| Popis: |
Background: There are limited studies that assess the level of confidence among the final year dental students in the ability to conduct key dental procedures. The present study aims to assess the perception and confidence level of final year dental students from the School of Dentistry at the University of Jordan to perform essential dental procedures across various dental disciplines; to assess the effect of competencies implementation in curricula on the confidence level of students. Methods: An electronic questionnaire was answered by two cohorts of final year dental students: one group in 2016 before the implementation of the competency-based assessment system (group 1, n = 153), and the other in 2019 after the implementation of this system (group 2, n = 199). The two groups were compared regarding the degree of confidence in conducting key dental procedures. The data were analysed using SPSS statistics. Statistical significance was set at 0.05 level.Results: Statistically significant differences between the two groups regarding the confidence levels were found in 5 out of 20 prosthodontic procedures (placing treatment plan of removable partial dentures, using semi-adjustable articulator, giving oral hygiene instructions (OHIs) for denture patients, dealing with complete denture post-insertion complaints, and giving OHIs for denture patients); and in 5 out of 20 conservative Dentistry procedures (placing treatment plan of removable partial dentures (RPD), using semi-adjustable articulator, giving OHI's for Denture Patients, dealing with complete denture (CD) post-insertion complaints and giving OHI's for Denture patients). These differences were in favor of grope 2.Conclusion: This study has shown that final year dental students generally have high confidence levels in doing simple dental procedures and less confidence in more complex ones, thus additional focus on such complex procedures is advised during post-graduation training and before entitlement for practice licensing. Competency-based dental education is an advantageous over classical dental training systems, and thus should be maintained and continuously enhanced. |
