Perceptual Ability and dental school?

[aznnytezx]

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For those that are in dental school. Do you see how important is perceptual ability? I am struggling on perceptual ability, and I noticed that I may not be as great at it. Will it just naturally come by after several practices? Or should I just change my profession?

 

[Toothshucker]

I understand how and why they came up with the PAT. But like most standardized exams, I'm not sure if there is a significant correlation to any type of success in dental school.

 

[cbizzle7994]

I got a 16 first time taking the DAT in perceptual ability, and not much better 2nd time and I'm doing fine in dental school

 

[yappy]

If it did matter it would seem that the only score that would be an indicator is the first score someone received on a diagnostic prior to learning all the tricks and how to beat the "game". It seems like most people drill on the PAT so much that they're no longer using raw spatial reasoning; instead, they're just mastering some test taking strategies specific to the questions that are asked on the PAT.

 

[Toothshucker]

if it did matter it would seem that the only score that would be an indicator is the first score someone received on a diagnostic prior to learning all the tricks and how to beat the "game". It seems like most people drill on the pat so much that they're no longer using raw spatial reasoning; instead, they're just mastering some test taking strategies specific to the questions that are asked on the pat.

+1

 

[jeffity]

I agree. It's lame. It's not really testing 3-D. Back in the day there was chalk, just like Canada. They did away with that and we ended up with what we have today. This article sort of discusses how the current test sucks and why and talks about their research where they used more modern tests that could correlate with preclinical abilities.

http://www.geog.ucsb.edu/~montello/pubs/dentist.pdf

 

[txaggie03]

You also have to realize that 3D manipulation of preparing a tooth is only one small piece of the many slices of Dental Pie.

 

[goffdent]

The PAT and it's component principles are crucial for dentistry. for example, being able to interpret a radiograph, understanding 3-D objects on a 2-D image, angle ranking when adjusting surgical guides for implant placement, Overall, understanding symmetry and spatial reasoning. Hole punching.. well that doesn't really have anything to do with dentistry, just your ability to mentally manipulate something. Some people have the "eye", others don't.. but they can acquire it with time usually. Seeing and manipulating line angles for example..