Comparison of the Impact of Various Educational Modalities on Dentistry Students' Perspectives on Digital Dentistry

This study aims to compare the effects of different educational modalities on senior dental students' satisfaction, knowledge, interest, and attitudes toward CAD/CAM technology.

This study was a randomized, three-arm pretest-posttest training study. The study was divided into three groups based on the training techniques provided: Didactic group (D-group), Didactic + Demonstration group (DD-group), and Didactic + Demonstration + Hands-on Practice group (DDP-group). The same survey questions were used for the pretest and posttest. The survey assessed satisfaction with education, level of interest, level of knowledge, and positive/negative attitudes toward CAD/CAM.

Seventy-seven senior dentistry students were included in the study. Posttest CAD/CAM training satisfaction scores in all groups were statistically significantly higher than pretest scores (p < 0.05); however, no differences were found between pretest and posttest scores across groups. Posttest CAD/CAM interest scores in the DD-group and DDP-group were higher than pretest scores, and in the posttest, interest in the DDP-group was higher than in the D-group. Posttest knowledge-level scores were higher than pretest scores in all groups, and in the posttest, the DDP-Group was statistically significantly higher than the DD-group. Posttest positive attitude scores in the DDP-group were higher than pretest scores. Posttest negative attitude scores in the DD-group were higher than pretest scores, and in the posttest, they were higher than in the D-group.

While all educational modalities increase students' knowledge and satisfaction with education, the most effective method for significantly increasing interest and positive attitudes toward technology is the model that reinforce s theoretical knowledge through practical application.