Does clinical experience impact students’ capacity to diagnose dentoalveolar disorders using intraoral radiography?

Authors

  • Eduarda Adams Hilgert The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
  • Heraldo Luis Dias da Silveira The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
  • Mariana Boessio Vizzotto The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
  • Priscila Fernanda da Silveira Tiecher The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
  • Nádia Assein Arús The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22456/2177-0018.101545

Keywords:

Educational measurement, Radiology, Diagnosis

Abstract

Mastery of interpretation of radiographic images is a contributing factor in correct diagnosis of conditions affecting the dentoalveolar apparatus. It is therefore essential that students’ perfect these skills while studying for their degrees. Once they embark upon their professional careers outside of the university setting, it is expected that the theoretical knowledge and clinical experience accumulated during the course of their studies will have led to improved diagnostic performance. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate diagnoses made using intraoral radiographs by undergraduate students at a School of Dentistry in the South of Brazil, before and after their introduction to clinical practice. Materials and methods: Diagnoses made during the second (T0) and fourth (T1) years of the undergraduate course in dentistry using interproximal and periapical radiographs were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were calculated and the McNemar test was used to compare answers at T0 and T1. Results: Fifteen students answered questionnaires at both T0 and T1. The overall percentage of correct answers was 70.5% at T0 and 61.6% at T1, with a significant difference (p = 0.024). Discussion: This study highlights the need for educational strategies that improve diagnostic competence during undergraduate clinical activities, since radiographic examinations are essential in all areas of dentistry. Conclusions: Therefore, it was concluded that the rate of correct diagnosis of dentoalveolar disorders by intraoral radiography decreased significantly after the initial years of clinical training.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Eduarda Adams Hilgert, The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

DDS, Postgraduate Program, Dental School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.

Heraldo Luis Dias da Silveira, The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

DDS, MSc, Ph.D., Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Oral Radiology Division

Mariana Boessio Vizzotto, The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

DDS, MSc, Ph.D., Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Oral Radiology Division

Priscila Fernanda da Silveira Tiecher, The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

DDS, MSc, Ph.D., Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Oral Radiology Division

Nádia Assein Arús, The Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

DDS, MSc, Ph.D., Department of Surgery and Orthopedics, Oral Radiology Division

References

Kantor ML, Beideman RW, Benn DK, Geist JR, Hollender LG, Ludlow JB, et al. Characteristics of an oral and maxillofacial radiology department: report of the ad hoc Department Characteristics Committee of the American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology. Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endodontology. 1997 Dec;84(6):708–12.

Vuchkova J, Maybury T, Farah CS. Digital interactive learning of oral radiographic anatomy. Eur J Dent Educ. 2012 Feb;16(1):79–87.

Mileman PA, Hout WBVD, Sanderink GCH. Looking for caries…? Teachers evaluate a program to improve caries diagnosis from radiographs. Eur J Dent Educ. 2004 Feb;8(1):35–42.

Fasoli A, Lucchelli S, Fasoli R. The role of clinical “experience” in diagnostic performance. Med Decis Making. 1998 Apr-Jun;18(2):163-67.

The American Dental Association Council on Scientific Affairs. Dental radiographic examinations: recommendations for patient selection and limiting radiation exposure. Washington DC; 2012.

Ausubel DP. The acquisition and retention of knowledge: a cognitive view. Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers; 2000.

Tavakoli E, Davari A, Javadi ZS, Targhi MG. Ability of dental students in detection of proximal caries. Shahid Beheshti Univ Dent J. 2015;33(3):220–4.

Patel N, Rushton VE, Macfarlane TV, Horner K. The influence of viewing conditions on radiological diagnosis of periapical inflammation. Br Dent J. 2000 July;189(1):40–2.

Busanello FH, da Silveira PF, Liedke GS, Arús NA, Vizzotto MB, Silveira HED, et al. Evaluation of a digital learning object (DLO) to support the learning process in radiographic dental diagnosis. Eur J Dent Educ. 2015 Nov;19(4):222–8.

Santos GN, Leite AF, Figueiredo PT, Pimentel NM, Flores-Mir C, de Melo NS, et al. Effectiveness of e-learning in oral radiology education: a systematic review. J Dent Educ. 2016 Sep;80(9):1126-39.

Downloads

Published

2020-12-30

How to Cite

Adams Hilgert, E., Dias da Silveira, H. L., Boessio Vizzotto, M., da Silveira Tiecher, P. F., & Assein Arús, N. (2020). Does clinical experience impact students’ capacity to diagnose dentoalveolar disorders using intraoral radiography?. Revista Da Faculdade De Odontologia De Porto Alegre, 61(2), 7–12. https://doi.org/10.22456/2177-0018.101545

Issue

Vol. 61 No. 2 (2020)

Section

Original articles

License

All articles published in this journal adhere to Creative Commons License Attributions 4.0 (CC BY 4.0), and its use must be ruled by its licensed means. Authors are allowed to agree to additional and separate contracts for the non-exclusive distribution of the article published in this journal, such as publishing in an institutional repository, as long as the article has a recognition of authorship and first publication in this journal.