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Background/purpose: Self-assessment in dental education is considered a fundamental skill for proficient oral healthcare providers. While previous studies looked at self-assessment in education, few have done so at Japanese institutions. This study aimed to assess potential associations between gender and self-assessment skills in Japanese dental students. Materials and methods: Dental students from Niigata University (n = 301) completed preclinical prosthodontic exercises and self-assessed their practical exam performance. Three calibrated faculty evaluated students’ work using the same rubric. The difference between student self-assessment score and mean faculty grade was defined as the student-faculty (S-F) gap, indicating how accurately students evaluated their work. The gap scores were stratified by quartiles by faculty grade and by gender. Regression analysis was used to investigate potential associations. Results: Students mean S-F gap was 2.9 ± 10.5 % with a significant negative association to faculty grades (coefficient, −0.32; P

Self-assessment in dental education is considered a fundamental skill for proficient oral healthcare providers. While previous studies looked at self-assessment in education, few have done so at Japanese institutions. This study aimed to assess potential associations between gender and self-assessment skills in Japanese dental students. Dental students from Niigata University (n = 301) completed preclinical prosthodontic exercises and self-assessed their practical exam performance. Three calibrated faculty evaluated students' work using the same rubric. The difference between student self-assessment score and mean faculty grade was defined as the student-faculty (S-F) gap, indicating how accurately students evaluated their work. The gap scores were stratified by quartiles by faculty grade and by gender. Regression analysis was used to investigate potential associations. Students mean S-F gap was 2.9 ± 10.5 % with a significant negative association to faculty grades (coefficient, −0.32; P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between male and female students for faculty grades, self-assessment scores, and S-F gaps. When stratified by quartile, mean S-F gaps of bottom quartile students (5.7 ± 11.9 %) were significantly higher than the rest of the class (1.9 ± 9.8 %; P = 0.01), while the mean S-F gaps of students in the top quartile (−0.8 ± 10.2 %) were significantly lower than the rest of the class (4.2 ± 10.3 %; P < 0.001). Niigata University students generally overestimated their performance. Students with higher faculty grades self-assessed themselves more accurately than students with lower faculty grades. Gender did not influence S-F gaps, despite dentistry in Japan shifting toward a female-dominated field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the factors associated with the fear of dental students infecting their relatives with COVID-19 as a result of clinical practice. Material and Methods: Online questionnaires were sent by e-mail and social media to dental students from a Brazilian School of Dentistry. The outcome was "fear of infecting the family." The independent variables were sociodemographic data, personal protective equipment use, adoption of infection control measures, and knowledge and feelings about the pandemic and the future of Dentistry. Data analysis used Pearson's Chi-square and Fisher's exact tests (p≤0.05). Results: With 65 participants, the prevalence of fear was 61.5%. Measures to prevent COVID-19, such as frequent hand cleansing (p=0.028) and avoiding the use of aerosol-generating instruments (p=0.027), not having or not knowing if they have been infected by the disease (p=0.038), and feelings of more significant anxiety during the pandemic period (p=0.047), and that Dentistry will undergo major post-pandemic changes (p=0.020) were associated with fear. Conclusion: Changes in behavior about biosafety and feelings of anxiety and uncertainty about the disease were associated with the dental students' fear of infecting their relatives with COVID-19 as a result of clinical practice.

Objective: To assess the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and sociodemographic factors on stress, anxiety, and depression levels among dental students. Material and Methods: This observational study employed a census approach featuring a quantitative, descriptive, and analytical cross-sectional analysis. The research was conducted within a university center in northeastern Brazil from March to May 2021. Two questionnaires were administered: the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and another survey focusing on sociodemographic factors. Pearson's chi-square test was employed to examine potential associations between the variables, and multiple logistic regression models were fitted, with a significance level set at 5%. Results: The study included 128 dentistry students, predominantly female, with a high monthly family income. The data revealed normal levels across the three DASS subscales. A significant association was observed between anxiety and sex (X2=10.37; p=0.03). The depression subscale exhibited associations with ethnic group (X2=47.46; p

Objective: To assess the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic and sociodemographic factors on stress, anxiety, and depression levels among dental students. Material and Methods: This observational study employed a census approach featuring a quantitative, descriptive, and analytical cross-sectional analysis. The research was conducted within a university center in northeastern Brazil from March to May 2021. Two questionnaires were administered: the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) and another survey focusing on sociodemographic factors. Pearson's chi-square test was employed to examine potential associations between the variables, and multiple logistic regression models were fitted, with a significance level set at 5%. Results: The study included 128 dentistry students, predominantly female, with a high monthly family income. The data revealed normal levels across the three DASS subscales. A significant association was observed between anxiety and sex (X²=10.37; p=0.03). The depression subscale exhibited associations with ethnic group (X²=47.46; p<0.01), area of residence (X²=12.44; p=0.03), and appropriate study space (X²=11.48; p=0.04). Urban residents were 4.29 times more likely to experience depression than their rural counterparts (OR=4.29; 95%CI 1.28-14.42). Conclusion: While psychological profiles were as expected, targeted interventions for vulnerable groups are crucial. Future research should use longitudinal designs and assess tailored interventions' effectiveness to enhance mental health outcomes among students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess sleep quality and stress level and to analyze their effect on the academic performance of undergraduate dental students. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among 234 undergraduate dental students at Bhubaneswar. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), consisting of 18 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale, assessed sleep quality. Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) evaluated the stress level. Google Forms collected demographic details and marks obtained in their previous examination. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Spearman correlation coefficient were used for analysis (p≤0.05). Results: Mean PSQI and K10 scores were 4.87±4.5 and 17.60±8.5, respectively. 38% of students had poor sleep quality, and mean actual sleep hours were 8.01±1.7. One-fourth (24.8%) of subjects had moderate to severe stress. Sleep quality significantly differed among the various academic years (p=0.001). A post-hoc test showed a difference between 1st and 2nd-year students and 1st and 4th-year students. A statistically significant difference between genders regarding the components of the K10 scale was observed. A non-significant positive correlation between total marks and K10 score and a negative correlation between marks and global PSQI score was found. Conclusion: Sleep quality and stress harm the academic performance of dental students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To review the literature unprecedentedly to identify the dentistry students' knowledge of pediatric patients who suffered violence. Material and Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELO, Google Scholar, and OpenGrey electronic databases up to November 2021. The "Grey Literature" was verified through Google Scholar and Open Grey searches to avoid any selection bias. There was no restriction on the date of publication or language. Results: The systematic search yielded 2.756 studies in the first selection phase, but only twenty-two articles were included. All selected articles were published between 1998 and 2021 and used a questionnaire to evaluate the dentistry students' knowledge regarding child maltreatment cases. Brazil was the country that had the most studies included (10 articles). Despite the majority of the students presenting insufficient knowledge about child maltreatment, evidence from this research showed that every form of approach by professionals toward child maltreatment should be considered important. Conclusion: Therefore, there are deficiencies regarding the teaching-learning methodology, reinforcing the need for improvements in Dentistry undergraduate curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This trial-based economic evaluation aimed to estimate the incremental cost of implementing an active learning strategy (theoretical-practical workshop) to substitute the didactic lecture as the sole method for students training in caries detection. We also provided a budget impact analysis and explored the composition of costs related to the activity. Data from the coordinating centre of a multicentre randomized and controlled study (IuSTC01) was analyzed as the first part of our main economic analysis plan. The perspective of the educational provider (the institution implementing the activity) was considered, and an immediate time horizon was adopted. All used resources were valued in Brazilian Real by adopting a microcosting strategy. Costs for each strategy were estimated and converted into international dollars. The incremental Cost per student and the total cost of implementing the complete teaching strategy for 80 students were calculated. Monte Carlo simulations were used to estimate the uncertainties. The incremental Cost estimated for the workshop implementation would be $7.93 per student (interquartile range (IQR): $7.8–8.1), and the total cost of the teaching activity would be $684 (IQR:672–696). The laboratory training comprised more than 50% of the total amount spent, and a higher percentage of this value was related to human resources costs (72%). Saving 40% of the costs could be expected for the next rounds of activities in the institution, assuming no need for additional preparation of didactic materials and tutor training. A modest incremental cost per student and an acceptable organizational budget impact should be expected for the institution when including active learning training in caries detection for undergraduate students, mainly related to the human resources involved.

