|
|
| |
| Left - Handed Dental Students in a Right - Handed Teaching-Learning Environment |
Arthur T. Magboo, MD, DMD, MHPEd, FPSO-HNS, PhD
|
Abstract:
Left - handedness is about 8 - 15% of the world population; it is more common among males than females. There are substantial studies on left-handed dentistry students as this profession requires manual skills or dexterity. However, there is no locally published study yet regarding how left - handed dental students learn in an environment where all the equipment and clinical instructors are for the right - handlers. This study aimed to determine how senior left-handed dental students learn how to execute different dental procedures like oral prophylaxis, cavity preparation and filling, and extraction. It also determined how left-handed dental students perceived themselves as clinicians; described the teaching-learning processes that senior left - handed dental students experienced; identified the different problems encountered in executing these dental procedures and explored the strategies teachers employed in teaching different procedures. This is a descriptive, qualitative research conducted among left - handed dental students in a private dental school in Metro Manila, Philippines. Actual observation of respondents performing at the out-patient department was done. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions with selected respondents were done. Participants were chosen thru purposive sampling. Data were analyzed according to Colaizzi's process for phenomenological study. The teaching-learning interactions and skills acquisition were described following the taxonomy of psychomotor domain of learning by Simpson. Findings showed that left - handed dental students were not bothered about their situation. They used various techniques to develop the competencies namely hand switching, finger resting, constant practice, demonstration, and utilization of media platforms. Difficulties and struggles included positioning in relation to patient, visualization of all lingual aspects of upper and lower teeth, carving of amalgam and having right - handed clinical instructors. In general, clinicians performed the selected clinical procedures at the adaptation level. The lack of awareness of the clinical instructors was a major hurdle for the left - handed students in their efforts to perform the different dental procedures. It is recommended that dental schools also provide the necessary instruments and equipment designed for left - handed dental students. This study can teach the left - handed dental students, teachers, administrators, dental education, researchers, traders, and manufacturers how else to improve dental education.
|
|
|
| | |