Dental students consistency in applying the ICDAS system within paediatric dentistry

AIM: To examine dental students' consistency in utilising the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) one and three months after training.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study.

METHODS: All clinical dental students (Year Two: BDS2; Year Three: BDS3; Year Four: BDS4) as part of their education in Paediatric Dentistry at Aberdeen Dental School (n = 56) received baseline training by two "gold-standard" examiners and were advised to complete the 90-minute ICDAS e-learning program. Study One: One month later, the occlusal surface of 40 extracted primary and permanent molar teeth were examined and assigned both a caries (0-6 scale) and restorative code (0-9 scale). Study Two: The same teeth were examined three months later.

STATISTICS: Kappa statistics were used to determine inter- and intra-examiner reliability at baseline and after three months.

RESULTS: In total, 31 students (BDS2: n = 9; BDS3: n = 8; BDS4: n = 14) completed both examinations. The inter-examiner reliability kappa scores for restoration codes for Study One and Study Two were: BDS2: 0.47 and 0.38; BDS3: 0.61 and 0.52 and BDS4: 0.56 and 0.52. The caries scores for the two studies were: BDS2: 0.31 and 0.20; BDS3: 0.45 and 0.32 and BDS4: 0.35 and 0.34. The intra-examiner reliability range for restoration codes were: BDS2: 0.20 to 0.55; BDS3: 0.34 to 0.72 and BDS4: 0.28 to 0.80. The intra-examiner reliability range for caries codes were: BDS2: 0.35 to 0.62; BDS3: 0.22 to 0.53 and BDS4: 0.22 to 0.65.

CONCLUSION: The consistency of ICDAS codes varied between students and also, between year groups. In general, consistency was greater for restoration codes.