Traditional Versus Bootcamp Teaching Model for a Preclinical CAD/CAM Course: A Comparative Analysis

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Digital Dentistry
• Curriculum Development

Background:

• Preclinical dental education utilizes various course models to teach Computer-Aided Design/Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technology.
• Assessing student preparedness and faculty/teaching assistant (TA) perceptions is crucial for curriculum evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of traditional and bootcamp course models for preclinical CAD/CAM dental education.
• To evaluate student preparedness, engagement, and material retention across different course formats.

Main Methods:

• A 2022 study compared a 10-week traditional course with a 1-week intensive bootcamp.
• Student course evaluations and faculty/TA online questionnaires were utilized for data collection.

Main Results:

• Students in both models reported high preparedness (over 91%) and confidence (over 93%) for clinical CAD/CAM procedures.
• Faculty favored the bootcamp for engagement (57.1%), preparedness (71.4%), and retention (100%).
• TA perceptions varied, with a majority favoring bootcamp for engagement and retention, but preferring traditional for preparedness.

Conclusions:

• Bootcamp models can be as effective as traditional methods in preclinical dental education.
• The bootcamp format may enhance material retention and student confidence prior to clinical practice.
• 100% of course faculty recommended the bootcamp format for all dental students.