15 July 2024 : Clinical Research
Assessment of Digital Dentistry Knowledge and Practices Among Dental Students at King Faisal University, Saudi Arabia
Muhammad Farooq Umer1ACDEF*, Muhammad Faheemuddin2ACDEF, Yazeed Ali Alshehri3BCFG, Abdulmalik Abdullah Algosaibi3BCFG, Abdulaziz Ali Alojail3ABDG, Abdullaziz Abdullah Althani3ABFG, Mohammed Abdulrahim Alnaim3ABDG, Sami Abdullah Alharbi3ABFGDOI: 10.12659/MSM.944692
Med Sci Monit 2024; 30:e944692
Table 3 Responses of the participants about the influence of study level on digital dentistry knowledge (chi-square or Fisher’s exact test).
| Variable | Response | BasicN (%) | PreclinicalN (%) | ClinicalN (%) | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| How skillful are you with computers? | Very good | 10 (29.4) | 19 (40.4) | 14 (35.9) | 0.372b |
| Good | 24 (70.6) | 28 (59.6) | 23 (59.0) | ||
| No | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (5.1) | ||
| Do you have any previous knowledge on digital dentistry? | Yes | 16 (47.1) | 28 (59.6) | 32 (82.1) | 0.006a |
| No | 18 (52.9) | 19 (40.4) | 7 (17.9) | ||
| The field that uses digital dentistry the most is… | General dentistry | 10 (29.4) | 18 (38.3) | 3 (7.7) | 0.000a |
| Periodontics | 3 (8.8) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (5.1) | ||
| Prosthodontics | 5 (14.7) | 19 (40.4) | 15 (38.5) | ||
| Maxillofacial surgery | 3 (8.8) | 7 (14.9) | 1 (2.6) | ||
| Orthodontics | 9 (26.5) | 3 (6.4) | 10 (25.6) | ||
| Endodontology/restorative dentistry | 4 (11.8) | 0 (0.0) | 8 (20.5) | ||
| Does digital dentistry provide more precise results than conventional dentistry? | Yes | 28 (82.4) | 43 (91.5) | 39 (100.0) | 0.018a |
| No | 6 (17.6) | 4 (8.5) | 0 (0.0) | ||
| How much do you think digital dentistry improves the work efficiency in dental laboratories? | A lot | 27 (79.4) | 36 (76.6) | 34 (87.2) | 0.455a |
| Some | 7 (20.6) | 11 (23.4) | 5 (12.8) | ||
| Very little | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | ||
| Has digital dentistry replaced traditional dentistry? | Yes | 29 (85.3) | 37 (78.7) | 35 (89.7) | 0.381a |
| No | 5 (14.7) | 10 (21.3) | 4 (10.3) | ||
| Does your curriculum include a course on Digital Dentistry? | Yes | 10 (29.4) | 19 (40.4) | 14 (35.9) | 0.336b |
| No | 24 (70.6) | 28 (59.6) | 23 (59.0) | ||
| I don’t know | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (5.1) | ||
| Are there any dental schools that teach digital dentistry in their BDS curriculum in Saudi Arabia? | Most of them | 1 (2.9) | 7 (14.9) | 4 (10.3) | 0.256b |
| A few | 24 (70.6) | 25 (53.2) | 20 (51.3) | ||
| None | 9 (26.5) | 15 (31.9) | 15 (38.5) | ||
| Do you think that the widespread implementation of digital technologies will have a negative effect on the number of employees in dental laboratories? | Yes | 34 (100.0) | 38 (80.9) | 32 (82.1) | 0.011b |
| No | 0 (0.0) | 9 (19.1) | 7 (17.9) | ||
| How do you know about digital dentistry? | Friends | 2 (5.9) | 9 (19.1) | 7 (17.9) | 0.067b |
| College | 10 (29.4) | 14 (29.8) | 3 (7.7) | ||
| Media | 13 (38.2) | 18 (38.3) | 20 (51.3) | ||
| Textbooks | 5 (14.7) | 5 (10.6) | 4 (10.3) | ||
| Conferences and workshops | 4 (11.8) | 1 (2.1) | 5 (12.8) | ||
| Does digital dentistry require skills and training? | Yes | 20 (58.8) | 37 (78.7) | 32 (82.1) | 0.063a |
| No | 14 (41.2) | 10 (21.3) | 7 (17.9) | ||
| What materials can be processed using dental technology? | Ceramic | 21 (61.8) | 24 (51.1) | 26 (66.7) | 0.000b |
| Polymers | 6 (17.6) | 4 (8.5) | 2 (5.1) | ||
| Alloys/metals | 3 (8.8) | 8 (17.0) | 2 (5.1) | ||
| All of the above | 4 (11.8) | 11 (23.4) | 1 (2.6) | ||
| I don’t know | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) | 8 (20.5) | ||
| Did you know about CAD/CAM? | Yes | 25 (73.5) | 34 (72.3) | 38 (97.4) | 0.002a |
| No | 9 (26.5) | 13 (27.7) | 1 (2.6) | ||
| Did you know about 3D? | Yes | 8 (23.5) | 11 (23.4) | 5 (12.8) | 0.405a |
| No | 26 (76.5) | 36( 76.6) | 34 (87.2) | ||
| a Pearson’s chi-square test; b Fisher’s exact test; * significant differences at p≤0.05. | |||||