Comparative Evaluation of Preclinical Students' Tooth Preparations With Different Methods

PURPOSE: The aim of the present study was to compare the reliability and outcomes of traditional and digital assessment methods for preclinical dental students' tooth preparations at the beginning and end of the semester. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-two second-year preclinical dental students were included in the present study (n = 42). Tooth preparations were assessed both at the beginning and end of the semester using a CAD/CAM-based digital system and traditional assessment method. Evaluation criteria included the presence of undercuts, finishing line quality, axial walls' smoothness and taper. Intragroup comparisons were conducted using paired-sample t-tests. The level of agreement between the two methods was determined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Significance was assessed at the p < 0.05 level. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were identified between traditional and digital assessment methods at either evaluation time (p > 0.05). Although the digital method showed no statistically significant changes over time, scores of the traditional assessment method were significantly higher at the beginning of the semester than at the end (p < 0.05). The agreement between the two methods was moderate, with ICC values of 0.602 (95% CI: 0.259-0.786) at the beginning of the semester and 0.531 (95% CI: 0.127-0.748) at the end of the semester. CONCLUSION: The agreement between traditional and digital assessment methods was moderate. Although digital systems provide objective and standardized evaluations of geometric parameters, they should serve as complementary tools rather than complete replacements for individualized faculty feedback.