Teaching Occlusal Splints in the Digital Age: Comparing Student Experiences with Conventional and CAD/CAM Workflows

The teaching of occlusal splint therapy in dental education is evolving with the integration of digital workflows. Although digital tools offer operational advantages, conventional methods remain pedagogically relevant. Understanding students' perceptions of both approaches is essential for guiding curriculum innovation. To evaluate undergraduate dental students' perceptions of conventional and digital workflows in occlusal splint fabrication and analyze the perceived educational benefits and limitations of each method. This mixed-methods study included 24 undergraduate dental students who fabricated occlusal splints using both workflows. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Bland-Altman plots, and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) to assess agreement on ease of fabrication, satisfaction with outcomes, and likelihood of recommendation. Qualitative responses underwent lexical analysis and were visualized using word clouds. The digital workflow received higher scores for ease of fabrication (mean: 9.0 ± 0.9) versus the conventional method (mean: 4.0 ± 1.1), with a significant mean difference evident in the Bland-Altman plot. Satisfaction with results was comparable between workflows (digital: 9.0 ± 0.7; conventional: 8.6 ± 0.8; ICC = -0.416). Recommendation scores favored the digital workflow (digital: 9.6 ± 0.6; conventional: 6.0 ± 1.2; ICC = 0.62). Qualitative analysis associated digital workflows with "fast" and "efficient," and conventional techniques with "learning" and "understanding." Digital workflows enhance efficiency and are well-received by students, while conventional methods support critical technical development. A blended instructional model is recommended to optimize clinical education in the digital era.