Instructional Innovation Seed Grant Award - $7,500
Instructional Innovation Seed Grant awarded to Mary Anne Melo, DDS, MS, PhD (School of Dentistry)
Implementing Clinically Relevant Dental Bonding Teaching Techniques and Assessment in Preclinical Dental Training
This project introduces an innovative approach to dental education, focusing on the critical dental bonding process for tooth-colored fillings (resin composite restorations). By transitioning from plastic teeth to sterilized human tooth samples and integrating a customized bond strength tester to assess the bond strength obtained by the students, Dr. Melo and her team aim to provide dental students with a more realistic, preclinical, hands-on learning experience before providing care to patients. This approach will significantly enhance the understanding and skill level in dental bonding procedures, ultimately impacting the longevity of tooth-colored fillings they place in patients.