Qualitative Analysis of Student Reflections on Preclinical Dental Implant Education

Dental implant education is required to prepare students for independent general practice. This investigation aimed to assess students’ perceptions of their educational experience and training in a preclinical dental implant introduction course, using reflective logs anonymously extracted from course portfolios. Methods: This study employed qualitative research methodology to analyze second-year dental students’ reflections on their educational and development of psychomotor skills in a preclinical course focusing on dental implants at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. These reflections served as the primary data source for qualitative analysis. The analysis was facilitated using NVivo software version 12 plus, which assisted in data coding and the organization of these codes into meaningful units, patterns, and themes. Results: Four themes emerged, which interrelated to each other and to the research question. Students reported positive course outcomes in dental implant learning, improvements in applying theoretical implant knowledge while developing practical skills, digitally scanning implant cases for the final restoration, and enhancement of their insight in evidence-based