Dental students' perceptions on a simulated practice using patient-based customized typodonts during the transition from preclinical to clinical education.

Purpose/objectives Dental students experience difficulties during the transition from preclinical to clinical curriculum. In order to help the students to adapt to the clinical education program, a simulated practice using patient-based customized models was introduced in this study to prepare for their first clinical practice. Methods This study included 45 Third year predoctoral students (D3 students) who were about to perform the preparation of a single crown abutment on their first patient. After practicing abutment preparation using simulated models and providing the actual treatment to their own patient, the students were surveyed to investigate their perceptions on the simulated practice using the 3D-printed customized typodont model. The statistical analysis of the quantitative data and the thematic analysis of the qualitative data were conducted. Results Regarding this simulation, more than 80% of the students gave positive feedback on their practice of (a) operative positions and postures, (b) finger rest, (c) occlusal reduction, (d) axial reduction, and (e) proximal reduction. Student responses on the open-ended questions about how they perceived the usefulness of this simulation were categorized as 'First clinical case', 'Patient-based model', and 'Realistic simulation environment'. In addition, a number of improvements of the simulation was also suggested by the students including the typodont and the manikin. Conclusions This study gives insights into the significance of simulated practice using patient-based customized typodonts as a transitional education tool and its direction of development in the field of restorative treatments accompanied by irreversible tooth preparations.