Biomaterial Database

Undergraduate endodontic teaching in New Zealand: students' experience, perceptions and self-confidence levels. 2014

Colleen M Murray, and Nicholas P Chandler

Faculty of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.

The aim was to investigate undergraduate students' experiences, perceptions of future practice and self-rated confidence levels across endodontic tasks. After ethical approval, a survey involved all fourth and fifth year students. Quantitative data were analysed in SPSS version 20.0. Qualitative data were analysed using a general inductive approach. The participation rate was 84% (n = 136 of 162). The mean number of canals completed was 2.6 by fourth years and 10.4 by fifth years. Maxillary premolars were the most common first tooth treated. Pulpal factors and root morphology were the most common reasons for experiencing difficulty. Self-rated confidence levels were lower for the more junior students and complex procedures. Students felt that an increased use of extracted natural teeth would be beneficial in their pre-clinical practice. A high level of interest was shown in future specialisation in endodontics. Students may benefit from further didactic teaching or pre-clinical instruction in selected topics.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008437	Maxilla	One of a pair of irregularly shaped bones that form the upper jaw. A maxillary bone provides tooth sockets for the superior teeth, forms part of the ORBIT, and contains the MAXILLARY SINUS.	Maxillae,Maxillary Bone,Bone, Maxillary,Bones, Maxillary,Maxillary Bones,Maxillas
D009520	New Zealand	A group of islands in the southwest Pacific. Its capital is Wellington. It was discovered by the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman in 1642 and circumnavigated by Cook in 1769. Colonized in 1840 by the New Zealand Company, it became a British crown colony in 1840 until 1907 when colonial status was terminated. New Zealand is a partly anglicized form of the original Dutch name Nieuw Zeeland, new sea land, possibly with reference to the Dutch province of Zeeland. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p842 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p378)
D010510	Periodontal Diseases	Pathological processes involving the PERIODONTIUM including the gum (GINGIVA), the alveolar bone (ALVEOLAR PROCESS), the DENTAL CEMENTUM, and the PERIODONTAL LIGAMENT.	Parodontosis,Pyorrhea Alveolaris,Disease, Periodontal,Diseases, Periodontal,Parodontoses,Periodontal Disease
D012017	Referral and Consultation	The practice of sending a patient to another program or practitioner for services or advice which the referring source is not prepared to provide.	Consultation,Gatekeepers, Health Service,Hospital Referral,Second Opinion,Consultation and Referral,Health Service Gatekeepers,Hospital Referrals,Referral,Referral, Hospital,Referrals, Hospital,Consultations,Gatekeeper, Health Service,Health Service Gatekeeper,Opinion, Second,Opinions, Second,Referrals,Second Opinions
D002321	Career Choice	Selection of a type of occupation or profession.	Career Choices,Choice, Career,Choices, Career
D002983	Clinical Competence	The capability to perform acceptably those duties directly related to patient care.	Clinical Skills,Competence, Clinical,Clinical Competency,Clinical Skill,Competency, Clinical,Skill, Clinical,Skills, Clinical,Clinical Competencies,Competencies, Clinical
D003788	Dental Pulp Diseases	Endodontic diseases of the DENTAL PULP inside the tooth, which is distinguished from PERIAPICAL DISEASES of the tissue surrounding the root.	Dental Pulp Disease,Disease, Dental Pulp,Diseases, Dental Pulp,Pulp Disease, Dental,Pulp Diseases, Dental
D004497	Education, Dental	Use for articles concerning dental education in general.	Dental Education
D004708	Endodontics	A dental specialty concerned with the maintenance of the dental pulp in a state of health and the treatment of the pulp cavity (pulp chamber and pulp canal).	Endodontology