MODERN ASPECTS OF THE PRACTICAL TRAINING OF FUTURE DENTISTS

Abstract. An important and one of the main directions in the field of higher medical education is the necessity of significant strengthening of the practical aspect of training of future doctors and saving the appropriate level of theoretical knowledge. 
The purpose of the study was the studying of the attitude of education seekers when mastering of practical skills at the Department of Children's Therapeutic Dentistry with the use of simulation technologies. A survey was conducted among 137 students of the 4th-5th year of the Stomatological Faculty of the Poltava State Medical University (PDMU). The questionnaire included ten questions, the answers took the subjective feelings of the students into account on this question, that is: effects positively/ yes (%), effects negatively/ no (%), does not affect (%), difficult to answer (%). 
At the department of pediatric therapeutic dentistry, an interactive method of teaching propaedeutics of pediatric therapeutic dentistry, prevention of dental diseases is widely used, and practical skills are improved by students of 4-5 courses in a simulation class with the use of phantoms, mannequins and virtual simulators, which makes it possible to improve the quality of training of students with second to fifth courses. The phantom (simulation) classroom is equipped with 14 workplaces for students. 
According to the results of the conducted anonymous questionnaire, 95.62% of the respondents had a positive attitude to conducting practical classes in the phantom class and 93.43% consider, that it is necessary to organize simulation classes in medical higher education institutions at the departments with the dental profile. 2.92% and 5.11% of respondents find it difficult to answer these questions, but none of the students find a negative impact on the educational process of the presence of simulation classes at the departments. 
Teaches and students consider, that advantages of simulation studying are repeated attempts when mastering a certain practical manipulation. During the questionnaire, 97.08% to 99.3% of students answered positively these questions. From 0.7% to 2,92% of students did not make repeated attempts when mastering dental manipulations. 81,75% of the respondents answered that the practical skills acquired in the simulation class, it has a positive effect on further education at dental departments and when receiving patients. 5,84% answered that it has no effect at all, 1,46% has a negative effect, and 10,95% of students could not answer. 
The application of the modern technologies of simulation training in medical institutions of higher education, especially at dental departments, contributes to the improvement of the quality of the educational process and allows you to master the practical skills necessary for further work. The education seekers positively evaluated the practical skills acquired in the simulation class, which have a positive effect on further education at dental departments and when receiving patients, and considered it necessary to use simulation classes, which allow not only to learn and practice practical manipulations, but also form clinical thinking in future dentists.