Royal London Space Planning as a learning tool for postgraduate Orthodontic students. A mixed methods study

Area of Science:

• Orthodontics
• Dental Education

Background:

• The Royal London Space Planning (RLSP) is a structured method for orthodontic case assessment and treatment planning.
• Evaluating educational tools is crucial for improving postgraduate dental training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of the RLSP as a learning tool for postgraduate orthodontic students.
• To investigate student attitudes towards the use of the RLSP in their training.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study involving first-year postgraduate orthodontic students.
• Assessed accuracy of case assessment and treatment planning before and after RLSP teaching.
• Qualitative data collected via focus groups and semi-structured interviews.

Main Results:

• Overall accuracy in assessment and planning improved by 20% (P < 0.05) post-intervention.
• Assessment accuracy saw a significant improvement of 34% compared to treatment planning (17%) (P < 0.05).
• Lower arch crowding assessment improved by 37% (P < 0.05); students reported increased confidence but doubted post-qualification utility.

Conclusions:

• The RLSP is an effective teaching method for orthodontic assessment and treatment planning.
• The tool showed a greater impact on assessment skills than on treatment planning.
• Postgraduate students found the RLSP beneficial for building confidence in their clinical decision-making.