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Abstract Background Despite the increasing recognition of the importance of research in undergraduate dental education, limited studies have explored the nature of undergraduate research activities in dental schools in the Middle East region. This study aimed to evaluate the research experience of final year dental students from three dental schools in the Middle East. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted among final-year dental students from three institutions, namely Jordan University of Science and Technology, University of Sharjah (UAE), and Oman Dental College. Participants were asked about the nature and scope of their research projects, the processes involved in the research, and their perceived benefits of engaging in research. Results A total of 369 respondents completed the questionnaire. Cross-sectional studies represented the most common research type (50.4%), with public health (29.3%) and dental education (27.9%) being the predominant domains. More than half of research proposals were developed via discussions with instructors (55.0%), and literature reviews primarily utilized PubMed (70.2%) and Google Scholar (68.5%). Regarding statistical analysis, it was usually carried out with instructor’s assistance (45.2%) or using specialized software (45.5%). The students typically concluded their projects with a manuscript (58.4%), finding the discussion section most challenging to write (42.0%). The research activity was considered highly beneficial, especially in terms of teamwork and communication skills, as well as data interpretation skills, with 74.1% of students reporting a positive impact on their research perspectives. Conclusions The research experience was generally positive among surveyed dental students. However, there is a need for more diversity in research domains, especially in qualitative studies, greater focus on guiding students in research activities s, especially in manuscript writing and publication. The outcomes of this study could provide valuable insights for dental schools seeking to improve their undergraduate research activities.

Abstract BackgroundIn recent years, virtual reality (VR) has gained significant importance in medical education. Radiology education also has seen the induction of VR technology. However, there is no comprehensive review in this specific area. This review aims to fill this knowledge gap. ObjectiveThis systematic literature review aims to explore the scope of VR use in radiology education. MethodsA literature search was carried out using PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar for articles relating to the use of VR in radiology education, published from database inception to September 1, 2023. The identified articles were then subjected to a PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses)–defined study selection process. ResultsThe database search identified 2503 nonduplicate articles. After PRISMA screening, 17 were included in the review for analysis, of which 3 (18%) were randomized controlled trials, 7 (41%) were randomized experimental trials, and 7 (41%) were cross-sectional studies. Of the 10 randomized trials, 3 (30%) had a low risk of bias, 5 (50%) showed some concerns, and 2 (20%) had a high risk of bias. Among the 7 cross-sectional studies, 2 (29%) scored “good” in the overall quality and the remaining 5 (71%) scored “fair.” VR was found to be significantly more effective than traditional methods of teaching in improving the radiographic and radiologic skills of students. The use of VR systems was found to improve the students’ skills in overall proficiency, patient positioning, equipment knowledge, equipment handling, and radiographic techniques. Student feedback was also reported in the included studies. The students generally provided positive feedback about the utility, ease of use, and satisfaction of VR systems, as well as their perceived positive impact on skill and knowledge acquisition. ConclusionsThe evidence from this review shows that the use of VR had significant benefit for students in various aspects of radiology education. However, the variable nature of the studies included in the review reduces the scope for a comprehensive recommendation of VR use in radiology education.

Background: The aim of this systematic review was to address the clinical effectiveness of space maintainers and space regainers in the prevention and correction of dental arch decreases in mixed dentition. Methods: An electronic search was conducted using five databases: the Cochrane Database for Systematic Reviews, EBSCO Host, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Scopus (until February 2021) and 6 relevant journals. Inclusion criteria were: Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials (RCTs), Controlled Clinical Trials (CCTs), cohort studies and case-control studies of children in the mixed dentition requiring a space maintainer or a space regainer, children with mild to moderate crowding, and with Class I and mild Class II or Class III skeletal pattern. All articles included in this review were examined independently by three teams of investigators to assess the level of bias using the Cochrane risk of bias tools RoB 2.0 (for RCTs) and ROBINS-I (for non-RCTs). Results: Following the three phases of a systematic search, 11 studies were included for the final analysis, of which nine used space maintainers (a lower lingual arch) and two used space regainers (one lip bumper and one transpalatal arch) with contradicting results. Four of the former and one of the latter devices showed a significant increase in arch length. Out of the 11 articles, one was found to be of critical risk, two of serious risk and eight of moderate risk of bias. Conclusions: There is very low evidence to suggest that space maintainers and regainers are effective in preserving arch length and preventing mild to moderate crowding in children during the mixed dentition stage at the expense of lower incisor proclination. However, considering the low evidence provided by this systematic review, high-quality studies are needed.

