Perception of the value of simulation models by dental anesthesia teachers and implementation of simulation models for teaching.

Background: A dental anesthesia simulation model (DASM) is a tool for the teaching and learning of local dental anesthesia techniques. We investigated how dental anesthesia teachers (DATs) perceive the value of those tools.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the following: the characteristics of the dental anesthesia curriculum used by DATs in Mexico; the DATs' opinion of ethical issues in the teaching of local dental anesthesia; the DATs' perception of the value of using a DASM to teach local dental anesthesia; and the characteristics of the implementation of a DASM by DATs.

Methods: Dental anesthesia teachers in Mexico answered an online questionnaire with 34 items. The questionnaire had five sections that explored the objective of the study. The results were analyzed with a chi-square test (p < 0.05) or with the Tau-c test (p < 0.05).

Results: One hundred twenty dental anesthesia teachers participated in the study. A total of 37.5% perceived a very high value of using a DASM to teach local dental anesthesia. No significant statistical differences were found when the level of perception was analyzed using the variable of whether the participants used a simulation model for teaching. Half of the participants had access to a simulation model, but only 29.2% used a simulation model for teaching. Most of the participants did not know how to use a DASM for teaching.

Conclusion: Dental anesthesia teachers had a positive perception of simulation models. However, they did not use them, nor were they prepared to use them.