Objective: To assess sleep quality and stress level and to analyze their effect on the academic performance of undergraduate dental students. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was conducted among 234 undergraduate dental students at Bhubaneswar. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), consisting of 18 items rated on a 4-point Likert scale, assessed sleep quality. Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10) evaluated the stress level. Google Forms collected demographic details and marks obtained in their previous examination. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Spearman correlation coefficient were used for analysis (p≤0.05). Results: Mean PSQI and K10 scores were 4.87±4.5 and 17.60±8.5, respectively. 38% of students had poor sleep quality, and mean actual sleep hours were 8.01±1.7. One-fourth (24.8%) of subjects had moderate to severe stress. Sleep quality significantly differed among the various academic years (p=0.001). A post-hoc test showed a difference between 1st and 2nd-year students and 1st and 4th-year students. A statistically significant difference between genders regarding the components of the K10 scale was observed. A non-significant positive correlation between total marks and K10 score and a negative correlation between marks and global PSQI score was found. Conclusion: Sleep quality and stress harm the academic performance of dental students.

Objective: To assess the influence of perceived stress during the COVID-19 pandemic over awake bruxism (AB) and sleep bruxism (SB).Material and Methods: Observational web-based research carried out in a state in the Brazilian Northeast. The sample was composed of dental students from seven faculties, divided into three groups: beginning (1-4 semesters), middle (5-7), and end (8-10). An online questionnaire was constructed: Socio-demographic, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Self-reported AB and SB, and COVID-19 Fear Scale. Data were collected from April to June 2021 by sending the questionnaire through WhatsApp®, e-mail, and Instagram®. After bivariate analyses, a multiple logistic regression model was performed to discriminate variables for perceived stress and AB and SB. Hosmer and Lemeshow and chi-square tests were used to check the model's goodness of fit. Results: A total of 391 dental students participated in this research – most women (69.8%), unmarried (69.8%), family income less than three minimum wages (60.9%), self-reported physical activity (63.3%). Perceived stress was low to moderate (72.1%), SB was 39.6%, AB was 49.6%, and low COVID-19 fear was 81.1%. COVID-19 fear (3.03), being female (2.47), and using psychotropic (2.53) increases the chance of being stressed. Perceived stress can predict AB in models 1 (p=0.008) and 4 (p=0.039). There was no significance for perceived stress and SB. Conclusion: Perceived stress during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced awake bruxism.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of sharps accidents among dental students in southwest Goiás state, Brazil, and further survey their knowledge of biosafety and post-injury management. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional analytical observational study was carried out in 2018 following the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. The study population included dental students in the 4th and 10th course semester. A pre-formulated self-administered questionnaire containing 14 objective questions was used for data collection. Mean and standard deviation values were calculated. Results: A total of 308 responses were obtained. Overall, 15.9% of the respondents reported having previously experienced accidents with sharps. Most dental students who claimed to know the biological risks to which they are exposed were in the 5th and 8th course semesters, and 67.2% of them reported knowing how to proceed in the event of a sharp accident. Conclusion: A low prevalence of sharps accidents has been reported, and dental students are considered to have a good knowledge of biosafety.

Objective: To review the literature unprecedentedly to identify the dentistry students' knowledge of pediatric patients who suffered violence. Material and Methods: A systematic review was conducted using PubMed, Web of Science, LILACS, SciELO, Google Scholar, and OpenGrey electronic databases up to November 2021. The "Grey Literature" was verified through Google Scholar and Open Grey searches to avoid any selection bias. There was no restriction on the date of publication or language. Results: The systematic search yielded 2.756 studies in the first selection phase, but only twenty-two articles were included. All selected articles were published between 1998 and 2021 and used a questionnaire to evaluate the dentistry students' knowledge regarding child maltreatment cases. Brazil was the country that had the most studies included (10 articles). Despite the majority of the students presenting insufficient knowledge about child maltreatment, evidence from this research showed that every form of approach by professionals toward child maltreatment should be considered important. Conclusion: Therefore, there are deficiencies regarding the teaching-learning methodology, reinforcing the need for improvements in Dentistry undergraduate curricula.

Abstract Background This student-centred prospective cohort study evaluated the impact of multimodal teaching methods on student performance in the theoretical domain of dental studies. Methods Dental students answered anonymous questionnaires indicating their preferences and opinions three times over three consecutive academic years. Data collected included gender, course, year of study and most frequent and preferred learning modality. Survey responses from Google Forms were analysed with SPSS 20.0 software (IBM Company, Chicago, IL, USA). Scale responses were tested with the Mann-Whitney U test against gender, program and year of study. Grades obtained from structured examinations held in the third academic year were analysed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test according to the teaching method employed. The level of statistical significance was set at p 80%) throughout the study. Acceptance of online modalities increased over time (Kruskal-Wallis test, p

Aim: To assess the associations between sociodemographic and undergraduate-related characteristics and empathy scores among dental students in a school in Southern Brazil. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional study developed from self-administered online questionnaires to undergraduate dental students at the Federal University of Pelotas. Outcomes were the total score of empathy obtained through the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and the scores obtained in four domains: perspective-taking (PT), fantasy (FA), empathic concern (EC), and personal distress (PD). In RStudio version 4.1.3 simple and adjusted linear regression models with robust residual standard errors were performed. Results: Eighty-seven students were included (response rate 24.4%). Considering the total IRI score, there was a mean score of 3.62 (SD=0.64) by item, and dental students had a mean score of 94.07 (SD=16.62). In adjusted analysis, being a woman increased the IRI (0.505;95%CI 0.187;0.823), EC (0.494;95%CI 0.168;0.819), and PT (0.822; 95%CI 0.329;1.315) scores compared to men. Adjusted associations were found between the EC domain and skin color and between the PT domain and family income. FA scores increased with age and family income and, decreased with dissatisfaction with undergraduate studies, only in the bivariate analysis. Discussion: Dental professionals’ empathy is essential in daily practice, improving the patient-professional relationship in a patient-centered care approach. Thus, it is relevant to recognize predictors of empathy among dental students to promote strategies to increase empathy in dental practice. Conclusion: Gender, skin color, family income, age, and satisfaction with undergraduate studies were associated with empathy scores among dental students.

ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of knowledge of UFES dental students about home bleaching treatment. Methods: As a methodology, a descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out through the application of practice to 109 students, containing questions about home tooth whitening, technical care and possible complications of the treatment. Data were tabulated and submitted to descriptive statistics. Results: Of the total number of students, 88.99% said they knew the factors that limit or contraindicate the bleaching treatment, 16.51% of students recognize hydrogen peroxide as a possible inducer of oral cancer, 30.27% of the students had their teeth whitened inside the University, 44.03% had their teeth whitened outside the University without professional supervision. In addition, 56.88% believe anamnesis and clinical examination are necessary before the bleaching treatment. Conclusion: It is concluded that students have limited knowledge about certain points of at-home tooth whitening. Students know the risk factors of bleaching treatment, except regarding hydrogen peroxide being a possible inducer of oral cancer. It can be inferred that academics highlight the importance of associating the clinical examination with the patient’s anamnesis before performing the bleaching treatment. Most students have had their teeth whitened outside the University, which calls attention to reinforce knowledge about the ethical issues of the profession.

Abstract The aim of this study was to explore associated variables with sense of coherence (SOC), and dental environment stress (DES) in a sample of dental students. All undergraduate (n = 474) and graduate (n = 105) dental students enrolled in the first semester of 2020 at a public university in southern Brazil were invited to participate. Data collection was performed by an online questionnaire, which included information related to sociodemographic and educational characteristics, biopsychosocial factors, aspects related to feelings experienced in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the SOC scale. The study outcome (DES) was measured by a validated tool. Linear regression analyses were performed to identify the associations between the outcome and all independent variables. A total of 408 students were included (response rate: 70.5%). The overall mean score of the DES scale was 73.95 (SD: 24.13). Students with higher SOC scores were observed to have significantly lower DES scores (βGRADUATE: -0.376; 95%: -0.482 to -0.271; βUNDERGRADUATE: -0.478; 95%:-0.658 to -0.297). Female undergraduate students (β: 11.788; 95%CI: 7.161–16.415) had higher DES scores compared with undergraduate male students. In addition, the presence of anxiety symptoms when providing dental care to patients with symptoms or suspected COVID-19 infection was associated with higher DES scores (β: 10.460; 95%CI: 5.644–15.277) among undergraduate dental students. The level of stress was higher in non-white undergraduate students than white (β: 8.912; 95%CI: 3.581–14.244). Among both undergraduate and graduate dental students, higher SOC scores were associated with lower DES.

OBJECTIVE: To explore various factors affecting academic success & failure among public sector dental students. METHODS: This mixed-methods study with explanatory sequential study approach was completed in May 2021 at Bolan Medical College, Quetta, Pakistan. After taking informed written consent, qualitative & quantitative questionnaires were distributed among 3rd year dental students. Quantitive data was analyzed through SPSS version-20. Qualitaive data was analysed through thematic analysis to identify themes and subthemes. RESULTS: Out of 28 dental students, majority (n=15; 53.6%) were females. Passing percentage of female students was high (n=14/15; 93.33%) as compared to males (n=7/13; 53.85%). Failure was 6.6% (n=1/15) in girls and 46.15% (n=6/13) in boys. In annual exams, 75% (n=21/28) students passed in all subjects. About 89.3% (n=25/28) of successful students were satisfied with teaching strategies, 85.7% (n=24/28) reflected on their learned material, 75% (n=21/28) recalled prior knowledge, 67.9% (n=19/28) were hard-working, 71.4% (n=20/28) were internaly motivated whereas 67.9% (n=19/28) were confident about their abilities. Instrumental design, personal issues and learning environment were the main themes identified. Sub-themes for instrumental design were teaching strategies, overload curriculum & exam strategies; for personal issues were learning style, lack of sleep, coping strategies, class attendance, stress & motivation/interest and for learning environment were students’ centered, assessment-centered and teachers’ centered. CONCLUSION: Successful students acknowledged the motivation, educational environment and innovative teaching strategies as contributing factors to their success. Hostel issues, lack of sleep, learning strategies, lack of interest in dentistry, anxiety, and parental education were the main elements among the academic failures.

Background: This student-centred prospective cohort study evaluated the impact of multimodal teaching methods on student performance in the theoretical domain of dental studies. Methods: Dental students answered anonymous questionnaires indicating their preferences and opinions three times over three consecutive academic years. Data collected included gender, course, year of study and most frequent and preferred learning modality. Survey responses from Google Forms were analysed with SPSS 20.0 software (IBM Company, Chicago, IL, USA). Scale responses were tested with the Mann-Whitney U test against gender, program and year of study. Grades obtained from structured examinations held in the third academic year were analysed using the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test according to the teaching method employed. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The response rate was high (> 80%) throughout the study. Acceptance of online modalities increased over time (Kruskal-Wallis test, p < 0.001) and 75% of students requested that online teaching modalities be maintained. Significant differences in gender, program of study, year of study and discipline taught were observed (Mann-Whitney test, p < 0.05). Females differed from males by favouring online modalities and face-to-face lectures, respectively, and clinical year students opted to retain pre-recorded online lectures. Recorded lectures resulted better for teaching core knowledge (Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, p = 0.034), while face-to-face lectures were better for teaching applied knowledge (Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test, p = 0.043). Student responses to open-ended questions identified the need for a blended approach with in-person lecturing as an opportunity to socialise and avoid mental health issues. Although preferences varied, students showed a willingness to influence their learning and changes in curriculum, a predilection for self-directed learning and the need for freedom in engaging with resources and content. Conclusions: In the context of this study, online teaching modalities resulted in comparable examination performance and improved student satisfaction. This highlights the need for a blended approach to teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction mass contamination by the new coronavirus caused enough damage for the pandemic to extend indefinitely Objective the objective of this study was to analyze the emotional factors acquired by students from a dentistry course during the COVID-19 pandemic period and the influences related to the resumption of face-to-face activities. Material and method it is an observational, cross-sectional and analytical research conducted at a public university in the state of Pará, Brazil. A research questionnaire, prepared by the authors and validated by the ethics committee of the Federal University of Pará, was applied to the academic community for a period of three months (November 2020 to January 2021). The analysis was performed using the Excel program, Kappa statistics and the Chi-squared test, whose results were presented as frequency and percentage. Result a total of 188 dental students participated in the research. The findings proved to be in accordance with the hypothesis generated by the researchers, about 19.2% had emotional crises and 3.7% increase in the lockdown period. As for the expectations for care services, there was an increase in the oppressive state of psychic crises (anxiety, stress, anger, fear), considered influential in the cognition of behavioral traits during post-pandemic care. Conclusion the study identified that the emotional changes acquired in the pandemic outbreak had a negative impact on student performance; however, depressive symptoms were expressed in graduating students.

