Study on the effect of simulation-based case teaching method on the preclinical teaching of tooth defects restoration

Clinical decision plays an important role in the prognosis of dental defect restoration. However, the current theoretical teaching and experimental teaching lack the training of clinical decision based on evidence-based medicine. Students have mastered theoretical knowledge and basic operating skills, they are extremely lacking in the ability to handle clinical cases before clinical practice. In order to improve students' clinical decision ability in dental defect restoration and enhance the connection of clinical practice and theory teaching, we applied the simulation-based case teaching (SCT) method in practice teaching courses.

The study was carried out with 96 undergraduate dental students at Guanghua School of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, including 51 females and 45 males, aged 17 ~ 20 years, with an average of (18.23 ± 1.02) years. The SCT course included case-based group discussion, teeth preparation, group report, question defense and teacher comments. We obtained effective and comprehensive classroom feedback through teaching effect evaluation by comparing the case analysis results before and after the SCT course, and questionnaire survey from students after class. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 25.0. The comparison between the two groups of percentages was made using a Chi-square test. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

The results of objective evaluation of teaching effect showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01) between the results before and after SCT in the diagnosis, treatment plans, restoration materials and complications. The results of the questionnaire survey showed that students agreed their improvement in the treatment decision making, aesthetic restoration and dentists-patients communication and recognized their shortcomings in clinical critical thinking and knowledge development.

The study suggested that SCT is an excellent teaching method to cultivate students' clinical thinking, and we should integrate more imparting of experience related to clinical decision-making and medical humanities in the future preclinical teaching work.