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Implementation and analysis of clinically-relevant anatomy imaging for first-year dental students
Alex W Kalaigian1, Barbie A Klein2
1University of California, San Francisco, School of Dentistry, San Francisco, California, USA.
Journal of Dental Education
|October 10, 2024
Summary
Medical imaging case studies improved dental students' radiographic interpretation skills and confidence, though not all learning outcomes were consistently met. Further research into experiential learning methods is recommended.
Area of Science:
- Dental Education
- Medical Imaging Analysis
Background:
- Radiographic interpretation is a core dental competency with known variability among practitioners.
- The effectiveness of empirical learning in medical imaging analysis requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance dental anatomy curriculum and students' radiographic interpretation skills.
- To implement medical radiographic case studies with scaffolded exercises.
Main Methods:
- Developed three medical imaging activities for 60 first-year dental students.
- Utilized pre/post-activity questionnaires, radiographic images, lesson plans, and open-response questions.
- Employed statistical tests (Wilcoxon signed rank, Kruskal-Wallis) and thematic analysis.
Main Results:
- One activity showed a statistically significant improvement in questionnaire scores.
- Students valued interactive structure, material review, and dental application.
- Challenges included radiographic interpretation and prior knowledge gaps.
Conclusions:
- Medical imaging activities enhanced radiographic analysis skills and student confidence.
- Consistent improvement in learning outcomes was not achieved across all activities.
- Further research on experiential methodologies in medical imaging education is warranted.
