Panoramic images are one of the most important diagnostic tools in Dentistry and are used to evaluate the whole dentition and surrounding hard and soft tissues of the head and neck. Previous surveys have shown that film fault (or error) rate is between 70-99%, however these surveys were based on Panoramic Film Images with many processing errors and did not include a Quality Assessment (QA) rating of the images. Few articles have examined the effect of film faults on misdiagnosis of the patient but it is known that the Palato-glossal air space affects the reading of the maxillary dentition
Method:
This study of digital panoramic images taken by dental students in Radiology patient clinics was used as an on-line formative learning exercise by DMD 2, DMD 3 and BDent 4 students. The exercise included ten Digital Panoramic Radiographs with multiple choice questions. The aim of the study was to analyse the ability of each cohort of students to accurately recognise the QA of each Digital Panoramic image; to identify the two most significant film faults that may hinder diagnosis and to identify any significant anatomical or pathological abnormality present. A previous pilot study of staff dentists using the same images was compared
Result:
Palato-glossal airspace was recognised by students to be one of the most significant errors. Students who had most recently attended lectures on Panoramic Imaging performed better than staff dentists on the recognition of the most significant film faults and recognition of pathology in the maxilla and neck regions
Conclusion:
The DentoMaxilloFacial Radiology instruction, using a combination of lectures, e-Learning and clinical teaching sessions improves the diagnostic capabilities of junior dental students and highlights the importance of continuing education for all dentists