Ismail Hadi Mohmmad, Abdulrahman Adham Ameen, Ibrahim Ali Ismail
Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Sulaimani, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq.
Department of Orthodontics, College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq.
J Dent Educ. 2025 Jan;89(1):90-97. doi: 10.1002/jdd.13679. Epub 2024 Jul 28.
Orthodontic education, besides some other factors, influences the confidence level of recently graduated dentists to diagnose subjects seeking orthodontic treatment and provide treatment plans. This study aims to explore the factors that influence the confidence level of undergraduate dental students to diagnose subjects seeking orthodontic treatment and provide treatment plans after graduation.
A qualitative study was undertaken using focus groups and interviews. Purposive sampling was used, focus groups and face to face semi-structured interviews were adopted as the method of data collection. Three focus groups were evaluated including fifth-year undergraduate, postgraduate orthodontic students, and recently graduated general dentists. In addition, eleven interviews were performed with the fifth-year undergraduate students. Data collection ceased upon reaching data saturation, with thematic analysis employed for qualitative data analysis.
Six themes and two sub-themes were extracted from the data. More focus on the theory was highly noticed, and most of the participants exhibited a low level of self confidence in extrapolating orthodontic diagnosis and establishing treatment plans after graduation. In addition, they believed that practical teaching sessions mostly deal with wire bending and demanded to expand the clinical orthodontic knowledge to be able to indicate the right diagnosis and initiate proper treatment plans.
Clinical and practical training alongside theoretical foundation represent key factors in orthodontic education required to obtain confidence in orthodontic practice among dental undergraduate students and alumni. The findings help in enhancing undergraduate programs via providing a clinically oriented orthodontic education from student perceptions.
正畸教育以及其他一些因素会影响刚毕业的牙医对寻求正畸治疗的患者进行诊断并提供治疗方案的信心水平。本研究旨在探讨影响牙科本科学生在毕业后对寻求正畸治疗的患者进行诊断并提供治疗方案的信心水平的因素。
采用焦点小组和访谈进行定性研究。采用目的抽样法，以焦点小组和面对面半结构化访谈作为数据收集方法。评估了三个焦点小组，包括本科五年级学生、正畸研究生和刚毕业的普通牙医。此外，还对本科五年级学生进行了11次访谈。数据收集在达到数据饱和时停止，采用主题分析法对定性数据进行分析。
从数据中提取了六个主题和两个子主题。人们高度关注更多地侧重于理论，大多数参与者在毕业后进行正畸诊断和制定治疗方案时表现出较低的自信心水平。此外，他们认为实践教学课程大多涉及弯制弓丝，并要求扩展临床正畸知识，以便能够做出正确诊断并启动适当的治疗方案。
临床和实践培训以及理论基础是正畸教育的关键因素，这些因素是牙科本科学生和校友在正畸实践中获得信心所必需的。这些发现有助于通过从学生的角度提供以临床为导向的正畸教育来加强本科课程。
