Educational Interventions to Improve Dental Anatomy Carving Ability of Dental Students: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to identify the level of impact of educational strategies for teaching tooth carving on the carving ability of undergraduate dental students. The PubMed‐NCBI, Cochrane‐CENTRAL, LILACS, Ibecs, BBO, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched in May 2019, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and two‐arm non‐randomized studies of interventions (NRSI) addressing educational interventions toward the dental carving of undergraduate students. Studies from the year 2000 until the search date, written in English, Portuguese, and Spanish were included. Study screening and data extraction were performed in duplicate and blinded. The data were presented narratively, considering the dental carving ability of students the primary outcome. The risk of bias was assessed using the RoB tool 2.0 and ROBINS‐I, and the level of evidence was determined with GRADE. Of 3,574 studies, 6 were included, with 3 RCTs and 3 NRSIs. Very low level of evidence was provided from the NRSIs that flipped classroom (1 study; n = 140) and a student‐driven revised module (1 study; n = 264) improved the carving ability of students. Additionally, there was moderate evidence of online complementary material (1 RCT; n = 30) and reinforcement class improving the carving ability of students (1 RCT; n = 29). The replacement of traditional classes by an instructional DVD (1 RCT; n = 73) and assessment of carving projects through digital systems (1 NRSI; n = 79) did not enhance the carving ability of students. Study design, risk of bias, and imprecision downgraded the level of evidence. There was a very low to moderate evidence on the effectiveness of student‐driven educational approaches and complementary classes of dental anatomy in improving the dental carving ability of students.

Effectiveness of screen‐to‐screen and face‐to‐face learning modalities in dental anatomy module during Covid‐19 pandemic

“…In the subsequent practical phase, namely manipulation, a face‐to‐face (F2F) demonstration is conducted and subsequently, students are allowed to work individually in the pre‐clinic and ask for help when it is necessary. This allows dental students to put their acquired theoretical knowledge into practice and thereby develop their essentials for operative dentistry including psychomotor skills, manual dexterity, cognitive ingenuity, and three‐dimensional thinking (Obrez et al, 2011; Kellesarian, 2018; Conte et al, 2021). Carving of the permanent teeth by using soap or wax after their corresponding theoretical session is the most common way of teaching (de Azevedo et al, 2015) and is accepted as a golden standard (Patil et al, 2015).…”

Effect of Dental Course Cycle on Anatomical Knowledge and Dental Carving Ability of Dental Students

“…Dental carving ability may be developed further along the dental course, because the anatomical and morphological information is applied to different preclinical and clinical contexts, involving different materials and patients' occlusion and esthetic demands. In this sense, meaningful learning is acquired through the connection of new cognitive worlds (materials, experiences) with pre-existing concepts (Conte et al, 2021). Therefore, the cumulative experience of the end-cycle students regarding the practical disciplines of the dental course and improved manual skills could explain such students' carving performance.…”

“…Dentistry requires specific abilities regarding the application of anatomical and morphological knowledge of teeth (Conte et al, 2021). Implications involve direct and indirect oral rehabilitation, through which dental restorations and prosthesis are expected to reach an esthetically pleasing aspect, achieve functionality, and occlude adequately in the patient (Elgreatly and Mahrous, 2020; Conte et al, 2021). Therefore, knowledge of tooth morphology and sculpting techniques is mandatory for dental students.…”

“…Some teaching methods, namely the geometric method, step‐by‐step teaching, and adjunctive methods, such as the use of tutors and digital teaching with digital versatile discs (DVDs), have proven effective in improving learning (Killistof et al, 2013; de Azevedo et al, 2015). However, there is no consensus or high‐quality evidence on the best teaching methods for the development of skills and competences in dental carving (de Azevedo et al, 2015; Conte et al, 2021).…”

Application of holography and augmented reality based technology to visualize the internal structure of the dental root – a proof of concept

“…Currently, students have a wide range of books, videos, lectures, and seminars from which they can study. However, recent technological advancements offer new possibilities for improvement of the effectiveness of the learning process [ 1 , 2 ].…”