Knowledge and Attitudes of Undergraduate Dental Students Toward Conventional and Digital Workflows in Maxillofacial Prosthetics: A Cross-Sectional Survey
TL;DR
Although dental students demonstrate positive attitudes toward digital technologies in maxillofacial prosthetics, gaps remain between theoretical awareness and practical knowledge, integrating structured digital workflow training into undergraduate dental curricula may help improve clinical competence and better prepare future clinicians for digitally driven maxillofacial rehabilitation.
Abstract
Background: Digital technologies are increasingly transforming the field of maxillofacial prosthetics; however, the extent to which undergraduate dental education has adapted to these developments remains unclear. Evaluating dental students’ knowledge and attitudes toward conventional and digital workflows is essential for identifying potential educational gaps.Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 201 undergraduate dental students (99 fourth-year and 102 fifth-year) receiving clinical prosthodontic training. Data were collected using a 24-item structured questionnaire distributed online. Knowledge and attitudes were assessed using a 12-item Likert-type scale. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and comparisons between groups were performed using the Mann–Whitney U test and Chi-square test, where appropriate (α = 0.05).Results: Fourth-year students demonstrated significantly higher total knowledge and attitude scores than fifth-year students (p = 0.012). They also reported greater clinical exposure to maxillofacial cases and higher involvement in impression procedures (p = 0.018 and p = 0.036). Conversely, fifth-year students showed significantly higher self-reported knowledge regarding the operating principles of digital scanners (p = 0.002). Fourth-year students expressed stronger confidence in the accuracy and time-saving advantages of digital technologies (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001). Despite positive attitudes toward digitalization, awareness of specialized digital software such as craniofacial CAD and digital imaging platforms remained low among both groups.Conclusions: Although dental students demonstrate positive attitudes toward digital technologies in maxillofacial prosthetics, gaps remain between theoretical awareness and practical knowledge. Integrating structured digital workflow training into undergraduate dental curricula may help improve clinical competence and better prepare future clinicians for digitally driven maxillofacial rehabilitation.Keywords: Maxillofacial prosthetics, digital dentistry, dental education, dental students, digital workflow