JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

As an attractive treatment option for partially edentulous patients, the removable partial dentures (RPD) have irreplaceable advantages. Although the design of RPD is crucial to the long-term success of dental treatment, the shortcomings in RPD design training and competency acquisition among dental students have persisted for decades. As the prevalence of digital production in the field of stomatology, the digital (D)-RPD module under the framework of the certified Objective Manipulative Skill Examination of Dental Technicians (OMEDT) system in our previous work may improve on the existing RPD training models for students.

Objective:

To determine the efficacy of a virtual three-dimensional (3D) simulation-based progressive digital training module on RPD design compared to that of traditional training.

Methods:

We’ve developed a prospective cohort study including dental technology students performed at the Stomatology College of Chongqing Medical University. Cohort 1 received traditional RPD design training (7 weeks). Cohort 2 received digital (D)-RPD module training based on text and two-dimensional (2D) sketches (7 weeks). Cohort 3 received D-RPD module pilot training based on text and 2D sketches (4 weeks) and continued to receive training based on 3D-virtual casts of real patients (3 weeks). RPD design tests based on virtual casts were conducted at one month and one year post-training. We collected their RPD design scores and the time spent to perform each assessment. The Kruskal–Wallis H test was used to compare the cohorts at the same time point, and the Wilcoxon matched-pairs test was used for in-cohort comparisons at different time points.

Results:

We collected the RPD design scores and the time spent to perform each assessment at one month and one year post-training. 58 (53.2%) women and 51 men (56.8%) were included in the study. Cohort 1 scored the lowest and cohort 3 scored the highest in both tests (65.8 [21.5] vs. 81.9 [6.88] vs. 85.3 [8.55]; P<0.001; 60.3 [16.7] vs. 75.5 [3.90] vs. 90.9 [4.3]; P<0.001). The difference between cohorts in the time spent was not statistically significant at one month (2407.8 [1370.3] vs. 1835.0 [1329.2] vs. 1790.3 [1195.5]; P=0.06) but was statistically significant at one year (2049.16 [1099.0] vs. 1857.33 [587.39] vs. 2524.3 [566.37]; P<0.001). Intra-cohort comparisons indicated that the differences in scores at one month and one year were not statistically significant for cohort 1 (95% CI: -2.1–13.0; P=0.16), while cohort 3 obtained significantly higher scores one year later (95% CI: 2.5–8.7; P=0.001), and cohort 2 obtained significantly lower scores one year later (95% CI: -8.8 to -3.9; P<0.001).

Conclusions:

Cohort 3 obtained the highest score at both time points with retention of competency at one year, indicating that progressive D-RPD training including virtual 3D simulation facilitated improved competency in RPD design. The adoption of D-RPD training may benefit learning outcomes.