Enhancing Local Dental Anesthesia Education With Anesthesia Manikins: A Study on Second-Year Dental Students

Administering local anesthesia is a critical skill in dentistry, requiring both theoretical knowledge and hands-on proficiency. Traditional instruction typically involves lectures and peer-based practice. However, concerns over ethical and medical complications have spurred the development of alternative training methods. Various dental anesthesia manikins and virtual reality simulators now assist educators in teaching fine motor skills and providing students with practical experience in a safe, repeatable environment.

A new simulation rotation was integrated into the second-year local anesthesia curriculum, involving 147 students divided into groups of three, guided by one faculty member. Students practiced dental injections on anesthesia manikins during a 1-h session. Pre- and post-rotation examinations assessed knowledge of techniques and clinical application, while student feedback was gathered through post-rotation survey.

Post-rotation examination scores revealed statistically significant improvement, highlighting the educational benefits of integrating manikin-based simulations. Nevertheless, student feedback indicated a preference for a hybrid learning model that incorporates both manikin-based and traditional clinical training.

Anesthesia manikins significantly improve students' comprehension and proficiency in local dental anesthesia. Despite these benefits, students prefer a blended approach that integrates manikin practice with conventional peer-based clinical training. Such hybrid model promotes competence in dental anesthesia education. Expanding the curriculum to include additional manikin sessions and virtual reality tools may further enhance preclinical preparation.