Predictors of preclinical hand skill performance in dental school

Abstract

Preclinical dental school instructors often observe some first-year students develop hand skills required for dental procedures more quickly and more easily than their peers. When questioned regarding prior experience, these advanced students often participated in physical activities that seem to predispose them to adapt their previously learned psychomotor hand skills to those required for dentistry. Objective: This study examines the results of an Institutional Review Board approved 22-question survey of various lifelong predental school activities and correlations to first-year and second-year simulation clinic practical exam performance. Design: The survey was taken anonymously at the Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Arizona by 4 consecutive dental school classes of 2017-2020 composed of 560 students, 552 of which responded. The purpose was to discover associations between lifelong activities and practical exam scores that may act as predictors of preclinical ability to develop visualization and psychomotor hand skills required for dental procedures. Results: Higher preclinical practical scores were found to have the most correlation with higher levels of participation in psychomotor, artistic and outdoor physical activities. Participation in computer, musical instrument and culinary activities had no significant correlation, and prior experience in the medical or dental field had a negative correlation. Conclusion: The lack of participation in these predisposing lifelong activities may predict slower development of dental hand skills and signal the need for more hands-on tutorial instruction in the simulation clinic so these students do not lag behind their peers.

A simulation model used in teaching denture border adjustment: Randomized controlled trial

“…A previous study suggested that the participation of students in lifelong activities such as sports is important for students' development of dental hand skills. 29 One of the limitations of the current study was the small sample size. Further experimental runs with larger test samples are strongly advised to obtain more data and generalizability of the data.…”

The impact of reflex‐based recreational activities and preclinical training on psychomotor skills in an educational dental environment

“…Six out of 10 publications in Table 2 demonstrated a favorable association when assessing the relationship between reflex-based activities and eye-hand coordination and comparing them to conventional instructional techniques for dental students. 4,5,6,[11][12][13] In a research conducted by Murbay et Under direct vision, the scores of both students and dentists were always significantly higher than under indirect vision. 12 In a study by Suksudaj et al, psychometric testing (cognitive tests, perceptual speed test, psychomotor tests, and motivation survey) revealed a greater level of performance between two cohorts.…”

“…15 Students with innate psychomotor hand abilities, creative skills, and outdoor activities demonstrated a good link with dental hand skills, and the students who participated in all three activities performed the best on the practical assessment. 5 Manual dexterity is highly regarded since it can be used as an admissions criterion or as a sign that a student is ready to progress to the preclinical stage; it can also predict and enhance a student's performance. Two studies 6,13 discovered that measuring complex motor skills was advantageous for admissions screening.…”

“…Of the 10 studies, five were performed in USA, 3,5,6,8,9 one in Europe, 10 one in Hong Kong, 11 one in Israel, 12 one in Thailand, 4 and one in Saudi Arabia. 13 The 10 included studies were observational cohort studies.…”

“…4 Conventionally, students acquire clinical skills by practicing on dental models in the laboratory; nonetheless, some are more adept than others at honing their manual dexterity 3 It is hypothesized that persons who participate in recreational activities beginning at a young age sharpen their psychomotor skills early on, and that low levels of participation in these activities may be predictive of slower development of preclinical hand skills. 5,6 This review intends to determine the strength of the association between recreational activities and the psychomotor development of dentistry students, as measured by hand function exercises and other approaches. This study compiled studies, which target dental students of a preclinical level, who would partake in several different psychometric tests and simulations to evaluate their manual dexterity.…”