Purpose: To reduce intraoral radiographic errors in undergraduate clinical discipline.
Materials and methods: We evaluated a total of 2, 434 intraoral radiographs taken by 50 students, during undergraduate clinical discipline in 1998, with the bisecting technique at each practice stage.
Results:
1. The frequency of errors significantly decreased as the practice stage progressed.
2. Errors were most frequent in the area of the canines and premolars, followed by the molars, and least frequent in the incisors.
3. The most frequent cause of error was incorrect film placement, followed by vertical overangulation and cone cutting.
Conclusions:
1. Repeated patient practice with student participation in diagnosis and treatment was considered effective for the clinical discipline of intraoral radiography.
2. In the teaching of intraoral radiographic practice, it is important to provide the student with a sufficient understanding of the morphology of oral structures.
3. It is necessary to instruct the students sufficiently in correct patient placement, film placement and cone placement.
