New Perspectives in Science Education

Objective Our Objective is for the students to learn and enhance their preclinical performance on typodont teeth before they enter the clinics and start treating patients

Introduction New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD) prides itself on giving its students access to advanced technological devices and methods that help nurture their learning from their pre-clinical simulation courses given in the second year preparing them as future dentists. Part of the Esthetics course is the preparation of Inlays and onlays. Those procedures are most difficult to prepare, whether they are tooth colored or gold. Watching the DVD helps student to successfully accomplish their goal. Lectures along with pictures posted in the Simulation laboratory, has always aided in teaching. Adding a video component (DVD) to the inlays and onlays part of the course, has enabled students to learn the concepts visually easier and with more precision than traditional learning.

Method Second year students are required to attend the simulation lab and prepare indirect procedures on typodont teeth. They are mandated to observe the DVD of the given procedure (approximately 5-10 minutes) prior to attending that procedures session. A quiz is administered at the beginning of the session relating to the particular procedure they are performing that day. Then, the procedure is demonstrated once again on a monitor at each station. A printed Self Evaluation sheet is distributed to each student stating all grading criteria guidelines such as tapered walls, depth of the preparation and undercuts. While the student is preparing the given procedure on a typodont, he/she will utilize the digital camera (Quick Time) DVD with audio narration to virtually get guidance and feedback from their respective row intructors. The DVD video is repeated several times (looped) during the pre clinic lab session.

Conclusion: Through continual advances in learning modalities such as prior viewing a DVD Quick Time audio narration posted on NYU Classes course web-page, student learning and performance has significantly improved and successfully challenged.