Development of a computer application to help in the decision-making process in teaching dentistry.
OBJECTIVE
This article describes the development of a computer application, Asiodint 1.0, whose objective is principally to help students and also newly qualified graduates in the decision-making process in a variety of clinical situations. The tree starts with an initial identification, naming the problem to be solved. It then follows a path via various stages (nodes), according to the responses to the variables which are important in this decision-making process, configuring a final outcome.


METHODS
A population of 90 individuals was chosen, divided without any specific criteria into three groups: A) students, B) qualified dentists with at least 2 years' and at most 5 years' professional experience, C) qualified dentists with more than 10 years' professional experience. Two clinical cases were designed for the themes used in the program (evaluation of an abutment tooth and treatment of an extracted tooth). The participants answered questions on the two cases first based on their knowledge and then with the help of the program, and were able to check the degree of agreement between their opinion and that offered by the program. Finally each individual had to fill in a questionnaire on their opinion of the program, additionally describing the advantages and drawbacks they found in the application and whether discrepancies were due to a fault in the program's data base, an error by the individual or other reasons.


RESULTS
100% of the participants stated that they would like to have this tool as an aid and 96.7% thought that it could be used to improve teaching.


CONCLUSIONS
This program may be used repeatedly and at any time by students and teachers who so wish. This offers the advantage that it can be reviewed to reinforce information learnt by the students. The teaching staff can, however, if they so desire, design any theme they wish, increasing the efficiency and support capabilities of the program. Development of a computer application to help in the decision-making process in teaching dentistry. Program innovation.
Ríos Santos
Jose Vicente
JV
Comprehensive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Seville University, Sevilla, Spain. jvrios@us.es
Castelló Castañeda
Coral
C
Bullón
Pedro
P
D003657:Decision Making; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011340:Problem Solving; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*