title: Dental students' perceived preparedness to treat patients in clinic after a fixed prosthodontics course: survey results of a case study.
abstract: Previous research regarding dental students has found modest predictive value in preclinical didactic course grades in predicting clinical performance, but systematic assessment of students' feedback on their perceived preparedness has received little attention as a preclinical assessment methodology. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of the dental students at one U.S. academic dental institution regarding their preparedness for clinical performance following the preclinical fixed prosthodontics course. Third- and fourth-year dental students participated in a survey about their perceived preparedness to diagnose and treat patients with fixed prosthodontics needs in the school's dental clinics. The respondents (79 out of 161 students, for a response rate of 49%) rated each item on a five-point Likert scale. Responses about which preclinical procedures of the course prepared students the least and the best were consistent for the third- and fourth-year students. Less than 60% of all responding students felt prepared for planning complex cases and performing laboratory-related procedures. The findings of this study indicate that improvement is required in teaching students about laboratory procedures and problem-solving to adequately prepare them for clinical treatment of patients with fixed prosthodontics needs.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Barrero is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry; Dr. Duqum is Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry; and Mr. Petrola is Research Assistant, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry. carlos_barrero@dentistry.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barrero
authors.affiliation: Dr. Barrero is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry; Dr. Duqum is Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry; and Mr. Petrola is Research Assistant, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Duqum
authors.affiliation: Dr. Barrero is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry; Dr. Duqum is Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry; and Mr. Petrola is Research Assistant, Department of Prosthodontics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Dentistry.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Petrola
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003740:Dental Clinics; D017267:Dental Prosthesis Design; D003779:Denture Design; D004497:Education, Dental; D006801:Humans; D007754:Laboratories, Dental; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D011340:Problem Solving; D017797:Prosthesis Coloring; D011476:Prosthodontics / Q000193:education*; D012649:Self Concept; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D019231:Tooth Preparation, Prosthodontic
keywords: clinical performance; dental education; dental students; fixed prosthodontics; preclinical education; prosthodontics