ASSESSMENT OF PRACTICAL PERFORMANCE IN ORTHODONTIC CLASP FABRICATION AMONG DENTAL TECHNICIAN STUDENTS AT UBT: A...

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Orthodontic Technology
• Psychological Impact on Performance

Background:

• Practical performance in dental technician programs is crucial for developing skilled professionals.
• Assessing the influence of psychological factors like stress on technical skills is vital for optimizing training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of stress on the practical performance of dental technician students creating orthodontic appliances.
• To measure the time taken, stress levels (using Subjective Units of Distress Scale - SUDS), and quality of work for orthodontic clasps and springs.

Main Methods:

• 46 second-year dental technician students participated in a practical exam involving the fabrication of specific orthodontic components.
• Students randomly selected tasks and reported stress levels before and after using the SUDS scale.
• Task completion time and final product quality were objectively measured.

Main Results:

• A significant negative correlation was observed between stress levels and final grades, with lower stress associated with better performance.
• No significant relationship was found between stress levels and the time required to complete the tasks.
• Female students achieved higher grades than males, though stress levels did not differ significantly between genders.

Conclusions:

• Stress primarily degrades the quality of academic output in practical dental technician tasks, rather than increasing completion time.
• Gender may influence performance, potentially due to differing coping mechanisms for stress.
• Integrating stress management techniques and holistic assessments into dental curricula is recommended to enhance student resilience and competence.