Evaluating the Diagnostic Proficiency Among a Sample of Final Stage Dental Students in Some Orthodontic Cases: A Comprehensive Analysis of Clinical Competence
Abstract
1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Questionnaire
- 1.
- Is orthodontic treatment essential for this patient?
- a.
- Yes.
- b.
- No.
- 2.
- If your answer is Yes, is orthognathic surgery necessary for this patient?
- a.
- Yes.
- b.
- No.
- 3.
- If your answer is Yes, what are the causes for this patient needing orthognathic surgery?
- a.
- Unaesthetic profile and alignment of teeth.
- b.
- Unaesthetic alignment of teeth.
- 4.
- If your answer is (A), what are the factors contributing to the unaesthetic profile?
- a.
- Protruded mandibular position.
- b.
- Retruded mandibular position.
- c.
- Protruded maxillary position.
- d.
- Retruded maxillary position.
2.2. Statistical Analysis
3. Results
4. Discussion
- 1.
- Curriculum improvement: Dental schools should modify their curricula to maintain an equilibrium of knowledge while offering sufficient opportunity for application. Offering integrated teaching strategies such as lectures with clinical experiences will help students with their practical applications.
- 2.
- Standardization of learning goals: Developing standard learning outcomes and competencies in orthodontic education across institutions may aid in further consistency. Additionally, the curriculum can be aligned to regulatory organizations so students will be prepared for professional practice expectations.
- 3.
- More clinical exposure: Clinical oversight during diverse clinical experiences with varying malocclusions and treatment planning opportunities will develop students’ diagnostic values. Clinical rotations and mentorships can add to experiences during school and offer clinic and patient care instruction.
- 4.
- Innovative teaching styles: The use of simulation-based training, case-based learning, and role playing becomes more essential as students increase clinical reasoning and decision making. Utilizing strategies that encourage realistically replicating their learning and undertaking obstacles to their learning opportunity provides students with opportunities to implement previously learnt concepts and theories in new practical environments.
- 5.
- Ongoing assessment: Formative assessment and feedback can put students in a position to develop good self-awareness of strong and weak abilities. It can also contribute to self-directed learning and skill building through ongoing reflective practice.
- 6.
- Faculty development: By investing in faculty–student training to embrace innovative teaching and assessment strategies, the faculty will improve their changing role in orthodontic education for students. The faculty should be both professionally and pedagogically equipped to create and use active learning opportunities while providing mentoring.
- 1.
- More structured clinical exposure to borderline cases.
- 2.
- More training in cephalometrics and reading facial profiles.
- 3.
- More use of 3D imaging and visual devices to reinforce diagnosis.
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A. (Clinical Cases Exam)
Appendix A.1. Case 1
Age | 8 years | Over Jet = 1 mm |
Sex | Male | Over bite = 1 mm |
Breathing | Nasal | |
Cephalometric analysis | ||
Normal values | Patient values | |
SNA | 80 | 78.6° |
SNB | 78 | 75.9° |
ANB | 2 | +2.7° |
FMA | 21 | 30.2° |
SN-GoGn | 32 | 41.4° |
Maxillary incisor to SN | 105 | 97.4° |
Mandibular incisor to GoGn | 95 | 85.5° |
Soft tissue | ||
Lower lip to E-plane | –2.0 mm | +0.4 mm |
Upper lip to E-plane | –1.6 mm | –3.5 mm |
Appendix A.2. Case 2
Age | 11 years | Over Jet = 3 mm |
Sex | Male | Over bite = 5 mm |
Breathing | Nasal | |
Cephalometric analysis | ||
