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Published on: April 29, 2014
Assessment of Depth and Distance Perception in Preclinical Dental Students
Murat Can Ersen1, Zeynep Ceren Celik1, Yakup Dogru2
1Department of Restorative Dentistry, Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Dentistry, Bursa, Türkiye.
Purpose:
Accurate spatial perception is essential for clinical success in dentistry, as procedures often require precise depth and distance judgments within limited working areas. However, visuospatial skills are rarely assessed in preclinical education. This study aimed to evaluate the spatial estimation abilities of preclinical dental students using standardized two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) tasks, focusing on the effects of visual stimulus properties and individual factors such as visual impairment and hand-eye coordination.
Methods:
Sixty-six third-year dental students completed two visual estimation tasks: (1) a paper-based 2D task involving eight multiple-choice questions (Question 9[Q9]-Question 16[Q16]), where students selected the correct line length among five visually similar options varying in length and thickness; and (2) a 3D depth estimation task (Depth 1[D1]-Depth 4[D4]) using 3D-printed cavity models with standardized depth and width combinations. Participants also provided demographic and visual background information. Accuracy was measured by correct responses and analyzed using chi-square tests, Cohen's κ, and Cochran's Q test.
Results:
Participants estimated shorter 2D distances (2 mm) more accurately than longer ones. Line thickness had no significant effect on performance. In 3D tasks, wider cavities and shallower depths (3 mm) were associated with higher accuracy, while narrow cavities led to underestimation. Students with self-reported visual impairments provided depth estimations closer to target values, while hand-eye coordination was not associated with significantly higher accuracy but correlated with reduced underestimation.
Conclusions:
Spatial perception accuracy in preclinical dental students is influenced by target properties such as length, depth, and cavity width, while individual visual factors may also play a role. Findings support the integration of routine visual screening and perceptual training into dental curricula to enhance spatial judgment and clinical performance.