Introduction: Dental professionals have been strong advocates for interprofessional education (IPE). During PFF, students in diverse, interprofessional teams of four are assigned a local volunteer family during their first academic year. Teams conduct four home visits and implement a health improvement project focused on the family's health and well‐being. The purpose of our analysis was to examine dental student perspectives on the use of teamwork skills during this unique interprofessional educational experience. Methods and Materials: Dental student responses from 2017 to 2018 and 2018 to2019 were qualitatively analysed. Open coding by hand was used to identify keywords and themes. The themes and open codes were compared and contrasted by the researchers until a consensus was reached on themes. Results: Researchers discerned three meta‐themes: value, skills and time. Researchers also found eight sub‐themes prevalent in responses: teamwork, adaptability, mutual support, trust, interprofessional communication, time, feedback, coordination and accountability. Discussion: Our findings indicate dental students understood the importance of interprofessional teamwork and experiential learning within the context of PFF. Students communicated an understanding of how teamwork skills can impact team‐oriented outcomes. Dental students seemed to value many teamwork skills that contributed to their interprofessional team's success and experiential learning experience. Conclusion: Engagement in a longitudinal experience that is patient‐centred, requiring time outside of the classroom, is valued by dental students for its interprofessional collaborative competency development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of RGO: Revista Gaúcha de Odontologia is the property of RGO: Revista Gaucha de Odontologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Universidade Estadual Paulista. Revista de Odontologia is the property of Universidade Estadual Paulista. Revista de Odontologia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background/Aim. Good undergraduate education is necessary to overcome the reluctance of dentists to use the rubber dam (RD). The aim of the study was to assess dental students’ knowledge, training skills, attitudes, and opinions concerning the use of RD in order to isolate an operation field. Methods. A 34-item original questionnaire was distributed to 130 final-year students of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade. The questions were divided into four segments: general information, RD-related knowledge and training skills, opinions and attitudes regarding the use of RD, and opinions on the intended future use of RD. Results. All students confirmed that they had theoretical lessons about RD and that its advantages were pointed out. During practical courses, 34% of students observed RD placement and 10% of them placed RD on their own or with assistance. Most (88%) of the students did not feel capable of using RD on their own. Less than half of the students (38%) believed that adequate isolation of the operating field is possible without RD. Sixty-four percent of students considered that RD was not uncomfortable for the patients. More than half of the students were willing to use RD in their future practice. Almost all of them planned to gain additional postgraduate training with RD. Conclusion. Students have solid theoretical knowledge about RD; they are aware of its importance and have a positive attitude toward RD use. However, their practical training and skills are poor and insufficient for independent RD use in order to isolate an operation field.

Objective: To assess the level of moral skills in dental students and residents. Material and Methods: This cross-sectional and descriptive-analytical study was conducted on dental students and residents of Kerman University of Medical Sciences, selected by census sampling. Data collection tools included a demographic information checklist (age, gender, marital status, educational level (before basic sciences, after basic sciences, residency), and Moral skills inventory questionnaire. The data were analyzed using a T-test and multiple regression analysis at a confidence level of 95%. Results: The total score of the moral skills questionnaire was about 44 out of 80, and there was no difference between males and females in moral skills (p=0.79). However, there was a significant difference in moral sensitivity between married and single students (p=0.036). Residents gained significantly higher moral integrity scores than students (p=0.046). Conclusion: The study highlights that the level of professional moral skills in Kerman dental students and residents was acceptable. Single students got higher scores in the moral sensitivity domain, although residents got the highest scores in the moral integrity domain. There was no significant correlation between gender and the level of moral skills.

Background: Virtual reality (VR) can be used to simulate the viewpoint of a child to allow dental students to experience what a child experiences during a dental visit. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of VR simulation on the empathy and comfort managing children among dental students. Design: Sixty dental students experienced a VR scenario created for the study. Empathy levels were examined using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE). A self‐administered questionnaire was used to collect information on self‐perceived ability, comfort and impact of the intervention. Results: There was a significant (p =.004) increase (indicating greater empathy) in JSE scores between pre‐intervention (112.35 ± 9.34) and post‐intervention (117.64 ± 10.03), which returned to baseline 3 months later (112.72 ± 10.36). Dental students perceived themselves to be more confident at communicating (6.45 ± 1.64 vs. 5.75 ± 1.71, p =.011) and interacting (6.63 ± 1.44 vs. 6.00 ± 1.78, p =.046) with children after the intervention. All (100%) felt that the VR scenarios helped them better empathize with children. Only 30% revisited the scenario after the intervention, and they were significantly more likely (p <.001) to find it helpful for actual clinical sessions. Conclusion: Virtual reality could be used to improve empathy, self‐perceived comfort and ability at managing children in dental students. Yet, they should be encouraged to revise using it to maintain this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the quality, reliability, and practical effect of the Simodont virtual simulation training system in preclinical teaching of access and coronal cavity preparation for dental undergraduate students. Twenty dental undergraduate students from Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, were recruited and randomly divided into two groups after theory training. The groups were allocated using the random number method and assessed for access and coronal cavity preparation skills using a standardized assessment form and the Simodont virtual simulation system operation manual. Baseline scores were recorded for each student. One group received training with the Simodont virtual simulation system, while the other used a conventional phantom simulator system. After training, skills were reassessed, and scores were recorded. The groups then switched training systems and were assessed again. All students completed a Teaching Questionnaire at the end of the training. Data was collected and analyzed. The mean score of students in the virtual simulation priority group (15.9 ± 0.56 points) and the phantom-simulator priority group (15.3 ± 0.40 points) was significantly higher than the baseline score (13.3 ± 0.63 points) and (13.1 ± 0.30 points) (P < 0.05), respectively. Furthermore, the mean score of students in the virtual simulation priority group after training with both systems (15.9 ± 0.56 points) was significantly higher than that of the students in the virtual simulation priority group alone (14.2 ± 0.62 points) (P < 0.05). The mean score was also significantly higher in the virtual simulation priority group of students (15.9 ± 0.56 points) trained with both systems than in the phantom-simulator priority group of students (15.3 ± 0.40 points) trained with both systems for the assessment (p < 0.05). The mean score of students in the phantom-simulator priority group (15.3 ± 0.40 points) after training with both systems was significantly higher than that of the students in the phantom-simulator priority group alone (14.3 ± 0.28 points) (P < 0.05). The questionnaire results showed that the students fully agreed that "the Simodont virtual simulation system has the characteristics of repeatability, multi-dimensionality, and multiple practices, and gives me more attention to details. However, they also noted that "it needs to be improved and upgraded to be closer to the conventional phantom-simulator system. Compared with the conventional phantom-simulator system alone, the preclinical teaching effectiveness of access and coronal cavity preparation could be significantly enhanced by incorporating the Simodont virtual simulation system alongside the phantom-simulator training system. The training sequence might influence this improvement., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Wei, Peng. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objective: This study aimed to verify the predictive capacity of manual dexterity assessment methods for pre-clinical training in Dentistry., Method: Students from the fifth year of the undergraduate course in Dentistry (N = 95) participated in this study. Manual dexterity was investigated as a variable of interest, measured by the O'Connor Finger Dexterity Test methods-Model 32021, Purdue Pegboard Test-Model 32020A, Dental Manual Dexterity Assessment-DMDA, Class One Cavity Preparation Assessent-COCA and Class One Composite Resin Restoration Assessment-COCRA. The average score obtained in the evaluation of the quality of the cavity preparations and restorations was considered as gold standard, and from these data the sensitivity and specificity of the tests were estimated. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed to assess the diagnostic performance of each dexterity test. The analysis included calculating the Area Under the Curve (AUROC) to evaluate their discriminative power, and cutoff points were determined that optimize the balance between sensitivity and specificity., Results: The DMDA test showed better performance, with statistical significance (p <0.001) and acceptable predictive ability (AUROC = 0.775), while the O'Connor test (AUROC = 0.644, p = 0.050) and Purdue Pegboard test (Purdue 1: AUROC = 0.542, p = 0.560; Purdue 2: AUROC = 0.564, p = 0.423; Purdue 3: AUROC = 0.517, p = 0.828; Purdue 4: AUROC = 0.608, p = 0.083) were not statistically significant., Conclusion: The DMDA test presented the best performance, with statistical significance and acceptable discrimination, showing greater effectiveness for assessing students' manual dexterity. Therefore, the implementation of the DMDA test can significantly contribute to the early identification of motor dexterity difficulties in dental students, enabling more effective and targeted interventions., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Genaro et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Objectives: This in-vitro study evaluates the accuracy of modular surgical templates used to fully guide implants in combination with bone reduction, performed by expert and students, for complete arch restorations., Methods: All the procedures were performed by dental students of the final year and an expert clinician, on twelve edentulous mandible models. A virtual implant planning, simulating a complete arch restoration on six implants were performed. Three different surgical guides were designed and printed to allow conventional fully guided implant placement (group 1); fully guided implant placement with modular guides (group 2); and fully guided implant placement after bone reduction, with similar, modular guides (group 3). After implant placement, optical scans of the study models were taken. Surface deviation and accuracy were evaluated and compared between groups and subgroups., Results: A total of 12 surgical templates were used. Of these, Two templates in each group were used by two different students, while, the other six templates were used by an expert clinician as follows: one template with screwed anchor pins and one with pushed anchor pins in each group. A total of 72 implants were placed. Statistically significant difference was found between different template designs, when the implants were placed by an expert clinician. No statistically significant difference was found between expert and students, except the deviation in an angle value (students 2.13±1.46° versus expert 0.90±0.91°; P Value=0.0447) in the group 3. A statistically significant difference was found in favor of screwed anchor pins, in the group 1, in horizontal deviation (screwed pins 0.18±0.13 mm versus pushed pins 0.56±0.28 mm; P Value=0.0124; Table 5). No statistically significant difference was found between different template designs when the fully guided implants were placed by students, in both angle and horizontally (P=0.2787 and P=0.6601, respectively). A statistically significant difference was found between groups when the implants were placed by an expert clinician, with better value using screwed anchor pins, in the horizontal plane (P= 0.0293) but not in angle (P= 0.3380)., Conclusions: Modular templates provide a similar level of accuracy to conventional, one-piece guides. Screwed pins should be used to fix the base portion of the modular guides. Further clinical studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results., Clinical Significance: Modular surgical guides provide comparable accuracy to conventional, single-piece guides, however they offer more possibilities, helping in bone reduction and immediate loading procedures. Screwed anchor pins used to fix the base portion of the modular guides provide better final results than pushed pins., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Purpose/objectives: Admission into dental school involves selecting applicants for successful completion of the course. This study aimed to predict the academic performance of Kulliyyah of Dentistry, International Islamic University Malaysia pre-clinical dental students based on admission results using artificial intelligence machine learning (ML) models, and Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC)., Methods: ML algorithms logistic regression (LR), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM) models were applied. Academic performance prediction in pre-clinical years was made using three input parameters: age during admission, pre-university Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), and total matriculation semester. PCC was deployed to identify the correlation between pre-university CGPA and dental school grades. The proposed models' classification accuracy ranged from 29% to 57%, ranked from highest to lowest as follows: RF, SVM, DT, and LR. Pre-university CGPA was shown to be predictive of dental students' academic performance; however, alone they did not yield optimal outcomes. RF was the most precise algorithm for predicting grades A, B, and C, followed by LR, DT, and SVM. In forecasting failure, LR predicted three grades with the highest recall, SVM predicted two grades, and DT predicted one. RF performance was insignificant., Conclusion: The findings demonstrated the application of ML algorithms and PCC to predict dental students' academic performance. However, it was limited by several factors. Each algorithm has unique performance qualities, and trade-offs between different performance metrics may be necessary. No definitive model stood out as the best algorithm for predicting student academic success in this study., (© 2024 American Dental Education Association.)

