A COMPUTER-PROGRAM TO AID IN VISUAL CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT IN DENTISTRY

Beginning dental students normally receive their first exposure to the study of tooth forms (morphology) through a dental anatomy laboratory course in which they are required to reproduce tooth morphology, usua lly with wax. The fabrication of a tooth in wax requires proper visual recognition skills and fine eye-hand coordination. Many students stru ggle with one or both of these. A computer program, designed to teach recognition concepts, was delivered to three groups of beginning fresh man dental students in conjunction with their dental anatomy laborator y course while a group of their classmates served as the controls. Thi s study investigated (1) instructional design and interface improvemen t and (2) the best method to implement the computer program. Experimen tal and control groups all received normal daily critiques of their co urse project work. After completion of the computer program, all group s were tested with a recognition-based examination as well as with a p ractical examination, requiring the reproduction of a tooth in wax. Al l experimental groups scored better than the control group on both exa minations. Results indicated that computer-based instruction may be a useful means to foster visual concept development. An expanded program , using better graphics, animation and movies is currently under devel opment. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science ireland Ltd.