So you want to be a dentist? An investigative report.

The purpose of this study was to identify a testing mechanism that could predict a student's hand skills performance if they chose a career in dentistry. Hand eye coordination is an important developmental skill required to navigate the rigorous dental school curriculum. These skills traditionally were assessed by using a carving chalk block exercise. This "gold standard" for determining a student's digital dexterity was used for many years in dental education. We postulated that a survey could take the place of chalk carving and still be a reliable predictor of a student's performance. A questionnaire was developed looking at a dental student's everyday activities and hobbies. We wanted to determine if a correlation could be made between hand-eye coordination activities and a student's preclinical grades. Analysis of the questionnaire given to ninety-seven first year students at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine showed a direct correlation between activities that students were involved in prior to beginning dental education and the quality of their preclinical dental skills. With insightful interpretation, the use of this type of questionnaire might help locate individuals that are suited for dentistry, and allow potential students to have greater confidence in choosing dentistry or a related field.