A Tale of Two Teaching Methods: Students' Clinical Perspectives on Administering Dental Local Anesthetics

Abstract

Various preclinical methodologies have been adopted by dental and oral health programs to develop student competence in administering dental local anesthetics (LA). Student-to-student practice is the most common preclinical training method. However, manikin simulation models have been introduced to avoid possible complications and ethical concerns with student-tostudent injections. In 2017, the methodology was changed in the Bachelor of Oral Health program at The University of Sydney School of Dentistry in Australia from student-to-student practice to manikin simulation models. The aim of this study was to compare the students' learning experience, perceived confidence, and anxiety in giving their first injections to patients in these two preclinical training methods. A mixed-methods cohort design was used to compare the 2016 (n=42) and 2017 (n=32) oral health students' experiences and perceptions and evaluate students' clinical experience after commencing LA practice on patients.Students completed a questionnaire about their perceived level of confidence and anxiety before and after their first LA to a child and an adult for both infiltration and inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) injections. Focus groups were conducted to further investigate the students' experience. The results showed that the perceived confidence and anxiety of the two cohorts did not differ significantly from each other. Although students found it difficult to transition into clinical practice without having experienced LA themselves, the manikin simulation practice provided a safe learning platform that avoided ethical and legal concerns. These findings support the use of manikin simulation models as an alternative method for dental local anesthetic preclinical training.Grace Wong is Lecturer,

Pedagogical development in local anaesthetic training in paediatric dentistry using virtual reality simulator

“…No significant differences were noted when confidence and stress of the two cohorts were analysed. The study also concluded that the LA manikin simulation offers a safe learning environment without ethical and legal concerns (Wong et al 2020). Another study showed that the use of dental anaesthesia simulation model had a positive impact on motor skills and confidence of students (Reyes-Acuca et al 2020).…”

Cross-Sectional Study on the Comparative Assessment of Mandibular Anesthesia (Inferior Alveolar Nerve Blockage) Manual Skills Shaping among Dentists on Plastic and Biomaterial Models

“…There was no statistical significance in the level of stress and confidence among students who studied, according to the two methods mentioned above. The authors noted that the majority of students preferred the manual training of the skill on their classmates or phantoms [ 11 ]. In our study, similar data were obtained.…”

“…The main difficulty in implementing VR-tech learning is the non-uniqueness of the results, due to the complexity of teaching VR technologies for manual-skills shaping. This fact led to a VR-tech training replacement, with phantoms of various levels of complexity, including interactive semi-anthropomorphic and cadaver ones [11,12]. Moreover, in accordance to Collaço E. et al, 2021, most doctors prefer to "feel in touch" what they do [13].…”

Perceptions and Anxiety Level of Students during Administration of Local Anesthesia

“…Although results did not differ statistically between the two groups manikin simulation provided a safe clinical practice platform. 17 Absolute local anesthesia and dental practice go hand in hand therefore it is mandatory to pave the way for absolute precision to prevent possible major and minor complications associated with the modality. Maximal comfort and analgesia are mandatory for the successful treatment hence vital for patient and practitioner.…”