Teaching local anesthesia in dental schools: opinions about the student-to-student administration model

The student-to-student local anesthesia administration model has been an accepted part of the formal curriculum in dental schools for teaching this clinical skill. However, there is very little published literature that explores the validity of this model or examines students' attitudes toward it. The ethics of this educational model and the value of consent also need to be explored. In this study, an online survey regarding the student-to-student administration model was used to obtain the opinions of students and faculty members at three dental schools in one state of the United States. The survey was distributed by the Office of Academic Affairs at each school. A total of 152 individuals responded to this survey: 123 (80.9 percent) dental students and twenty-nine (19.1 percent) faculty members. The respondents consistently identified the perceived strengths of this model, while a number also identified the need for consent and raised ethical concerns. These findings highlight the complex nature of the respondents' opinions and raise the question of whether modification of this mode of instruction may be needed.