Ability assessment of the craniofacial structures radiological anatomy on panoramic radiography among dental student during pandemic of COVID-19. Ability assessment on OPG among dental student during pandemic of COVID-19

Orthopantomography (OPG) is a routine imaging method in dental practice and an essential di- agnostic tool in dentistry. However, OPGs are challenging to interpret due to many overlapping structures. Graduates of dental schools should be aware of image distortions caused by various factors and be able to distinguish them from typical structures to make an accurate diagnosis. The aim was to determine the correlation between the knowledge regarding the location of craniofacial structures of the 1st through 3rd- year dental students and the ability to recognized them on OPGs. The study was conducted in 2021 on 131 dental students using the Microsoft Teams program. Each participant had to determine the location of 4 anthropometric points on 4 OPGs. Using proprietary software, the authors determined the Articular angle between them. The researchers performed the statistical analysis. The Bioethics Committee approved the research. The results of students from particular years of studies did not show statistical significance. There was no statistically significant difference between males and females. Only the answers from third-year male students regarding the one Articular angle showed statistically significant differences compared to the rest of the participants. Recognizing joint structures on OPG is very important from the clinical point of view, although it is often overlooked in diagnostics. Students in the first years of dental school acquire the ability to assess and analyze TMJ on OPGs properly. OPGs have many advantages, including high availability, low cost and low radiation dose. In conclusion we can say that in the first three years of studies, dental students' image assessment skills in the craniofacial radiology field remain the same.