European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Abstract

Background: The inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) is the most frequent regional anaesthesia technique used in dental procedures and has been reported to have the highest failure rates among dental undergraduates, interns and even, dental professionals. Hence, local anaesthesia has been formally taught in worldwide dental curriculum since the 1940s. This was when lignocaine was introduced as the safest anaesthesia medium for dental anaesthesia. Otherwise, dental anaesthesia was performed by Horace Wells in 1920s using cocaine. Purpose. This study is mainly aimed to examine the difference between Year 1 and Year 3 dental undergraduates towards perceived attributes of innovation diffusion theory and intention to use a Novel Local Anaesthesia Simulator Kit (LASK) in competently performing inferior alveolar nerve block in pre-clinical simulation. Methodology. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using questionnaire; and distributed to dental undergraduates. A total of 150 questionnaires were valid for data analysis. Results. The findings revealed that the perceived attributes of relative advantage, compatibility, observability and trialability were statistically different for both groups of students. However, results indicate that complexity construct for both non-clinical and pre-clinical groups of students were not statistically significant difference. Conclusion. The findings of this study will contribute to specific educational significance in the dental curriculum, especially in assessment of dental undergraduates’ clinical competence dental undergraduates at a more microscopic level.