~ 17 ~ International Journal of Applied Dental Sciences 2023; 9(4): 17-22 ISSN Print: 2394-7489 ISSN Online: 2394-7497 IJADS 2023; 9(4): 17-22 © 2023 IJADS www.oraljournal.com Received: 25-08-2023 Accepted: 29-09-2023 Neslin Velioğlu Department of Prosthodontics, Navadent Oral and Dental Health Policlinic, Zonguldak, Turkey Gamze Gümüş Çabuk Etimesgut Oral and Dental Health Center, Etimesgut, Ankara, Turkey Dalndushe Abdulai Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey Gediz Geduk Department of Dentomaxillofacial Radiology Department, Faculty of Dentistry, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey Seda Cengiz Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Zonguldak, Turkey Corresponding Author: Neslin Velioğlu Department of Prosthodontics, Navadent Oral and Dental Health Policlinic, Zonguldak, Turkey Comparison of digital and traditional assessment methods in crown preparation: Pilot study Neslin Velioğlu, Gamze Gümüş Çabuk, Dalndushe Abdulai, Gediz Geduk and Seda Cengiz DOI: https://doi.org/10.22271/oral.2023.v9.i4a.1843 Abstract Background: The use of technology in dentistry has opened up numerous possibilities for digital education. However, it is crucial and important to select the most appropriate pedagogical approaches to ensure that learning is both effective and efficient. This study aims to explore the efficiency of incorporating technology in teaching and assessment methods to enhance preclinical skills of undergraduate students, in comparison to traditional methods. Materials and Methods: Our pilot study was conducted with 5 students in the Faculty of Dentistry, who utilized a combination of PrepCheck software, CAD/CAM unit, Cerec Omnicam, computers, and phantom tooth models. In our study, we focused on the chamfer-type tooth preparation of teeth 27, and laminate veneer preparation of teeth 21. The duration of the tooth preparation exercise assigned to the students was set at two hours. We conducted both traditional and digital evaluations on the models, examining six different parameters, including undercut, taper, occlusal distance, preparation type, margin quality, and surface quality. The collected data sets were subjected to a Shapiro-Wilk normality test, which revealed non-normal distributions in the data sets (p< 0.05). Consequently, the Wilcoxon test was employed to compare traditional and digital measurements on the non-normal data set. Results: This study analysis showed that the measurements of undercut and preparation type in tooth 27 were not notably different, but there were statistically significant differences in other parameters (p<0.05). The evaluation of tooth 21 showed that there was no significant variance between the traditional and digital techniques used to measure occlusal distance. Nevertheless, in other groups, the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). Conclutions: When assessing the effectiveness of digital education programs in dental education, our research revealed that digital and traditional evaluations did not align with each other. This suggests that the digital and traditional methods are not generally compatible. Keywords: CAD/CAM, digital dentistry, dental education, digital assessment, undergraduate students, Prep Check software 1. Introduction The importance of dental education in preparing future generations of oral health practitioners cannot be emphasized enough. With the emergence of novel educational strategies and their implementation, dental education will inevitably undergo further evolution and transformation [1] . In the field of dentistry, the use of digital technologies is growing rapidly, with a particular focus on computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) for dental restorations and devices. The traditional production method for fixed dental prostheses (FDPs) involves multiple manual steps, both from the dentist and the dental laboratory, but this can be greatly simplified by implementation of CAD/CAM technologies [2, 3] . With the continuous advancement of digital dental technology, digital technologies have increasingly been incorporated into dental education, especially in preclinical training [4] . One such technology is the digital training system used in prosthetics and restorative dental training, which has the potential to replace traditional apprentice-style training methods. This involves demonstrating preparation of the tooth and restorative dental techniques on a phantom head and having trainers check students' practical work. However, prior research has indicated that the use of the digital training system in prosthetics and restorative dental training