A Hands-On Exercise on Caries Diagnostics among Dental Students-A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Caries Diagnosis
• Preventive Dentistry

Background:

• Current dental practices focus on preventing caries lesions and halting incipient lesion progression.
• The International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) enhances the reliability and repeatability of caries lesion assessment.
• Effective training is crucial for dental students to master caries detection techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate third-year dental students' experiences with a hands-on caries detection exercise.
• To assess the learning process during the exercise using qualitative feedback analysis.
• To identify areas for improvement in dental caries diagnostic training.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study involving 51 third-year dental students at the University of Oulu, Finland.
• Students participated in a hands-on exercise using extracted teeth and the ICDAS classification system.
• Feedback was collected and analyzed using inductive content analysis.

Main Results:

• The hands-on exercise was perceived as useful and necessary, though challenging.
• Diverse activities and observational methods facilitated learning.
• Challenges included lesion classification, diagnostic methods, and insufficient time; students suggested more time and individual teaching.

Conclusions:

• Despite diagnostic challenges, dental students view the hands-on exercise as a beneficial communal and individual learning experience.
• The study highlights the importance of practical application in mastering caries detection.
• Recommendations for future training include allocating more time and providing individualized instruction.