Introducing CAD/CAM into a predoctoral dental curriculum: a case study

This article describes the decision making and implementation process used at Indiana University School of Dentistry to incorporate a CAD/CAM system into the predoctoral curriculum and presents data regarding the opinions of students and faculty members after one year. Using a non-validated survey instrument, D1 students rated their experience fabricating a CAD/CAM-generated crown. Eighty-eight of the 105 D1 students (84 percent response rate) responded to the four multiple-choice questions, and a varying number provided written responses. Eighty percent of the responding students rated the overall learning experience as good or excellent, and 43 percent judged that they were prepared to fabricate a crown independently. Students' comments about the experience were generally positive. The twelve supervising faculty members were also surveyed after the first year. When asked to evaluate the initial quality of the crowns at placement, they rated 89 to 98 percent of them good or excellent on the measures of marginal fit, axial contours, proximal contacts, and occlusal contacts. In their judgment, CAD/CAM-generated crowns were as good as or better than those received from commercial labs. After one year, the school's experience has been that the performance of these crowns is consistent with the literature and that they are a viable option. Also, the students are enthusiastic about this addition to the curriculum.