Background: The challenges associated with ensuring widespread system changes to enable early diagnosis and prevention of oral cancer could benefit from interprofessional practice. A needs assessment study was conducted to inform the Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Practice (IPECP) course related to oral cancer. The primary objectives of this study were 1) to establish a tool assess the knowledge attitude and practice (KAP) related to prevention and early detection of oral cancer of health professional students, and 2) to assess the same KAP of pre-licensure dental students. Additional objectives were to consider the possibility that dental students would demonstrate good scores related to early detection and prevention of oral cancer thus indicating their readiness for interprofessional learning and collaborative practice., Methods: Two questionnaires were utilized for this study which included 1) Readiness for interprofessional learning was assessed using the pre- validated tool of Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) 2) A questionnaire to assess the KAP related to early diagnosis and prevention of oral cancer which was developed, validated, and evaluated. Statistical analysis includes, descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U test, Ordered logistic regression and Probit analysis. p value was set at < 0.05., Results: A total of 130 dental students (74.6% female) were included in the study. Mean scores related to KAP were 15.96 ± 1.394, 4.70 + 1.146, 7.02 ± 1.019 respectively. The mean score of RIPLS was 73.15 ± 15.961. The probability of overall samples to have good RIPLS scores was around 0.68 to 0.76 (Male 0.68-0.82 & Female 0.68 -0.74). The percentage of students having good knowledge score was 93.8%, good attitude score was around 54.6% and good practice score was around 90%., Conclusion: Knowledge and practice related to prevention and early detection of oral cancer were scored highly. Attitude scores were lower in a relatively higher proportion of participants and needed to be addressed in the curriculum. RIPLS score indicates a positive attitude towards interprofessional learning., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: The analytical rubric serves as a permanent reference for guidelines on clinical performance for undergraduate dental students. This study aims to assess the rubric system used to evaluate clinical class II composite restorations performed by undergraduate dental students and to explore the impact of gender on overall student performance across two academic years. Additionally, we investigated the relationship between cumulative grade point averages (CGPAs) and students' clinical performance., Methods: An analytical rubric for the assessment of clinical class II composite restoration in the academic years of 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 was used by two evaluators. These two evaluators were trained to use the rubric before doing the evaluations. The scores were based on a 4-point scale for the evaluation of five major parameters for pre-operative procedures (10 points), cavity preparation (20 points), restoration procedures (20 points), and time management (4 points). At the same time, chairside oral exam parameter was 15 points based on a 5-point scale. Descriptive statistics were calculated for the different analytical rubric parameters, and the independent t-test was used to compare the scores between the student groups and the evaluators. Other tests, such as the Kappa test and Pearson's correlation coefficient, were used to measure the association among CGPA, evaluators, and gender participants., Results: The overall score out of 69 slightly increased for females/males (61.28/59.42) and (61.18/59.49) in the 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 academic years, respectively, but the differences were not statistically significant. In the 2022/2023 academic year, female students scored significantly higher than male students in pre-operative procedures, as evaluated by both evaluators (p = 0.001), and in time management, as assessed by both evaluators (p = 0.031). The Kappa test demonstrated a moderate to substantial level of agreement between the two evaluators in both academic years. Strong and significant correlations were noted between students' CGPA and some tested parameters (p = 0.000)., Conclusion: The overall performance was very good and high among both genders, but it was marginally higher among females than among males. This study found some differences in performance between male and female students and variability in the evaluations by the two raters ranging from moderate to substantial agreement and similar performances for students with different CGPA., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: The aim of this study was to measure radiant exposure and time necessary to deliver 16 J/cm2 of radiant exposure to simulated Class I and Class III preparations by first-year dental students. First-year dental students (n=89) received a 60-minute lecture on light-curing. Using the Managing Accurate Resin Curing Patient Simulator (MARC-PS) and protective blue-light-blocking glasses, students twice light-cured Class I and Class III restorations, using the Valo Grand Cordless light-curing unit with infection-control barriers on both Standard and High Power Plus modes. After their first attempts, if students did not obtain at least 16 J/cm2 of radiant exposure (RE), they received additional instruction. Paired t-tests were used to determine the change between the first and second attempts. After averaging two attempts, radiant exposure and time were compared between Standard and High Power Plus modes within individuals using paired t-tests., Results: 79% of students provided 16 J/cm2 of radiant exposure on both attempts for Standard and High Power Plus modes. High Power Plus mode provided statistically significantly more radiant exposure and required less time to obtain 16 J/cm2 of radiant exposure for both restorations., Conclusions: The MARC-PS is useful to identify students requiring instruction. It may be prudent to use High Power Plus mode or increase time on Standard mode to light-cure Class I restorations., (©Operative Dentistry, 2024.)

