The use of existing denture-satisfaction ratings for a diagnostic test to indicate prognosis with newly delivered complete dentures.

PURPOSE: The study investigated the relation between subjective satisfaction ratings of existing dentures and outcomes of newly delivered dentures, and the ability of the diagnostic test, using existing ratings, to indicate prognosis with newly delivered dentures. METHODS: Consecutive 165 edentulous patients were recruited from November 2001 to August 2006 at a university-affiliated hospital. Dentures were fabricated with an acrylic base with full-balanced occlusion using hard resin artificial teeth by multiple prosthodontists. At the baseline and 3-month after delivery, patients rate their overall, maxillary, and mandibular satisfaction for existing and replaced dentures on a 100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS). The association between baseline ratings and newly delivered dentures was analyzed by regression analysis. The test's performance was measured by constructing a two-by-two table; patients with the following cutoff values on the VAS (overall:

[Comparative analysis of learning effect for students who experienced both lecture-based learning and problem-based learning in a complete denture course].

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the difference in educational effect on students who experienced both lecture-based learning (LBL) and problem-based learning (PBL) in a complete denture course. The analysis focused on differences between the two methods concerning self study, ability to understand clinical inference, and appraisal of class contents and tutors. METHODS: In the complete denture preclinical course, the class of 2003 received LBL in 3rd grade and PBL in 4th grade. PBL was planned to present five cases in five consecutive classes. Group discussion was carried out for each case, and a summary was required to be produced two times as a group, two times as an individual report and one time by group presentation. A questionnaire regarding the educational effect of LBL and PBL and assessment of tutors was administered. Factor analysis was carried out to classify the questionnaire items and each item was analyzed between LBL and PBL (Paired-t test). RESULTS: Factor analysis revealed that the questionnaire items could be classified into four components. Comparing lecture type and PBL: "study attitude" (4 out of 7 items), "clinical inference ability" (all items), "class contents" (5 out of 7 items) and "tutor appraisal" (2 out of 5 items) showed significant assessment with PBL. Eighteen of 27 items (66.6%) indicated the significant usefulness of PBL. CONCLUSION: PBL improves the educational effect of self study and clinical inference ability, in comparison with LBL. However, since students are passive about taking the same system class repeatedly, a strategy to improve their attitude needs to be considered.