Alsharif Hanin, Boyle Richard, Maillou Pauline, Cherukara George P
Resident Dentist - Prosthodontics Tabuk Health Cluster Specialist Dental Center, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Lecturer in Digital Dental Technology, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
BDJ Open. 2024 Dec 5;10(1):91. doi: 10.1038/s41405-024-00279-4.
Aims This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the PrepCheck digital system as an additional feedback tool in enhancing undergraduate dental students' tooth preparation skills and its potential to enhance students' learning experience.
A total of 55 BDS3 students attending the "Crowns Course" and divided into three groups participated in the study. One group (n = 24) was randomly selected as the case group and received feedback using the digital tooth preparation analysis system, PrepCheck, alongside standard visual assessment. The other two groups (n = 31) served as controls and only received standard visual feedback. All students' tooth preparations for the final test were digitally assessed using PrepCheck against a faculty-approved master preparation. The tooth preparation quality was compared between the case and control groups, employing two distinct grading methods. Additionally, a questionnaire was provided to students who used the digital system to gather their feedback.
The findings revealed a positive trend in performance among the case group when using the PrepCheck system. However, the analysis showed no statistically significant differences between the groups in both the tutor assessment only and tutor assessment in addition to using the PrepCheck report. Despite the absence of statistically significant differences, qualitative feedback from participants indicated a favourable reception of the digital system.
While the PrepCheck digital system displayed potential in complementing traditional teaching methods and enhancing the learning experience, its integration posed challenges, particularly concerning time constraints. Further research is recommended to investigate further the potential longer-term effects and potential useful applications for integrating digital systems like PrepCheck into dental education.
目的 本研究旨在评估PrepCheck数字系统作为一种额外的反馈工具，在提高本科牙科学生牙齿预备技能方面的有效性和效率，以及其增强学生学习体验的潜力。
共有55名参加“牙冠课程”的BDS3学生被分为三组参与研究。一组（n = 24）被随机选为病例组，除了接受标准视觉评估外，还使用数字牙齿预备分析系统PrepCheck获得反馈。另外两组（n = 31）作为对照组，仅接受标准视觉反馈。所有学生用于期末考试的牙齿预备都使用PrepCheck根据教师认可的标准预备进行数字化评估。采用两种不同的评分方法比较病例组和对照组的牙齿预备质量。此外，还向使用数字系统的学生发放了问卷以收集他们的反馈。
研究结果显示，病例组在使用PrepCheck系统时表现出积极趋势。然而，分析表明，仅在教师评估以及除使用PrepCheck报告外的教师评估中，两组之间均无统计学上的显著差异。尽管没有统计学上的显著差异，但参与者的定性反馈表明对数字系统的接受度良好。
虽然PrepCheck数字系统在补充传统教学方法和增强学习体验方面显示出潜力，但其整合带来了挑战，特别是在时间限制方面。建议进一步研究，以进一步调查将PrepCheck等数字系统整合到牙科教育中的潜在长期影响和潜在有用应用。
