The Future of Education

Objective
1.  Using CAD/CAM technology, the students will better visualize and improve their preparations on typodont teeth in the simulation laboratory
2. The students will be able to take a digital impression, design, mill and cement a restoration in one single visit in a group practice setting

Introduction
Many dental students find it challenging to prepare artificial teeth in a manikin head. Students at New York University College of Dentistry are offered state of the art technology to learn how to properly prepare teeth.  As part of the second year curriculum, the student doctors learn how to prepare inlays and onlays on typodont teeth in the simulation laboratory.  Criteria like tapered proximal walls, flat pulpal and braking contact , .proximal boxes, internal line angles or damage to adjacent teeth.
CAD/CAM technology allows the students to take a digital picture of prepared teeth and to evaluate their work.  In addition the same system is used at a clinical setting where the students learn how to design and mill a restoration in one single visit.

Method
Using the CAD/CAM technology, students are able to digitally take an impression of a tooth they prepared and view a virtual cast magnified 12 times. The students are able to rotate the cast 360 degrees.  Evaluating their work and improving their skills with the help of a trained and calibrated faculty.  The students learn how to design different restorations, they become familiar with the milling process as well as fitting the restoration and the steps of permanently cement the restoration.
As the student progresses to the clinic He/she will treat patients in their respective group practices with the same procedures practiced on typodont teeth in the Simulation laboratory During the third and fourth years he/she will perform the same procedures on patients that would benefit from this technology. The acquisition unit is used chairside for taking the digital impression after the preparation has been approved by the calibrated faculty.  In most challenging cases, an image of the preparation can be exported on line to the course director, who can critique it and suggest  any modifications that may be necessary. Changes can then be made to either the preparation or the design of the restoration before the procedure is finalized and sent to the milling unit. The restoration is then fitted and bonded to the tooth structure at the same visit.

Conclusions
The magnified image of a tooth preparation on the monitor of the acquisition unit,helps the student evaluate their preparation and improves their skill levels in tooth preparation. The student learns how to prepare an indirect procedur,e take a digital impression,  design it using the skills learned previously , mill the restoration and cemented in one single visit.