Normal values | Patient values | |
SNA | 80 | 86.4° |
SNB | 78 | 82.7° |
ANB | 2 | +3.7° |
FMA | 21 | 23° |
SN-GoGn | 32 | 27.8° |
Maxillary incisor to SN | 105 | 103.8° |
Mandibular incisor to GoGn | 95 | 96.3° |
Soft tissue | ||
Lower lip to E-plane | –2.0 mm | −3.1 mm |
Upper lip to E-plane | –1.6 mm | −3.1 mm |
Appendix A.3. Case 3
Age | 11 years | Over Jet = 4 mm |
Sex | Male | Over bite = 8 mm |
Breathing | Nasal | |
Cephalometric analysis | ||
Normal values | Patient values | |
SNA | 80 | 80.2° |
SNB | 78 | 75.6° |
ANB | 2 | +4.3° |
FMA | 21 | 24.2° |
SN-GoGn | 32 | 38.1° |
Maxillary incisor to SN | 105 | 83.3° |
Mandibular incisor to GoGn | 95 | 83.3° |
Soft tissue | ||
Lower lip to E-plane | –2.0 mm | −4.9 mm |
Upper lip to E-plane | –1.6 mm | −4.4 mm |
Appendix A.4. Case 4
Age | 14 years | Over Jet = 3 mm |
Sex | Female | Open bite = 4 mm |
Breathing | Nasal |
Appendix A.5. Case 5
Age | 17 years | Over Jet = −3 mm |
Sex | Female | Over bite = 3 mm |
Breathing | Nasal |
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Questions | Answers | Case No. 1 Class III Face Mask Treatment | Case No. 2 Class II Camouflage Treatment | Case No. 3 Class I | Case No. 4 Class II Camouflage Treatment | Case No. 5 Class III Orthognathic Surgery |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Q1 | Need orthodontic treatment | 137 (83%) | 120 (73%) | 151 (92%) | 147 (89%) | 159 (96%) |
No need for orthodontic treatment | 28 (17%) | 45 (27%) | 14 (8%) | 18 (11%) | 6 (4%) | |
p-value | ≤0.001 | ≤0.001 | ≤0.001 | ≤0.001 | ≤0.001 | |
Q2 | Need orthognathic surgery | 9 (7%) | 13 (11%) | 22 (15%) | 23 (16%) | 126 (79%) |
No need for orthognathic surgery | 128 (93%) | 107 (89%) | 129 (85%) | 124 (84%) | 33 (21%) | |
p-value | ≤0.001 | ≤0.001 | ≤0.001 | ≤0.001 | ≤0.001 | |
Q3 | Unesthetic profile and irregular teeth | 9 (100%) | 11 (85%) | 17 (77%) | 23 (100%) | 124 (98%) |
Irregular teeth | 0 (0%) | 2 (15%) | 5 (23%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (2%) | |
p-value | - | 0.022 | 0.017 | - | ≤0.001 | |
Q4 | Protruded mandible | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (4%) | 101 (81%) |
Retruded mandible | 8 (89%) | 3 (27%) | 5 (29%) | 6 (26%) | 0 (0%) | |
Protruded Maxilla | 0 (0%) | 8 (73%) | 12 (71%) | 16 (70%) | 0 (0%) | |
Retruded Maxilla | 1 (11%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 0 (0%) | 23 (19%) | |
p-value | 0.039 | 0.277 | 0.143 | ≤0.001 | ≤0.001 |
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Abbass, N.N.; Kadhom, Z.M.; Al-Lehaibi, W.K.; Nahidh, M. Evaluating the Diagnostic Proficiency Among a Sample of Final Stage Dental Students in Some Orthodontic Cases: A Comprehensive Analysis of Clinical Competence. Dent. J. 2025, 13, 300. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj13070300
Abbass NN, Kadhom ZM, Al-Lehaibi WK, Nahidh M. Evaluating the Diagnostic Proficiency Among a Sample of Final Stage Dental Students in Some Orthodontic Cases: A Comprehensive Analysis of Clinical Competence. Dentistry Journal. 2025; 13(7):300. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj13070300
Chicago/Turabian StyleAbbass, Noor Nourie, Zainab Mousa Kadhom, Wurood Khairallah Al-Lehaibi, and Mohammed Nahidh. 2025. "Evaluating the Diagnostic Proficiency Among a Sample of Final Stage Dental Students in Some Orthodontic Cases: A Comprehensive Analysis of Clinical Competence" Dentistry Journal 13, no. 7: 300. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj13070300
APA StyleAbbass, N. N., Kadhom, Z. M., Al-Lehaibi, W. K., & Nahidh, M. (2025). Evaluating the Diagnostic Proficiency Among a Sample of Final Stage Dental Students in Some Orthodontic Cases: A Comprehensive Analysis of Clinical Competence. Dentistry Journal, 13(7), 300. https://doi.org/10.3390/dj13070300