Natural Model Training, an Alternative Way to Enhance Learning in Pediatric Dentistry

OBJECTIVE: Educational teaching of the diagnosis of resorbed root for pulpectomy in deciduous teeth radiography has always been a big challenge in pediatric dentistry. The purpose of the study was to propose a new practical methodology to improve the quality of learning in students of dentistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Extracted deciduous teeth were molded in the transparent epoxy resin as their real position in the jawbone. Then, their own pre-extraction radiographs were attached to them. Forty dental students were randomly allocated to the control group of conventional teaching and experimental group of natural model training. All participants were attended in a validated exam and the data were analyzed. A questionnaire was designed with an answer choice in Lickert scale to measure the students' attitude towards the new method and finally the data were reported with descriptive statistics. RESULTS: The mean of the learning degree in the experimental group was graded 9.2± 3.2 and was significantly higher than 5.8± 1.1 which belongs to the participants of the conventional method as control (p= 0.04 <0.05). CONCLUSION: Considering the limitation of this study, using natural models in radiography training will improve the diagnostic competency and the student’s educational satisfaction in pediatric dentistry.