Flipped clinical training: a structured training method for undergraduates in complete denture prosthesis.

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Clinical Training Methodologies

Background:

• Traditional clinical training methods for removable complete dentures present challenges in skill acquisition.
• There is a need for innovative pedagogical approaches to enhance dental student competency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement a flipped clinical training program for undergraduate dental students focusing on removable complete denture treatment.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of this flipped training by comparing student assessment results with those from traditional training methods.

Main Methods:

• The flipped training involved a two-phase approach: a learning center phase with interactive sessions and video demonstrations, followed by a clinical practice phase with live demonstrations and supervised patient treatment.
• Student competency in preparing acceptable complete dentures was assessed using a standardized checklist and rubric.
• Assessment results from three batches of flipped-trained students were compared to three batches of traditionally trained students using a chi-square test.

Main Results:

• A significantly higher number of students trained using the flipped method demonstrated competency in preparing acceptable removable complete dentures compared to those trained traditionally (χ²=30.996, p<0.001).
• The flipped training model proved superior in enhancing student proficiency in this clinical procedure.

Conclusions:

• Flipped clinical training is a superior method for enhancing dental students' competency in removable complete denture treatment.
• This pedagogical approach is recommended for broader application in training various clinical dental procedures.