Evaluation of an integrated teaching model of oral preclinical practice based on endodontic-restorative sequential treatment

Abstract

Objective Evaluate the effect of an integrated teaching model of oral preclinical practice based on endodontic-restorative sequential treatment to provide a reference for the exploration of the teaching mode of the stomatology specialty. Methods This retrospective study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee. The study was divided into 2 groups. There were 450 2018-grade and 2019-grade students in the discipline integration teaching method (DIT) group, and a preclinical practice course (root canal therapy and fixed prosthetic treatments were integrated into an endodontic-restorative sequential treatment) using the DIT method was applied. There were 443 2016-grade and 2017-grade students in the traditional teaching method (TT) group, and a TT preclinical practice course (root canal therapy and fixed prosthetic treatments training courses were taught separately) was applied. Both groups were taught by the same two teachers. The scores of clinical skills examination and treatment planning were compared between the two groups. In addition, students in the two groups were asked to complete the questionnaires about the teaching methods, and students in Group DIT and their teachers were asked to complete the questionnaires on their degree of satisfaction with the DIT method in the preclinical course. Results Students in the DIT group had an average score of 90.2 ± 4.16 in the practical skill evaluation, which was higher than that of the TT group (86.3±3.57) (P = 0.001). In the case analysis, 91.8% (413/450) of the students in the DIT group successfully planned the treatment, compared to a significantly lower rate in the TT group of 74.7% (331/443) (P = 0.001). The questionnaire results showed that recognition degrees of cultivated clinical thinking, improved indication analysis ability, improved operational skills, stimulated enthusiasm for learning, and improved autonomous learning were higher in the DIT group than in the TT group, and both teachers (2/2) and 98.4% (443/450) of students recognized the DIT method. Conclusions The DIT method significantly improved students’ learning quality and ability, proved effective in the endodontic-restorative sequential treatment practice course and was more acceptable to teachers and students. The DIT method is more effective than the TT method in improving students’ clinical thinking and operation ability.

Keywords

• discipline integration
• oral disease
• endodontics
• prosthodontics
• sequential treatment
• preclinical
• practical teaching
• application
• education in stomatology