Medical Education Online (Dec 2023)

Impact of fully guided implant planning software training on the knowledge acquisition and satisfaction of dental undergraduate students

  • Shishir Ram Shetty,
  • Colin Alexander Murray,
  • Sausan Al Kawas,
  • Sara Jaser,
  • Natheer Al-Rawi,
  • Wael Talaat,
  • Sangeetha Narasimhan,
  • Sunaina Shetty,
  • Pooja Adtani,
  • Shruthi Hegde

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2023.2239453
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 28, no. 1

Abstract

Read online

ABSTRACTBackground A majority of dental school students do not undergo hands-on clinical training in implantology in the undergraduate curriculum. Training is usually restricted to pre-implant evaluation and post-implant prostheses. Virtual implant planning software (VIPS) provides an alternative opportunity for undergraduate students to experience implant planning much before gaining hands-on experience. However, not many studies have the contribution of VIPS to the knowledge acquisition of students. We conducted a preliminary study to evaluate the knowledge acquisition of the students when exposed to a hands-on session of VIPS. We also evaluated students’ satisfaction levels, when exposed to hands-on training in fully guided implant planning software.Methods A two-part theory lecture on fully guided implant planning was delivered to 90, 5th (final)-year dental undergraduate students by the oral radiology faculty. The students were then randomly divided into three groups. Group A was exposed to didactic lectures only. Group B was shown a video for fully guided implant planning in addition to the didactic lecture. Group C was shown a video for fully guided implant planning in addition to a didactic lecture and then performed a hands-on session of virtual implant planning under faculty guidance. Students from all groups were given an MCQ-based test. After the completion of the test students from group A and B also received VIPS hands-on training. Students from all three groups answered and a feedback questionnaire regarding their satisfaction levels with VIPS.Results The overall test score of students in Group C was higher than their colleagues in both Groups A and B and the differences were statistically significant (p = 0.01). More than 85% of the students were satisfied with the teaching approach.Conclusions The utilization of VIPS in the training of dental undergraduate students improves their performance confirming better knowledge acquisition and content mastery.

Keywords