Cord Placement Model: An Instructional Guide for Preclinical Dental Students to Practice the Skill of Retraction Cord Placement

INTRODUCTION: Gingival displacement is essential for ideal margin exposure and improved direct or indirect restorative outcome. Recent literature found many dentists prefer using retraction cord. Some contraindications of other displacement methods make retraction cord displacement preferred. It is necessary to teach dental students appropriate cord placement while minimizing gingival trauma. METHODS: We developed a stone model using prepared typodont teeth and simulated gingiva that was made of polyvinylsiloxane material. Twenty-three faculty and 143 D2 students were briefed on the instructional guide. After faculty demonstration, D2 students practiced for 10–15 minutes under observation. The following year, former D2 (now D3) and D4 students were asked for feedback on the instructional experience. RESULTS: Fifty-six percent of faculty rated the model and instructional guide good to excellent, and 65% rated the student experience as good to excellent, with only one participant rating it poor. Seventy-eight percent of D3 students strongly agreed or agreed the exercise increased their understanding of the technique in placing cord on a patient. Furthermore, 94% of D4 students strongly agreed or agreed having this exercise in preclinical D2 year would have been helpful. DISCUSSION: Use of retraction cord to deflect gingiva is still preferred by most dentists. Completing the cord placement exercise on a model helps prepare students to perform the procedure on a patient before arriving at the clinic. Survey comments such as “useful exercise” support use of this instructional model. Overall, faculty and D3 and D4 students felt the exercise was beneficial to use in preclinical education.