Practice makes perfect? Association between students' performance measures in an advanced dental simulation course.

PURPOSE: This study examines the relationship between student performance measures during practice and exams using advanced dental simulation. METHODS: Data from 11 classes of first-year dental students were extracted from Advanced Simulation software (DentSim™) related to Class I and Class II preparations including: total number of practice sessions, average practice score, exam scores, average time preparing teeth during practice/exam, and average time self-evaluating preparations during practice/exam. Comparisons of average practice and exam scores were examined using paired t-test. Relationships between practice/exam measures and exam scores were determined with multiple linear regression. RESULTS: Practice mean and exam scores were significantly associated; exam scores were significantly higher in both procedures. Class I: a significant positive relationship exists between both practice and exam measures: The average practice score was significantly associated with exam score (p < 0.001); time spent preparing the exam tooth was negatively associated with the exam score (p < 0.001); conversely, time spent self-evaluating the exam tooth was significantly associated with an increase in exam score (p = 0.0135). Class II: exam score was significantly associated with two practice measures but neither of the exam measures: exam score for Class II mesioocclusal preparation was significantly associated with average practice score (p < 0.001) and the number of practice attempts (p = 0.025). CONCLUSION: This study emphasizes the predictive value of novice learners' deliberate, repetitive practice using advanced dental simulation, which enhances self-assessment in early stages of psychomotor skill development. Future studies are needed to demonstrate the translation of these skills into a patient care setting.