The use of videotape in the treatment planning seminar

Despite the drawbacks, the student evaluation of the seminar approach was positive. This reinforced the faculty's view that the seminar is a unique, interactive learning experience. The seminar provides a forum for faculty and students to integrate the various treatment planning and case management skills taught in oral diagnosis and radiology. Students must focus on the treatment plan for the "whole" patient without regard for divisional bias. Although some students criticized the seminar experience as too stressful, others believed that a certain level of stress actually aided the learning process. The faculty plans to identify the sources of this stress and eliminate them whenever possible. One guess is that most of the stress results from the students striving to do well for their peers and the attending faculty; this will be difficult to eliminate. The use of videotape as a medium for displaying the patient interview and intraoral conditions has been proven and is well supported by student evaluation. The use of live cases for the seminars adds reality to the treatment planning process and was also strongly supported by student evaluation.