How can Cadaver‐Based Oral Surgery Training Facilitate Dental Student Learning of Exodontia? A Qualitative Study
Amanda You Xing Shi, Eric Ly, Christine Ha, Delyse Leadbeatter, Michael HornbyABSTRACT
Background
Exodontia is a core competency for dental graduates, yet tools like mannequins and virtual reality struggle to reproduce the tactile and invasive nature of Oral Surgery . The objective was to investigate how cadaver‐based exodontia training shapes learning by identifying critical incidents and developing a theoretical model of the learning process.
Method
Students enrolled in a graduate‐entry Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) program participated in an exodontia training class where they extracted a minimum of two teeth from human cadavers. The cadavers were preserved using a formaldehyde‐based method. Four students worked on one cadaver. Online reflective questionnaires and focus groups were conducted with volunteer students. The critical incident technique (CIT) was used to inform data gathering and constructivist grounded theory was used to generate a theoretical model of cadaver‐based exodontia training from the students' experiences. Five focus groups ( n = 14) and 18 questionnaires were analysed to theoretical saturation.
Results
Analysis revealed three interrelated themes. Experiential learning involved repeated hands‐on practise, exposure to authentic anatomical variation, and problem‐solving during complications, which strengthened technical skills and clinical reasoning. Learning environment: the low‐pressure setting that was created by the educators, the structured preparation, and constructive feedback from educators and peers supported the students. Limits and constraints encompassed factors that reduced authenticity and practise opportunities, including cadaver variability, absence of patient features, ergonomic challenges, and limited resources.
Conclusion
The theoretical model illustrates how experiential learning and the learning environment interact to build students' confidence, skill, and clinical readiness while acknowledging logistical and contextual limitations. These findings provide educators with a model to consider how cadaver‐based training could facilitate Oral Surgery education within the dental curriculum.