Effect of Indirect Visual Course on Full Crown Preparation Skills in Preclinical Dental Students

Indirect vision is a crucial skill for dentists and should be developed during undergraduate training. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an indirect visual course on students' competence in abutment tooth preparation and compare their self-assessments with instructor assessments.

Thirty-seven third-year dental students participated in an indirect vision preclinical training course, which involved drawing shapes in a reflection box. Before and after the course, students performed 296 full crown preparations on canine teeth over four practical sessions. Students self-assessed their performance using a 5-item scoring rubric, and their scores were compared with the instructor's technical assessments. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, post hoc tests, paired samples t-tests, and Spearman's rho (∝ = 0.05).

Both self-assessment and technical assessment scores improved significantly after the indirect visual course (p < 0.001). The correlation between self-assessments and instructor assessments was moderate both before (Spearman's rho 0.48) and after the course (Spearman's rho 0.42) (p < 0.001). Repetitive practical sessions did not further improve the scores (p > 0.05). However, the average time for crown preparation decreased significantly, from 46 to 38 min, showing an 18% improvement (p < 0.001).

The indirect visual course significantly enhanced students' crown preparation skills and reduced preparation time. The course also improved the overall agreement between students' self-assessments and instructor assessments, indicating a better understanding of their performance.