Characterizing clinical skill acquisition: Face symmetry assessment abilities in orthodontists
Year: 2013
Type: conference-paper
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objectives: Assessing face symmetry is key to diagnosis in dentistry. By comparing performance on tests of visual cognition (symmetry assessment) across dental students, orthodontics residents, orthodontics faculty, and untrained controls, we explored the nature and development of this ability. With a better understanding of how this clinical skill is acquired and enhanced, methodology and curricula in both pre- and post-doctoral dental education may be perfected. \nMethods: Using a cross-sectional design, 12 dental students, 16 orthodontics residents, 15 orthodontics faculty members, and 33 control participants completed a series (228 trials per participant) of tasks validated by Rhodes et al. and Evans et al. to assess symmetry (two-alternative forced-choice judgments between upright faces, inverted faces, and dot patterns). Participants also completed questionnaires to gather demographic information, data about clinical practice, level of education, and self-confidence ratings of symmetry assessment abilities using the Royal College of Physicians Confidence Rating Scale. \nResults: Accuracy in assessing face symmetry varied between groups (MANOVA, F=4.07, p=0.001), with residents showing robust symmetry assessment expertise compared to controls (p<0.001), faculty showing an advantage in only the most difficult cases compared to controls (p=0.007), and dental students showing no advantage compared to controls. When compared, dental students’, residents’, and faculty members’ symmetry assessment abilities showed no significant differences between stage of education or experience. \nConclusions: The development of clinical skill in assessing face symmetry is not simply a function of experience over time, but appears to vary with targeted training and the effect of testing. This knowledge may be used to create new pedagogical strategies and improve current techniques for teaching diagnostic skills involving the perception of faces in dental education.
Language: English
Subfield: Orthodontics
Field: Dentistry
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2953968928