Abstract:

Doctor of Dental Medicine is an exceptionally demanding academic program that requires a high level of concentration, a pair of clinically trained eyes and a set of skillful hands. Psychomotor skill is an essential pre-requisite to succeed in the profession. Students may struggle with the dentistry curriculum if they do not have the fine motor skills required for the program. This study sought to determine the level of manual dexterity skills of students who were interested in pursuing the dentistry program.

Three examination methods were used:
1) Navigate the Labyrinth
2) Carve yourself a Merry Christmas Tree
3) Play with Clay.

Nineteen senior high school students in a private university in Manila, Philippines were the respondents of the study. Results showed that among the three tests given, the students had higher scores on the Play with Clay test with an average score of 77.95%. They were able to replicate the model of an elephant made up of clay shown to them that assessed their strength, endurance and prowess in handling delicate objects. They scored lowest in Carve yourself a Merry Little Christmas Tree test which tested their strength, endurance, the level of their psychomotor skills, precision and their ability to replicate the model in excellent details. The level of manual dexterity of the senior high school students is in the developing stage, which barely meets the expectations of the college. Intervention program should be developed to freshmen students to improve on the level of their manual dexterity skills.

Keywords:

Dexterity Exam, Carving skills, Drawing Skills, Dentistry, Dentistry Competencies, Doctor of Dental Medicine, Manual Dexterity, fine motor skills, psychomotor.