Observational studyBMC medical education2025
Do dental students need sonography training? A prospective observational study.
Observational study in BMC medical education, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Ultrasound-based assessment of peri-implant mucosal thickness: an ex vivo comparative study with artificial intelligence-assisted image analysis.BMC oral health · 2026Article
- Bridging a curriculum gap: a structured model for integrating head and neck ultrasound training into undergraduate dental education.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Dental Practitioners' Knowledge and Attitude Towards Ultrasonography: A Cross-Sectional Study at a South African University.International journal of dentistry · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionSonography is a key diagnostic tool in oral and maxillofacial surgery and complements other imaging methods such as computer tomography or X-rays. While X-ray courses are integral to dentistry students' training, ultrasound diagnostics have not been integrated into undergraduate and postgraduate training. This study investigates whether there is a demand for undergraduate sonography training among dental students.
methodsAn online questionnaire was developed by a team of experts (dentistry, maxillofacial surgery, otorhinolaryngology, radiology, and didactics) based on the "Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys (Cherries)". Multiple items addressed several topics using dichotomous ("yes"/ "no"), free text, and 7-level Likert answering formats (1 = not at all; 7 = fully and entirely). These included "personal data", "previous experience", "demand for ultrasound diagnostics in an undergraduate degree program", "desired topics of ultrasound training", "teaching methods", and "study materials". Dentistry students completed the questionnaire in the winter semester of 2023/24. The questionnaire's validity was assessed using factor analysis, reliability testing (Cronbach's Alpha, KR-20), and item discrimination.
results129 dental students participated (74% female). Many respondents (approx. 90%) were in higher semesters (6-10 semesters) and stated that they had not yet had any contact with ultrasound diagnostics (75%) and had not performed an ultrasound examination as yet (97%). The overall demand for ultrasound training was high (5.8 ± 1.3), particularly for the mandibular joint (6.3 ± 1.1), parotid gland (6.2 ± 1.0), submandibular gland, sublingual gland (6.1 ± 1.1), and floor of the mouth and tongue (5.9 ± 1.4) topics. Concerning the teaching methods and teaching materials, "practical training on a proband" (82%), and the use of "teaching scripts" (85%), "video instructions" (74%), "digital pathological experts" (66%), "e-learning" (62%), and "blended learning" (52%) were most desired. The questionnaire demonstrated high reliability (Cronbach's Alpha 0.93-0.95), strong factor structure (84% and 64% variance explained), and effective item discrimination.
conclusionThe data suggest a demand for undergraduate ultrasound training in dentistry. A practice-oriented, digitally supported training should be developed and implemented. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
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