Instrument separation during root canal treatment is one of the most unpleasant mishaps. Several techniques have been described to retrieve the separated instruments; however, they generally require specific tools that are not always available at dental clinics. This case report aims at presenting a simple alternative technique for the removal of root canal instruments separated during endodontic treatment. Endodontic retreatment was indicated for a maxillary lateral incisor of a 19-year-old patient. The radiographic examinations revealed the presence of a separated (fractured) instrument beyond the apical part of the canal. Retreatment was initiated by removing the obturated materials. After several unsuccessful attempts to retrieve the broken fragment, a hypodermic needle with chemically self-cure acrylic resin was used under an endodontic microscope to remove the separated fragment successfully. The retrieval technique used in this case was safe, simple, and low cost.

Abstract Background To investigate the effectiveness of technology-enhanced teaching and assessment methods of undergraduate preclinical skills in comparison to conventional methods. Methods A comprehensive search strategy was implemented using both manual and electronic search methods, including PubMed, Wiley, ScienceDirect, SCOPUS, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The search and selection of articles that met the inclusion criteria were carried out in duplicates. A Cochrane data extraction form for RCTs was used to extract the relevant information from all included articles. Risk of bias of all included articles was assessed independently by two authors using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results A total of 19 randomized controlled clinical trials met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The majority of the studies included in this review have a high risk of bias mainly due to incomplete data, lack of blinding of the examiners, and due to other biases, such as small sample sizes, not accounting for additional hours of training, and the lack of calibration of examiners grading the preparations. Conflicting results were reported in the included studies with regards to whether there were differences between the intervention and control groups in the outcome measure of quality of students’ performance. A meta-analysis could not be done for this study due to the heterogeneity among the included studies. Conclusions Technology-enhanced teaching and assessment tools used in preclinical skills training of undergraduate dental students have the potential to improve students’ performance. However, due to the conflicting outcomes reported in the 19 studies included in this systematic review and their high risk of bias, better quality studies are required to find a definitive answer to the research question of this systematic review.

Introduction. Restorative dental treatment is a complex task involving various procedures which require the development and integration of both theoretical knowledge and fine motor skills. It aims to provide the theoretical background and role of key factors in learning these skills. Materials and Methods. The following electronic databases were searched to identify relevant articles to our topic: PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Generic keywords, that is, factors, fine, performance, and dentistry, and MeSH terms, that is, “learning,” “instruction,” “patient simulation,” “motor skills,” “perception,” “tactile,” “neurophysiology,” and “working memory” were used to conduct our comprehensive search. Results and Conclusions. Several techniques are used in performing different restorative procedures in dentistry, that is, root canal preparation, root planning, and minor oral surgery procedures. Mastering these techniques requires a good understanding of the underpinning cognitive, sensory, and neuromuscular processes. Factors including the amount and timing of instructions provided, cognitive abilities, and practice schedule of learning trials may have significant implications on the design of fine motor skill learning exercises.

