Do dental students need sonography training? A prospective observational study

Abstract

Introduction Sonography is a key diagnostic tool in oral and maxillofacial surgery and complements other imaging methods such as computer tomography or X-rays. While X-ray courses are integral to dentistry students’ training, ultrasound diagnostics have not been integrated into undergraduate and postgraduate training. This study investigates whether there is a demand for undergraduate sonography training among dental students. Methods An online questionnaire was developed by a team of experts (dentistry, maxillofacial surgery, otorhinolaryngology, radiology, and didactics) based on the “Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (Cherries)”. Multiple items addressed several topics using dichotomous (“yes”/ “no”), free text, and 7-level Likert answering formats (1 = not at all; 7 = fully and entirely). These included “personal data”, “previous experience”, “demand for ultrasound diagnostics in an undergraduate degree program”, “desired topics of ultrasound training”, “teaching methods”, and “study materials”. Dentistry students completed the questionnaire in the winter semester of 2023/24. The questionnaire’s validity was assessed using factor analysis, reliability testing (Cronbach’s Alpha, KR-20), and item discrimination. Results 129 dental students participated (74% female). Many respondents (approx. 90%) were in higher semesters (6–10 semesters) and stated that they had not yet had any contact with ultrasound diagnostics (75%) and had not performed an ultrasound examination as yet (97%). The overall demand for ultrasound training was high (5.8 ± 1.3), particularly for the mandibular joint (6.3 ± 1.1), parotid gland (6.2 ± 1.0), submandibular gland, sublingual gland (6.1 ± 1.1), and floor of the mouth and tongue (5.9 ± 1.4) topics. Concerning the teaching methods and teaching materials, “practical training on a proband” (82%), and the use of “teaching scripts” (85%), “video instructions” (74%), “digital pathological experts” (66%), “e-learning” (62%), and “blended learning” (52%) were most desired. The questionnaire demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha 0.93–0.95), strong factor structure (84% and 64% variance explained), and effective item discrimination. Conclusion The data suggest a demand for undergraduate ultrasound training in dentistry. A practice-oriented, digitally supported training should be developed and implemented.