Introduction: This study investigated the impact of implementing hydraulic condensation (HC) as a second obturation technique in the Endodontic Preclinical course for dental students trained in warm vertical compaction (WVC)., Methods: A total of 70 students performed root canal treatment of 2 extracted molars; they performed the HC technique for the first time after a demonstration. The combination of the obturation technique (WVC or HC) and the type of molar (maxillary or mandibular) was randomly assigned, resulting in 4 groups (n = 35). The students answered a questionnaire appraising their learning experience and completed a self-evaluation rubric. Masked instructors graded projects. Data were statistically analyzed (significance set at 5%)., Results: Most of the students (91%) considered learning 2 obturation techniques relevant and considered it difficult to perform the downpack in molars (P < .05). About half of the students (45.7%) responded that HC resulted in fewer errors and disagreed that WVC derives in a more homogeneous obturation; accordingly, 52.9% of the students selected the highest self-grading for HC obturations, while only 38.6% for WVC. No significant difference was found in the distribution of grades attributed by students and instructors (P > .05). Students reported significantly higher levels of confidence for HC and difficulty for WVC (P < .05). No difference was found between the techniques regarding the presence of voids. The presence of multiple errors was more frequent for WVC (P < .05)., Conclusion: The findings indicate a positive learning experience and comparable performance among preclinical dental students in implementing HC as an alternative obturation technique., (Copyright © 2024 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study assessed the radiographic technical quality of root fillings in single-canal teeth performed over a decade (June 2013 to June 2023) by undergraduate dental students of the Federal University of Campina Grande., Methods: All teeth underwent chemomechanical preparation using Gates-Glidden drills and hand instrumentation with stainless steel files up to 1 mm short of the root apex. Apical expansion was performed with up to two or three instruments above the initial anatomical apical diameter. The canal was filled in the absence of signs and symptoms of infection using gutta-percha cones and Sealer 26 or MTA Fillapex. A post-filling radiograph was routinely taken to assess the quality of root filling and coronal restoration. An experienced researcher trained and calibrated an examiner to evaluate post-operative periapical radiographs considering root-filling length, lateral adaptation and taper using ImageJ 1.52q software. Root filling was satisfactory when reaching acceptable classifications for the three parameters. The chi-squared test compared tooth type, dental arch and pulpal diagnosis at a 5% significance level., Results: The study assessed 124 canals, showing 90 (72.6%) satisfactory root fillings. The sub-analysis of individual parameters demonstrated that 105 (84.7%) root fillings had acceptable length, 113 (91.1%) adapted well to lateral canal walls, and 109 (87.9%) had proper taper. Most cases occurred in maxillary teeth (n = 99), pulp necrosis was the most frequent pulpal diagnosis (n = 89), and root-filling quality showed no association with tooth type, dental arch or pulpal diagnosis., Conclusion: The technical quality of root fillings in single-canal teeth treated by dental students was predominantly satisfactory., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Radiographic diagnostic competences are a primary focus of dental education. This study assessed two feedback methods to enhance learning outcomes and explored the feasibility of artificial intelligence (AI) to support education., Materials and Methods: Fourth-year dental students had access to 16 virtual radiological example cases for 8 weeks. They were randomly assigned to either elaborated feedback (eF) or knowledge of results feedback (KOR) based on expert consensus. Students´ diagnostic competences were tested on bitewing/periapical radiographs for detection of caries, apical periodontitis, accuracy for all radiological findings and image quality. We additionally assessed the accuracy of an AI system (dentalXrai Pro 3.0), where applicable. Data were analysed descriptively and using ROC analysis (accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, AUC). Groups were compared with Welch's t-test., Results: Among 55 students, the eF group by large performed significantly better than the KOR group in detecting enamel caries (accuracy 0.840 ± 0.041, p = .196; sensitivity 0.638 ± 0.204, p = .037; specificity 0.859 ± 0.050, p = .410; ROC AUC 0.748 ± 0.094, p = .020), apical periodontitis (accuracy 0.813 ± 0.095, p = .011; sensitivity 0.476 ± 0.230, p = .003; specificity 0.914 ± 0.108, p = .292; ROC AUC 0.695 ± 0.123, p = .001) and in assessing the image quality of periapical images (p = .031). No significant differences were observed for the other outcomes. The AI showed almost perfect diagnostic performance (enamel caries: accuracy 0.964, sensitivity 0.857, specificity 0.074; dentin caries: accuracy 0.988, sensitivity 0.941, specificity 1.0; overall: accuracy 0.976, sensitivity 0.958, specificity 0.983)., Conclusion: Elaborated feedback can improve student's radiographic diagnostic competences, particularly in detecting enamel caries and apical periodontitis. Using an AI may constitute an alternative to expert labelling of radiographs., (© 2024 The Author(s). European Journal of Dental Education published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aim: To develop and evaluate a suitable software application for mobile devices designed for teaching root canal anatomy to undergraduate students in an informative and engaging manner., Methodology: Extracted human teeth were scanned by μCT and digitized by converting into STL files. An extended reality (XR) application illustrating the root canal anatomy of the scanned teeth was developed. Prior to deployment, undergraduate dental students were voluntarily asked about their expectations regarding an educational application on tooth anatomy. After a testing phase of the application on a mobile device and within a virtual reality environment, a subsequent evaluation was conducted to assess their overall experience in relation to their initial expectations. Data were analysed using Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Mann-Whitney U test. The level of significance was set to .05 (p = .05)., Results: The application was able to meet the expectations of the students in all categories (p < .466-.731). Furthermore, it was evaluated as user-friendly (98.2%) and highly motivating for the purpose of learning more on root canal anatomy (100%)., Conclusion: Given the overwhelmingly positive reception from undergraduate dental students, the application emerges to be a promising supplementary teaching method for the endodontic curriculum., (© 2024 The Author(s). International Endodontic Journal published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Endodontic Society.)

Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) often arise and develop during dentistry studies. The most affected regions are related to the spine. Possible associations between spinal curve parameters and MSDs have not yet been investigated amongst dentistry students. This longitudinal observational study aimed to determine whether spinal curve changes during dentistry studies, analyse the relationship between objective findings and subjectively declared MSDs and compare spinal curve parameters with those published in the literature., Materials and Methods: Seventy-three dentistry students answered a questionnaire on MSDs, and were examined using the Spinal Mouse® device at the beginning, in the middle, and at the end of their 5-year study., Results: The spinal curve exhibited a gender diversity in the lumbar lordosis angle, sacrum inclination, and thoracolumbar ratio. From the first to fifth study year, we observed an increase in the range of motions in the sagittal and frontal planes, an increase in the maximal extent of right lateral inclination, and a decrease in maximal left lateral inclination. Whole-spine backward inclination increased only in women, and forward sacral inclination decreased. No statistically significant relationships were found between the objective findings and subjectively declared MSDs., Conclusions: The spinal curve shape differed between men and women and changed during dentistry studies. No objective markers or predictors of MSDs were found amongst the dentistry students. These findings can serve as a benchmark for further studies on the association between MSDs and objective findings., (© 2024 The Author(s). European Journal of Dental Education published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: To evaluate the reliability of information produced by the artificial intelligence-based program ChatGPT in terms of accuracy and relevance, as assessed by orthodontists, dental students, and individuals seeking orthodontic treatment., Materials and Methods: Frequently asked and curious questions in four basic areas related to orthodontics were prepared and asked in ChatGPT (Version 4.0), and answers were evaluated by three different groups (senior dental students, individuals seeking orthodontic treatment, orthodontists). Questions asked in these basic areas of orthodontics were about: clear aligners (CA), lingual orthodontics (LO), esthetic braces (EB), and temporomandibular disorders (TMD). The answers were evaluated by the Global Quality Scale (GQS) and Quality Criteria for Consumer Health Information (DISCERN) scale., Results: The total mean DISCERN score for answers on CA for students was 51.7 ± 9.38, for patients was 57.2 ± 10.73 and, for orthodontists was 47.4 ± 4.78 (P = .001). Comparison of GQS scores for LO among groups: students (3.53 ± 0.78), patients (4.40 ± 0.72), and orthodontists (3.63 ± 0.72) (P < .001). Intergroup comparison of ChatGPT evaluations about TMD was examined in terms of the DISCERN scale, with the highest value given in the patients group (57.83 ± 11.47) and lowest value in the orthodontist group (45.90 ± 11.84). When information quality evaluation about EB was examined, it GQS scores were >3 in all three groups (students: 3.50 ± 0.78; patients: 4.17 ± 0.87; orthodontists: 3.50 ± 0.82)., Conclusions: ChatGPT has significant potential in terms of usability for patient information and education in the field of orthodontics if it is developed and necessary updates are made., (© 2024 by The EH Angle Education and Research Foundation, Inc.)

Purpose: The objective of the present observational study was to assess the inter-examiner agreement for the diagnosis of periodontitis using the 2018 CPD among fourth and fifth year undergraduate students. It is hypothesised that there is no difference in the inter-examiner relaibility between fourth- and fifth-year undergraduate students regarding staging and grading periodontal disease using the 2018 Classification of Periodontal Diseases (CPD)., Materials and Methods: All participants received training on the 2018 CPD scheme through a mandatory periodontics course conducted by a periodontist. Documentation for seven deidentified periodontitis patients, comprising medical history, dental history including tooth loss, intra-oral photographs and radiographs, periodontal charts reporting probing depth, plaque and bleeding on probing scores, furcation involvement and clinical attachment loss, was sent via e-mail to undergraduate students. The cases consisted of one sextant, and the participants were instructed to assume the sextant to be a true representation of the entire dentition. Power analysis was done on pilot data, and the level of significance was set at p0.05., Results: The percentage of undergraduate students in the fourth and fifth year that correctly identified the stage of periodontitis according to the 2018 CPD ranged between 28% and 72% and 18.5% and 77.8%, respectively. The percentage of undergraduate students in the fourth and fifth year that correctly identified the grade of periodontitis ranged between 40% and 88% and 51.8% and 92.5%, respectively. The overall staging and grading ranged between 22.8% and 74.1%, and 45.66% and 87.4%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between fourth- and fifth-year undergraduate students with regards to assigning the correct diagnoses to case documentation in terms of either stage or grade., Conclusion: Fourth- and fifth-year undergraduate students demonstrated high inter-examiner agreement using the 2018 CPD.

Aim: New technologies such as tactile robots and artificial intelligence (AI) are finding their way into clinical practice in dentistry and could contribute to the improvement of oral health care in the future. The hypothesis of the present in vitro pilot study trial was that a collaborative tactile robot programmed by a dental student could remove interproximal artificial plaque as effectively as a human operator., Materials and Methods: Model teeth were fully covered with artificial plaque and set into phantom jaws. First, a robot was programmed by a dental student to perform interproximal cleaning with an interproximal brush. Second, the teeth were covered with artificial plaque again, and the dental student performed the interproximal cleaning manually. Both experiments were repeated five times. Residual plaque was measured with binary pictures. Surface coverage was reported, and the comparison of methods was performed with significance defined at α &#61; 0.05., Results: No statistically significant difference was found in the cleaning result between the robot and the human operator., Conclusion: The results of the present in vitro pilot study indicate that a tactile robot with integrated AI programmed by a dental student can perform interproximal cleaning as effectively as a dental student., Practical Implications: In the future, the use of robot assistants to support oral hygiene, eg, in patients with reduced motor skills or impaired vision, should be fur ther investigated.

Background: The shadow curriculum is an emerging concept in curriculum studies that has not yet garnered significant attention in medical education. It includes programs and activities outside formal education to improve students' academic performance in the formal educational system., Objective: In this study, we designed and developed an online course based on the shadow curriculum and evaluated its effect on students' learning and academic performance., Methods: This study represents a form of developmental research, with the study population comprising medical and dental students from universities of medical sciences in Iran. The course was conducted at the Smart University of Medical Sciences, following the ADDIE instructional design approach in three phases. The initial two phases involved designing and implementing the program according to the students' needs and requirements. In the third phase, we evaluated the program using the Kirkpatrick model. In the first level evaluation, the reaction of 70 students in the course was investigated. To assess the impact of the course, pre and post-tests were administered to 30 students. Finally, the effect of the course on students' success in the comprehensive exams for basic medical sciences, dentistry, and pre-internship was analyzed by examining the passing and failing statuses of 83 and 57 students who participated in the September 2023 and February 2024 exams., Results: The results indicated that the students responded positively to the program. The analysis of pre-test and post-test scores showed a significant improvement in the students' academic performance across all the subjects presented in the course, including basic medical sciences, dentistry, and pre-internship (p < 0.01, p < 0.05). Overall, the descriptive analysis of the program's influence on the students' success in comprehensive exams in basic medical sciences, dentistry, and pre-internship showed that 70 out of 83 participating students passed the September 2023 comprehensive exams. Additionally, 51 out of 57 participants completed the comprehensive exams in February 2024., Conclusions: In an era where the shadow curriculum is reshaping learning and the educational landscape, the findings presented in this study indicate that this type of curriculum should be given special attention in the theoretical, research, and practical dimensions of the field of medical education., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and large language model (LLM)-based AI applications (LLMAs) has tremendous implications for our society. This study analyzed the performance of LLMAs on solving restorative dentistry and endodontics (RDE) student assessment questions., Materials and Methods: 151 questions from a RDE question pool were prepared for prompting using LLMAs from OpenAI (ChatGPT-3.5,-4.0 and -4.0o) and Google (Gemini 1.0). Multiple-choice questions were sorted into four question subcategories, entered into LLMAs and answers recorded for analysis. P-value and chi-square statistical analyses were performed using Python 3.9.16., Results: The total answer accuracy of ChatGPT-4.0o was the highest, followed by ChatGPT-4.0, Gemini 1.0 and ChatGPT-3.5 (72%, 62%, 44% and 25%, respectively) with significant differences between all LLMAs except GPT-4.0 models. The performance on subcategories direct restorations and caries was the highest, followed by indirect restorations and endodontics., Conclusions: Overall, there are large performance differences among LLMAs. Only the ChatGPT-4 models achieved a success ratio that could be used with caution to support the dental academic curriculum., Clinical Relevance: While LLMAs could support clinicians to answer dental field-related questions, this capacity depends strongly on the employed model. The most performant model ChatGPT-4.0o achieved acceptable accuracy rates in some subject sub-categories analyzed., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the potential reduction of academic stress related to a graded oral presentation in postgraduate dental students using coffee aromatherapy., Methods: Healthy postgraduate dental students in a seminar class were divided into coffee (n = 32) and control (n = 26) groups. There were 3 modes of aroma distribution: personal distribution with a coffee pad attached to a lanyard, a lanyard plus a personal fan for ventilation of the aroma, and the typical method of the diffuser to spread the aroma in the ambient air. Stress markers comprised levels of salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), cortisol (sCort), and chromogranin A (sCgA). Pulse rates were also measured., Results: Levels of sAA increased 176.62% ± 30.26% between pre- and postpresentation in the control group. Inhaling coffee aroma during the presentation period significantly ameliorated sAA increase at 81.02% ± 14.90% (P = .015). sCort levels tended to decrease in the coffee group, but not significantly. Surprisingly, sCgA levels increased more in the coffee group. Also, pulse rates decreased in the coffee group (-2.07 ± 2.81 bpm) and increased in the control group (6.90 ± 3.22 bpm; P = .035). Subgroup analysis did not reveal differences in salivary markers amongst the 3 aroma distribution modes., Conclusions: Coffee aroma could have an anxiolytic effect on postgraduate dental students, as evidenced by changes in sAA levels and pulse rates. Personal aroma distribution was also a useful and effective mode of aromatherapy., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None disclosed., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Interpretation of dental radiographs is a difficult process, particularly for inexperienced students. This study introduced concept mapping for dental students to help in the radiographic interpretation of common jaw lesions. We aimed to analyze the efficacy of the concept map (CM) in radiographic interpretation, with a discussion of the diagnostic reasoning dilemma., Methods: This study included 39 dental students. After a 1-h class for CM guidance and based on three group discussions and one-on-one feedback, the students completed and submitted CMs for three jaw diseases (ameloblastoma, odontogenic keratocyst, and simple bone cyst). All participants underwent a pretest and posttest of knowledge and diagnosis; all students but one completed an open-ended questionnaire regarding the use of CMs., Results: Concept mapping effectively improved diagnostic accuracy. The participants' posttest scores were better than their pretest scores in both knowledge and diagnostic tests. Most of the students attempted radiographic interpretation through analytic reasoning. The time required for the students to draw a CM varied from student to student from 3-5 h to 1-3 days., Conclusion: This study shows that CMs can improve the radiographic diagnostic ability of dental students by providing a framework for analytic reasoning. Continuous research is warranted to improve the effectiveness of CM in oral radiographic interpretation in the dental student's class., (© 2024 American Dental Education Association.)

