THE COMFORT AND COST EFFECTIVENESS OF INTRAORAL SCANNING FOR DENTAL EDUCATION AT A PUBLIC UNIVERSITY: A CASE STUDY

The use of intraoral scanners in undergraduate dental education is gaining recognition, but there is still a gap in its utilization at this level. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of incorporating intraoral scanning into undergraduate dental education at a public university. Questionnaires were distributed to dental faculty, students, and patients, with a total of 25 patient respondents, 27 student respondents, and 11 faculty respondents. Statistical analysis revealed a preference for scanning among patients in various variables such as overall procedure, size of the mouth mold, occlusal registration, clinical time, taste, and nausea. The majority of students (85%) had to repeat the impression, and only 19 students felt partially comfortable performing it. Faculty members, on the other hand, believed that students completed the procedure adequately, although they had to intervene in the impression process. In terms of university costs, scanning was found to be less costly due to the reduced number of repeated procedures. The project's innovation lies in its ability to compare costs, comfort levels, and clinical time associated with scanning versus traditional methods, which can have a positive impact on multidisciplinary environments. Overall, the results indicated that scanning was preferred over conventional methods by patients, students, and faculty members. The study highlights the importance of incorporating new technologies into undergraduate dental education and emphasizes the benefits of using intraoral scanners. By integrating these technologies into the curriculum, students can gain valuable experience with cutting-edge tools, ultimately preparing them for the evolving field of dentistry.