Impact of Hands-On Training Sessions in Dental Traumatology on the Confidence Levels of Students and Dentists.

Abstract

Background: Because of their diversity and complexity, dental traumas require a multidisciplinary approach to ensure optimal management and a favorable dental prognosis. During dental studies in France, students receive theoretical instruction in the diagnosis and treatment of various types of dental trauma. However, only a few students gain exposure to clinical cases, which vary in complexity, while dentists are often faced with traumatic dental situations from the very beginning of their practice. We evaluated the impact of hands-on training in dental traumatology for students in initial training and for dentists in continuing education.

Material and methods: Our prospective, monocentric controlled study aimed to compare the confidence levels of 32 dental students and 15 dentists in handling various traumatic injuries, including direct pulp capping, partial pulpotomy, and temporary reconstruction following a fracture, reimplantation of an avulsed tooth, and splinting before and after a hands-on training session. Participants in both groups were questioned by survey before and after the hands-on training session.

Results: The study showed that the participants' confidence levels improved following practical sessions, especially for students (p < 0.05). This improvement differed depending on the simulated procedures and the groups surveyed, but the majority of the participants (> 80%) were satisfied with this realist simulation.

Conclusion: Our results confirm the necessity of having a theoretical and practical training during initial and continuous formation in the field of dental traumatology. We can assume that developing realistic workshops for the participants helped them feel more involved and confident in dental traumatology therapies.