Procedural Alignment and Adaptation among Left-handed Dental Students in a Private Institution in Iloilo: A Mixed-methods Inquiry

Background: Dental education requires precise psychomotor skills, appropriate instrument handling and effective clinical positioning. However, left-handed dental students often encounter challenges in predominantly right-handed instructional and clinical environments. Understanding procedural alignment and the strategies these students use to adapt is important for identifying barriers to their clinical learning experiences. Aims: To determine the level of procedural alignment and adaptation among left-handed dental students and examine the relationship between procedural alignment and cognitive, physical, experiential, and overall adaptation. Study Design: Explanatory sequential mixed-methods study. Place and Duration of Study: College of Dentistry of a private dental institution in Iloilo City, Philippines, during the second semester of Academic Year 2025–2026. Methodology: The quantitative phase included 34 left-handed dental students from the third to sixth year, selected through complete enumeration. A researcher-made questionnaire measured procedural alignment and adaptation using a five-point Likert scale. Ten participants were purposively selected for semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation were used for quantitative analysis, while interview data were analysed thematically. The findings were integrated through a joint display. Results: Procedural alignment was moderate (M = 2.97, SD = 0.68). Adaptation was high overall (M = 4.02, SD = 0.42), including cognitive (M = 3.79, SD = 0.47), physical (M = 4.10, SD = 0.49), and experiential adaptation (M = 4.18, SD = 0.46). No statistically significant relationship was found between procedural alignment and cognitive (r = .19, P = .29), physical (r = .32, P = .07), experiential (r = .25, P = .15), or overall adaptation (r = .29, P = .10). Interview findings described difficulties with right-handed demonstrations, equipment placement, positioning, and instrument handling. Students reported using mental visualisation, posture and equipment adjustments, repeated practice, peer learning, and individualised techniques. Conclusion: Left-handed dental students reported moderate procedural alignment but high adaptation. Their adaptation appeared to involve personal strategies and continued practice, and was not significantly associated with procedural alignment alone. Inclusive demonstrations, flexible clinical arrangements, and accessible equipment may support their learning.