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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Dent. Med
Sec. Reconstructive Dentistry
Volume 5 - 2024 |
doi: 10.3389/fdmed.2024.1466393
This article is part of the Research Topic Prospects of 3D Printing in Fabricating Future Generations of Dental Prostheses View all articles
Evaluating knowledge and awareness of 3D design and printing among dental students in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study
Provisionally accepted- 1 Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry at Al Zulfi, Majmaah University, Al Zulfi, Saudi Arabia
- 2 Dental Public Health and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, University of Ha’il, Ha’il, Saudi Arabia
- 3 Department of Periodontics and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- 4 College of Dentistry, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah, Saudi Arabia
- 5 Faculty of Dentistry, Alazhar University - Gaza, Gaza Strip, Palestine, Gaza, Palestine
Introduction: As 3D design and printing technology gains popularity, there remains limited evidence on dental students' perceptions in Saudi Arabia regarding its use. This study aims to assess the knowledge and awareness of dental students in Saudi Arabia about 3D design and printing technology. A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among dental students in their third, fourth, and fifth years at multiple universities in Saudi Arabia between February and October 2023. A validated self-administered questionnaire with 15 close-ended items, including demographic and knowledge-related questions about 3D design and printing, was used. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square and Fisher exact tests to identify factors associated with knowledge and awareness levels. Results: A total of 374 dental students participated in the study, with 63.1% being female students. Of the participants, 40.4% identified the cost of equipment as the primary barrier to 3D printing usage in dentistry in Saudi Arabia. The majority (94.4%) recognized the advantages of 3D models for implant placement. Awareness of 3D printing utilization in the field was reported by 69.3% of participants, and 74.3% acknowledged its increasing popularity. Furthermore, 73.8% of participants expressed confidence in the biocompatibility and safety of 3D printed materials. A significant percentage (64.0%) were aware of 3D printing's role in creating Invisalign aligners, and 42.4% believed in the value of 3D printed drill guides for root canal treatment. The study found statistically significant regional differences (P< 0.05) across all questions. Participants primarily relied on colleges (64.8%) as their source of information, and a high proportion (82.4%) expressed interest in further exploring the usage of 3D printing in dentistry. Our study found that students' knowledge and awareness in Saudi Arabia are generally satisfactory. Integrating 3D printing into dental curricula and providing workshops is crucial to meet dental students' interest in exploring its usage and equipping them for its future implementation.
Keywords: three-dimensional printing, 3D design, knowledge, Dental students, Saudi Arabia
Received: 17 Jul 2024; Accepted: 08 Nov 2024.
Copyright: © 2024 ALAMRI, Alshammari, Bin Rahmah, Alsaif, Almutairi, Alolaywi, Altariqi, Alotaibi, Almutairi, Almadhoon and AlMoharib. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Hani AlMoharib, Department of Periodontics and Community Dentistry, College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, 11451, Saudi Arabia
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