Educational Challenges Associated with Edentulous Models for Teaching Structure of Edentulous Mucosa and Submucosa of...

As a population ages, the need for complete dentures and other large, removable prostheses remains high in edentulous adults. Appropriate denture fabrication requires comprehension of the anatomical structures of the edentulous mucosa and submucosa. This study aimed to clarify the educational challenges of teaching these structures. Dental student level of comprehension and instructor perception of teaching difficulty when using edentulous models were evaluated. Participants comprised 137 third-year dental students at Tokyo Dental College. Before a lecture on anatomical landmarks and the structure of the edentulous mucosa and submucosa, they were required to complete a pre-test to assess identification of 10 mucosal and 10 submucosal structures in the maxillary and mandibular edentulous ridges. Following the lecture, they participated in a practical session using a commercially available soft-tissue edentulous model under guidance from 19 instructors. A post-test followed this practical session. Correct answer rates were determined and total mucosal and submucosal scores compared. Instructors also completed a questionnaire regarding the difficulty of teaching each structure. The mean mucosal score increased from 60.7% (pre) to 83.8% (post), and the submucosal score increased from 39.3% to 72.3%. Both changes were statistically significant (p<0.0001). However, pre-test scores for submucosal structures were markedly lower than those for mucosal structures. Seven of the 10 mucosal structures were reported by 10% or fewer of the instructors as difficult to teach, whereas 9 of the 10 submucosal structures were reported by over 50% of the instructors as difficult to teach. Despite lectures and currently available models, comprehension of submucosal structures remains challenging for students. Moreover, these structures are perceived to be difficult to teach. Improved educational tools that reproduce the 3-dimensional relationships between mucosa and underlying bone are needed to enhance education regarding complete denture fabrication.