Association between stereoacuity and simulated clinical performance among dental students: an exploratory investigation.

INTRODUCTION: Dentistry is a profession that requires a high level of the hand-eye coordination. Although considerable attention has been put on dental students' manual dexterity, little emphasis was made on students' visual competency as a variable influencing their competency. In this study, we aimed to assess the association between dental students' stereopsis and their pre-clinical performance. METHODS: Dental students (n = 49) were required to perform the porcelain-fused-to-crown preparation for a lower first molar and an upper central incisor plastic teeth mounted on phantom heads. Performance was assessed by two faculty members based on two rubrics, which collectively included 11 assessment criteria. Afterward, students undertook a stereoacuity test using Randot stereotest. Stereopsis values greater than 40 arc/s were considered abnormal. RESULTS: A significant negative correlation was seen between stereopsis scores and students' grades for the upper incisor (p < 0.01), but not for the lower molar. An association was also seen between abnormal stereopsis and students' poor performance in preparing the finish line of the incisor tooth (p = 0.024). CONCLUSION: Abnormal stereopsis can impact dental students' performance, particularly when preparing teeth indirectly using a dental mirror. Dental educators should give attention to students' stereoacuity, in a manner similar to that given to students' manual dexterity.