A comparative analysis on the perceptions of Chinese dentists and dental students towards the practical course of stabilization occlusal splint fabrication

BACKGROUND: To investigate the mastery degree, study challenges, and teaching needs of dental professionals at different levels in practical courses on the fabrication of stabilization occlusal splints, aiming to continuously improve teaching quality. METHODS: A total of 64 undergraduate dental students and 41 clinical dentists were enrolled as participants. In the stabilization splint fabrication course, theoretical​ teaching and practical training were conducted by the same faculty team. After all the participants fabricated qualified occlusal splints, post-course questionnaires were administered to analyze mastery degree in theory and practical training, course challenges and difficulty ratings, self-rated splint comfort, prioritization of critical procedures, and preferred instructional modalities. RESULTS: The clinician group demonstrated higher scores than the student group in mastery degree in theory (P = 0.001) and practical training (P < 0.001). Although both groups ranked the challenges similarly, the student group reported more difficulty in foundational steps such as “resin laying, framework fabrication, and occlusal surface shaping” compared to the dentist group (P = 0.012).The clinician group rated the comfort level of the splints as the “comfortable” significantly more than the student group (P < 0.001).Regarding critical procedures, the clinician group emphasized foundational occlusal knowledge, while the student group prioritized meticulous adjustment (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Future practical courses should adopt a tiered training framework to meet the distinct needs of students and clinicians, thereby enhancing educational efficiency and outcomes.