Objective: To evaluate the influence of the tooth shade, type of resin composite and cavity configuration on the color adjustment of single-shade and group shade resin composites., Methods: Class I and V cavities were prepared in artificial acrylic mandibular right molars with different shades - A1, A2, A3, A3.5 and A4. Three single-shade (OMN, UNI, CHA) and two group shade (FIL, HAR) resin composites were evaluated. Seventy-five observers, including dentists, dental students and laypersons (n = 25), participated in the study. A psychophysical experiment based on visual assessments of the color matching between each tooth and each restoration was ranked from 0 (excellent match) to 4 (huge mismatch), and mean frequencies (%) were calculated. Visual color differences among composite materials and tooth shades were statistically tested (P < 0.05)., Results: The results showed highest percentages of unacceptable color mismatches for class V compared to class I restorations, especially for more chromatic tooth shades (A3.5 and A4). The percentage of ratings of acceptability was higher for laypersons group. For class V, OMN presented significant difference only from UNI in tooth shades A1, A2, A3 and A4. However, for class I, OMN presented significant differences with CHA for A1, A2 and A4, and with HAR and FIL for A1., Conclusions: Class I resin composite restorations exhibit superior color matching than Class V, with lighter and low chroma tooth shades demonstrating better color adjustment. The color matching of both cavity configurations is comparable for single and group shade resin composites., Clinical Significance: Cavity configuration and tooth shade may impact color matching of single and group shade resin composites. This study demonstrates superior color matching in class I configurations over class V for both single and group shade resin composites. Additionally, restorations placed in teeth with lighter shades exhibit more favorable color adjustment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the level of knowledge of dentistry students regarding the COVID-19 outbreak and to evaluate whether the risk factors of the outbreak cause depression. Material and Methods: This study was conducted with 516 dentistry students (3rd, 4th and 5th grades) who started clinical practice in their education. The first part of the questionnaires applied to the students includes questions about demographic information, while the second part contains questions to determine their knowledge levels on the COVID-19 pandemic and protection against it. In the third section, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to examine depression symptoms. The data were analyzed by frequency analyses and Chi-squared tests via the IBM SPSS 22.0 software. Results: Of the 516 students, 150 (29%) participants were in the 3rd, 212 (41%) were in the 4th and 154 (30%) were in the 5th grade. 355 (69%) students stated that their knowledge level about COVID-19 was high. 30.9% were conscious of the importance of using masks. 29.6% were aware of the importance of using gloves, 30.3% of not shaking hands. According to BDI scores, 37.1% of the participants seemed to experience moderate to severe and very severe depression. Conclusion: It was observed that the students didn’t have a sufficient level of knowledge about the factors affecting the spread of the pandemic. New stress factors such as COVID-19 may increase the incidence of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: People have been using psychoactive substances for a long time. Over the last few years, this practice has spread among university students, who use these substances to improve their academic performance, relieve stress and increase concentration and memory. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the use of psychoactive drugs among healthcare students at a higher education institution in the city of Passo Fundo (RS), Brazil, and to ascertain the associated demographic and lifestyle factors. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional study in a higher education institution. METHODS: We included 287 undergraduate medicine and dentistry students in this study. They answered a self-administered questionnaire regarding sociodemographic, lifestyle and health variables. The statistical analysis used univariate and bivariate analyses with Pearson’s chi-square test (P-value < 0.05). Multivariate analyses were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and their respective 95% confidence intervals. The SPSS software, version 20.0, was used. RESULTS: The prevalence of use of psychoactive substances among the students was 24.7%. Among these students, high frequencies of psychoactive drugs had been prescribed by physicians (95.8%) and for the purpose of relaxation or stress relief (73.2%). Women, medical students (compared with dental students) and participants with lower academic performance were more likely to use psychoactive drugs. After the multivariate adjustment, the “course” and “academic performance” remained associated with use of psychoactive drugs. CONCLUSION: There was high prevalence of psychoactive drug use among the students at the higher education institution investigated. Some variables (female sex, medical students and low academic performance) were associated with the outcome.

Objective: To clinically evaluate the retention and marginal discoloration of pit and fissure sealants applied to primary and permanent teeth. Material and Methods: The study population encompassed of 5-15 years- old children. After consenting, a light-curing sealant was applied to etched pits and fissures of occlusal surfaces of selected sound teeth. The retention rate and marginal discoloration were assessed, 3 months after application of the sealants based on the criteria proposed by Simonsen’s criteria (total retention: score 0, partial loss: score 1, and total loss: score 2). Each tooth was considered as an independent sample during analysis. Results: The achieved sample size was 43 children aged 5-15 years (mean age=10.0 years). Therefore, data of 100 teeth from 43 children were used for the final analysis. The percentage of completely retained sealants (59%) was higher than the percentage of partially retained sealants (23%) and completely missing sealants (18%) after 3 months follow up. Out of 100 sealed teeth, 60% were either had marginal discoloration or completely missing. Using the Mann-Whitney test, there was a statistically significant difference (p0.05) between upper and lower teeth in terms of retention. Conclusion: The success rate of fissure sealants after 3 months follow-up was satisfactory.