Current Trends In Complete Denture Education In Undergraduate Dental Colleges Of Pakistan.

Objective: To determine the current trends in complete denture education in undergraduate dental colleges. METHODS: The survey-based study was conducted in April and May 2020 at undergraduate dental colleges of Pakistan, and comprised heads of the Prosthodontics Department at all dental colleges across Pakistan having at least one batch of final year dental students. Data was collected using an online predesigned questionnaire that explored theoretical and practical teaching patterns of complete denture prosthodontics in the undergraduate years, and the materials and practices of students when constructing complete dentures in the clinics. The participants were given the option of choosing more than one option where needed. Data was analysed using SPSS 23. RESULTS: Of the 49 subjects approached, 40(81.6%) returned the forms duly filled; 11(27.5%) from public-sector institutions and 29(72.5%) from the private sector. There were 26(65%) institutions which required that their undergraduate students fabricate 2-4 conventional complete dentures. In all 40(100%) colleges, faculty gave live clinical demonstrations before students fabricated conventional complete dentures in the outpatient departments. Teaching strategy included small group discussions in 25(62.5%) institutions. Green stick 40(100%), zinc oxide eugenol 40(100%) and impression compound 39(97.2%) were the materials of choice for various steps of impression making. In all the 40(100%) institutions, students fabricated conventional complete dentures during their prosthodontics rotation. Immediate, copy and overdentures were constructed by students in 8(20%), 3(7.5%) and 8(20%) institutions, respectively. Conclusion: Majority of the dental schools used similar impression materials and techniques for fabricating conventional complete dentures. Didactic teaching of conventional and unconventional complete dentures was being carried out at a huge majority of the dental institutions studied.

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Current trends in removable partial prosthodontics education in dental colleges of Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the current trends in undergraduate teaching of removable partial prosthodontics in various dental colleges of Pakistan. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which a questionnaire was sent by email to head of Prosthodontics department of thirty-one dental institutes of Pakistan. The survey included multiple questions regarding current trends in removable partial prosthodontics education in undergraduate dental colleges. RESULTS: Out of thirty-one questionnaires, twenty-six were completely filled and returned. In 19 (73%) dental colleges, removable partial denture is taught over a period of at least two years of undergraduate education. Students of only six dental colleges fabricate 10-12 removable partial dentures during their Prosthodontic rotation. Lectures and live clinical demonstration for construction of removable acrylic dentures are reported to be carried out in all the dental schools. Simple hinge articulator is the articulator of choice in 22 (84.6%) colleges. Even though twenty-four out of twenty-six colleges (92.3%) teach fabrication of cast partial dentures in lectures, none of the student fabricate these dentures during their Prosthodontic rotation. CONCLUSION: This survey is the first to comprehensively report the teaching practices of removable denture Prosthodontics in undergraduate dental colleges of Pakistan. Faculty of all twenty-six colleges give clinical demonstrations of acrylic partial denture construction before students start working in the dental OPD. Most of the dental colleges report use of similar impression materials and techniques in removable partial denture fabrication. More than 90% of dental colleges teach cast partial dentures theoretically, but their construction is grossly neglected in all the dental colleges. It is important that this skill is taught and practised by students in order to have the necessary skill set, so they can provide comprehensive treatment to partially dentate patients once they graduate.