Use of cadaveric materials in dental education and training: a scoping review

Aims Cadaver use in clinical education is well established. The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesise and describe the ways in which cadaveric material has been used in dental education and/or training, and any associated outcome measures or challenges. Understanding what is in the literature may provide insights into how skills development and experience with this resource can support delivery of treatment to patients.Methods Systematic searches of bibliographic databases Ovid MEDLINE, Scopus, ERIC, Web of Science and Embase were conducted. Screening was carried out based on eligibility criteria and a customised data charting form used.Results The electronic searches identified 775 studies, and after duplicates were removed, 372 studies were screened by title and abstract. Overall, 287 studies were found to be irrelevant to this review, 85 studies were sought for retrieval with 84 studies assessed for eligibility by full text, 40 studies were excluded, and 44 were included for data charting.Conclusions Cadaveric material is mainly reported in the literature for use in undergraduate anatomy teaching. It has also been used for local anaesthetic and exodontia teaching and some postgraduate skills development. No universal outcome measure has been used, but self-reported confidence is widely reported. There were limited publications reporting the translation of cadaveric learning to practical impact on surgical skill development and subsequent delivery of patient care.