Effectiveness of using concept mapping by dental students in the radiographic interpretation of jaw diseases

Abstract

AbstractObjectivesInterpretation of dental radiographs is a difficult process, particularly for inexperienced students. This study introduced concept mapping for dental students to help in the radiographic interpretation of common jaw lesions. We aimed to analyze the efficacy of the concept map (CM) in radiographic interpretation, with a discussion of the diagnostic reasoning dilemma.MethodsThis study included 39 dental students. After a 1‐h class for CM guidance and based on three group discussions and one‐on‐one feedback, the students completed and submitted CMs for three jaw diseases (ameloblastoma, odontogenic keratocyst, and simple bone cyst). All participants underwent a pretest and posttest of knowledge and diagnosis; all students but one completed an open‐ended questionnaire regarding the use of CMs.ResultsConcept mapping effectively improved diagnostic accuracy. The participants’ posttest scores were better than their pretest scores in both knowledge and diagnostic tests. Most of the students attempted radiographic interpretation through analytic reasoning. The time required for the students to draw a CM varied from student to student from 3–5 h to 1–3 days.ConclusionThis study shows that CMs can improve the radiographic diagnostic ability of dental students by providing a framework for analytic reasoning. Continuous research is warranted to improve the effectiveness of CM in oral radiographic interpretation in the dental student's class.