Direct Posterior Restorations: A 13-Year Survey of Teaching Trends and Use of Materials.

OBJECTIVE:: The study aimed to evaluate teaching trends and use of materials in direct posterior restorations during a 13-year period in an Israeli dental school. METHODS:: Data registered in computerized files, relating to posterior restorations performed in the student clinic during the past 13 years (2004-2016), were collected. The restorative materials used (ie, amalgam vs composite), the type of tooth, and the number of surfaces restored were analyzed. RESULTS:: Data analysis included 26,925 restorations performed during 13 years. The number of one-surface composite restorations increased from 54.7% (n=330) to 81.9% (n=873). Two-surface restorations increased from 33.3% (n=254) to 64.3% (n=721). The percentage of amalgam restorations in three-surface restorations decreased from 72.08% to 51.34% (n=173). Analysis of tooth type showed that in 2016, the number of composite restorations performed in premolars reached 80.87% (n=723) and in molars 63.50% (n=1035). The percentage of composite restorations in the mandible and the maxilla was virtually equal. CONCLUSIONS:: A clear trend in favor of composite resin restorations is evident in the 13-year survey and suggests a move toward an amalgam-free era.

Teaching mandibular implant-Supported overdentures in dental schools in North America - a survey.

INTRODUCTION: Mandibular two-implant overdentures are considered the minimum standard of care for edentulous patients and provide an excellent performance, as well as satisfaction to the patients. Dental schools are required to promote the teaching of current treatment options in order to enable students to master state-of-the-art procedures. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to examine how the theoretical and practical aspects of mandibular two-implant overdentures are taught in dental schools in North America. METHODS: Data were collected via an online questionnaire that included questions regarding the theoretical and clinical courses, surgical procedure and imaging method. RESULTS: Of 75 schools, 36 responded to the survey. Almost all the schools teach the subject theoretically, but it is not mandatory for students to perform in most of the schools. Only a minority (23%) of the mandibular dentures made by students are implant-supported. Almost all of the schools (94%) use two implants to support overdentures, and Locator abutment is used almost exclusively. The prevalent imaging for the surgical procedure is CT scans, although 30% of the schools use panoramic radiograph. None of the schools loads the implants immediately after surgery. CONCLUSION: Some clear trends are apparent in the current survey: the use of two implants, no use of bar connectors and delayed loading of the implants. It is likely that graduates will not have sufficient clinical skills and will need continuing education to be familiar with the required procedures, both surgical and prosthetic.

[Israeli dental school dropout, a 13-year retrospective survey].

Admission policies for higher education are aimed at achieving efficient allocation of resources for both faculty and students, in an attempt to minimize dropout. Methods: The characteristics of dropout students at the School of Dental Medicine at the Hebrew University from 2001 to 2013 were assessed in a retrospective study. Data were collected from dental school records, followed by an online questionnaire Results: Between 2001 and 2013, 268 out of 925 students left and did not return the following year, reflecting a dropout rate of 29%. A total 98 dropouts responded to the survey. The academic achievements of the dropouts were higher than average. The primary reason for quitting dental school was attraction to a different professional field (70%) and lack of interest in dentistry (11%). Almost all the dropouts left in the first three years: 80% of them transferred to medical school, 17% transferred to a profession other than medicine, and 4% continued their dental studies in another institution. Conclusion: Dropout was clearly not due to academic reasons, but rather attributable to pursuit of medical studies. The present findings imply that the admission process failed to identify students who do not intend to graduate. It is likely that changing the structure of the program by admitting students only to a 3 to 4 year program of dental school, following pre-med studies, may have a positive effect on reducing the dropout rate.

Testing manual dexterity using a virtual reality simulator: reliability and validity.

Virtual reality dental training simulators, unlike traditional human-based assessment, have the potential to enable consistent and reliable assessment. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a haptic simulator (IDEA Dental(®) ) could provide a reliable and valid assessment of manual dexterity. A total of 106 participants were divided into three groups differing in dental manual dexterity experience: (i) 63 dental students, (ii) 28 dentists, (iii) 14 non-dentists. The groups, which were expected to display various performance levels, were required to perform virtual drilling tasks in different geometric shapes. The following task parameters were registered: (i) Time to completion (ii) accuracy (iii) number of trials to successful completion and (iv) score provided by the simulator. The reliability of the tasks was calculated for each parameter. The simulator and its scoring algorithm showed high reliability in all the parameters measured. The simulator was able to differentiate between non-professionals and dental students or non-professionals and dentists. Our study suggests that for improved construct validity, shorter working times and more difficult tasks should be introduced. The device should also be designed to provide greater sensitivity in measuring the accuracy of the task.