Identification of primary teeth by 'MICAP'-a new tooth notation system

Background: Various tooth notations are taught and demonstrated to students in undergraduate dental programme. Aim: to identify the primary teeth using a new notation 'MICAP' (M-molar, I-incisor, Ccanine, P - premolar) as dental charting tool. Subjects & methods: A mock dental charting based on MICAP format was developed. Undergraduate dental students (N = 176) divided into Group A [(pre clinical) n = 85] and Group B [(clinical) n = 91], identified & notified five randomly selected primary teeth after MICAP demonstration by video and lecture. Pearson chi square test was used to analyse the data. Results: Approximately >= 80% students correctly notified the teeth in MICAP format. Group B, comparing to A, had a better association to recognize #(2)dM [X-2, 95%CI: 11.82, 0.278 (0.131, 0.591), p = 0.001] as mandibular deciduous right 2nd molar and write correctly 'Maxillary deciduous left 2nd molar' [X-2, 95% CI: 16.98, 0.186 (0.79, 0.437), p = <0.001] into MICAP format [#dM(2)]. In addition, group B had more association (X-2: 18.8, P = 0.001) on the response 'MICAP could be adopted in dental charting '. Conclusion: Primary teeth could be identified by new notation (MICAP) format by undergraduate dental students. However, study module in dental curriculum and further more data are required before it may serve an alternate method of dental charting. Copyright (C) 2015 The Japanese Society of Pediatric Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.