Assessment of Psychomotor Skills in Dental Students During the COVID-19 Lock-Out Period

Natalia Soto-Faúndez; César Orsini; Javier Rojas; Javiera Núñez & Michel Henriquez

Summary

Psychomotor skills are a fundamental pillar of learning in dentistry and traditionally have been worked on through simulation or patient care. During the confinement due to COVID-19, students were not able to perform preclinical procedures. Due this, psychomotor skills training sessions were implemented, in online format to prepare students during confinement for the return to the patient care. Psychomotor training sessions were implemented using plastic arts materials and dental instruments in online format and guided by an occupational therapist. For its measurement, a case-control study was carried out, where the groups were selected by convenience between students who participated in the sessions and those who had traditional virtual training. The experience was evaluated through a self-perception questionnaire answered by the students with answers on a Likert scale and compared through non-parametric statistical tests. A total sample of 27 students was collected, with an average age of 23.7 years. When comparing the responses between groups, the students in the case group perceived significantly better grasping of small objects using forceps, more precise manipulation of hand and rotary instruments and better coordination between both hands during a simple mouth procedure compared to the group that did not participate in the same. The psychomotor skills training performed during the confinement period showed positive results in the perception of psychomotor skills of the students, being a low-cost strategy to be implemented during the skills training of dental students in different contexts. However, for a better implementation it should be in conjunction with simulation strategies to be fully effective.

KEY WORD: psichomotor, students, odontology, COVID-19.

How to cite this article

SOTO-FAÚNDEZ, N.; ORSINI, C.; ROJAS, J.; NÚÑEZ, J. & HENRIQUEZ, M. Assessment of psychomotor skills in dental students during the covid-19 lock-out period. Int. Odontostomat., 17(4):400-408, 2023.