Correlation Between the Two Manual and Cavity Preparation Skills

Background: Acquiring fine psychomotor skills is challenging for dental students. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the correlation of cavity preparation skills with drawing skills and handwriting of dental students. Methods: Ninety-two male and female dental students taking the preclinical course of restorative dentistry in Shahid Beheshti dental school participated in three tests of handwriting, drawing a smile and an amalgam class (CL) I cavity preparation and were scored using a specific scoring system. The correlation among the three skills was assessed using multivariate linear regression. Results: Most dental students had cavity preparation, handwriting and drawing skills above the average. A significant correlation was found between drawing and tooth preparation skills (P < ۰.۰۵). Conclusions: A statistically significant difference existed between drawing and cavity preparation skills in students; however, this correlation was not clinically considerable.