Development of psychomotor skills in dentistry based on motor learning principles: A review

Abstract

Aim: This review aims to recapitulate the available literature for skill development, instruction, and evaluation of the dental and dental hygiene preclinical students. Background: The attainment of psychomotor skills is a crucial competence in dental education. The dental profession demands high precision and skill that require the development of cognition, distinctive abilities, and motivation, which influence motor performance. Practical instructions and knowledge for dental instrumentation necessitate the association of knowledge of motor skills with excellent motor skills attainment. Dental trainees need small, unequivocal steps that outline production. Preceding any task, the skill needed for the task should be projected precisely by the learner. Appropriate and detailed feedback from the trainer to the trainee contributes to learning and evolving. Review results: This review reveals that learning of dexterity accretion should ingress both the aspects of psychomotor skills, that is the motor performance and motor learning, to obtain data that can be used to support skill learning. Conclusion: To gain a better understanding of the accretion of cognitive content in operative dentistry, and differences in dental performance, more research should focus on factors such as the learning environment, including the type and sequence of learning activities. There is a critical need for staff development for the laboratory tutors who develop positive learning environment and provide students with effective feedback. Clinical significance: This review highlights the importance of preclinical exercises in dentistry and how it enhances the psychomotor skills of students making them better clinicians in future. Reforms are needed in dentistry for improvement in learning atmosphere, proper arrangement of learning activities, and staff development for the laboratory tutors.