Vasundhara's mirror exercise sheets and shields – A novel indirect vision training device

BACKGROUND: Mastering indirect vision has been a common challenge to undergraduate and postgraduate dental students. AIM: This study assessed the usefulness of Vasundhara's mirror exercise (V-ME) Shield and Sheets for learning indirect vision among dental students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred 2(nd) year undergraduate students participated in the study who had just started their preclinical operative exercises. All the participants of the study group were asked to prepare a Class I amalgam cavity on maxillary left first molar typodonts followed by evaluation by a single evaluator. Then, all the participants were exposed to 21 days' practice of indirect vision exercises for 15 min using V-ME Shields and Sheets under supervision. Again, all the participants were asked to prepare a Class I amalgam cavity in maxillary left first molar typodonts followed by evaluation by the same evaluator. All the participants were asked about the usefulness of the device by requesting them to fill out the feedback form. The entire results were tabulated and statistically analyzed. Statistical analysis was done by one-way analysis of variance (P < 0.05) using IBM SPSS (version 21.0) software. RESULTS: Students after being trained with the V-ME device performed better in indirect vision. According to the results obtained it is concluded that indirect vision can be mastered by practice and it also helps in precision work in clinical practice. CONCLUSION: V-ME shields and sheets are novel, simple, and cost-effective way to start practicing mirror vision skills during preclinical studies and to improve neurophysiological adaptation.