; altered casts 24.10 percent; custom posts 49.29 percent; prefabricated posts 67.54 percent; and semi-adjustable articulators 50.64 percent. While no solutions to this disconnect are offered the authors do pose important questions that must be addressed by the dental educational community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]