Background Dental education involves teaching and assessing the acquisition of verifiable domains that require superior psychomotor, communication, and cognitive skills. Evolving technologies and methods of assessment could enhance student learning environment and improve tutor assessment experience. Objective The aim of this study was to introduce the application of a comprehensive high-stakes online exam to final-year dental students during the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluate its effectiveness. Design A high-stakes exam was introduced and implemented online to the final-year dental students prior to their graduation. The exam consisted of four components: MEQs, MCQs, OSCE and an oral exam. The exam and invigilation were conducted using Blackboard and MS Teams programs. Stakeholders’ views of the exam were obtained using two tailored surveys, one for students and another for faculty; both included closed- and open-ended questions. Results The exam was run successfully without untoward events. Both students and staff were satisfied with the online exam with the latter being more satisfied than the former. Students with previous experience in online learning system were more satisfied with the online exam compared with those with less experience (p

Introduction. Dental education involves teaching and assessing the acquisition of verifiable domains that require superior psychomotor, communication, and cognitive skills. Evolving technologies and methods of assessment could enhance student’s learning environment and improve tutor assessment experience. The aim of this study was to review the current body of research and evaluate the effectiveness of various methods of assessments in improving learning and performance in preclinical and clinical dental practice. Materials and Methods. A search strategy was implemented using electronic search in major databases. The following key terms, clinical skills, preclinical, dental students, and assessment, were included in the search. Two reviewers independently screened all the articles retrieved following very specific inclusion criteria. Results. The initial search generated 5371 articles and 24 articles were selected for review and data extraction. Cohen’s kappa coefficient was used to measure interrater agreement and a score of 94.7% was obtained. Conclusion. Preclinical assessment is an effective tool for promoting skills transfer to clinical phase. Early psychomotor skills assessment is valuable. It allows early intervention in the learning process and assists in effective utilization of learning resources. Technology-enhanced assessment systems allow better patient simulation, enhance learning and self-assessment experiences, and improve performance evaluation. However, these systems serve as an adjunct to conventional assessment methods. Further research should aim at calibrating and integrating these systems to optimize students learning and performance.

Learning dental procedures is a complex task involving the development of fine motor skills. The reported use of theories and/or evidence for designing learning activities to develop the fine motor skills needed for dental practice is limited. The aim of this review is to explore the available body of knowledge related to learning motor skills relevant to dentistry. Evidence from studies investigating motor skill learning highlights the negative impact of self-focus and self-regulation on learning outcomes, particularly during the early stages of learning. The development of activities and schedules that enable novices to demonstrate characteristics similar to experts, without the reported long period of ‘deliberate practice’, is clearly of value. Outcomes of learning implicitly are important in dentistry because working under stressful conditions is common, either during undergraduate study or in practice. It is suggested that learning implicitly in the simulation stage can reduce disrupted performance when transitioning to clinical settings. Therefore, further investigation of effective methods for learning dental fine motor skills is indicated, using approaches that result in robust performance, even under stressful conditions.

Background: The 4-day workweek is gaining traction as a credible and effective alternative to conventional 5-day workweek. We aimed to investigate the impact of a 4-day workweek on dental students’ academic performance and study–life balance. Methods: A total of 284 dental students participated in answering an electronic questionnaire. The response scores, mean values, and standard deviations were calculated. Internal consistency and associations between the scores were tested. Differences in responses between preclinical and clinical year students were evaluated. SPSS was used for data analysis, with a significance set at P < 0.05. Results: A total of 246 students reported satisfactory experiences with the new 4-day university week. The majority preferred to continue with the short-week scheme. There were no statistically significant differences between preclinical- and clinical-level scores. A total of 73.3% of the students reported an increase in patient treatment and clinical procedures compared to the previous year with a 5-day schedule. Most students were satisfied with their weekly workload. They reported a significant improvement in clinical performance with the new weekly plan. Introducing a 4-day university week helped 76% of students reduce the cost of attending college. Conclusion: The introduction of the 4-day study week at the College of Dental Medicine was welcomed by students across all years of the program due to the improved academic achievement and clinical training opportunities it provided. They were also satisfied with the longer weekend, as it helped them relieve stress, prepare better for examinations, and spend more time with their family and friends.