Dental students’ perspectives on three intraoral scanners and CAD/CAM systems before and after a pre-clinical elective course in digital dentistry

BACKGROUND: Intraoral scanners (IOS) are gaining interest in Dentistry for their ability to capture digital impressions of the oral cavity. These digital impressions facilitate the fabrication of indirect restorations using CAD/CAM technology. This study aimed to describe an elective course given to predoctoral dental students on the topic of Digital Dentistry and assess their learning outcomes and system preferences. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Three IOS were evaluated by eight students enrolled in a Digital Dentistry elective course. These systems included Emerald S (Planmeca), Cerec Omnicam (Denstply Sirona), and True Definition (3M/Midmark). After a literature review and a hands-on session were completed for each system, the students provided their perspectives on various factors such as ease of use, organization, and user-friendliness in a qualitative narrative of each system and quantitatively through a six-items survey. RESULTS: Survey data suggests that the student cohort showed higher levels of previous familiarity, user preference, and clinical confidence in the Cerec and Planmeca systems as opposed to the True Definition system. Qualitatively, the students felt CEREC was the more educationally useful system to learn and presented with more ease of use, functionality, and efficacy than the other two systems. CONCLUSIONS: While each system proved to have its unique benefits and drawbacks, students’ attitudes towards the Planmeca and Cerec systems were generally positive, while True Definition’s evaluation was limited. Students appreciated their experiences throughout this elective, familiarizing themselves with various digital systems. Key words:Digital Dentistry, Intraoral Scanners, CAD/CAM, Dental Education, Learning Curve.