Aim of the study: This study was conducted to assess the ability of sixth year dental students at Umm Al- Qura University (UQU dent) to provide an appropriate design suitable for various cases of removable partial denture.
Materials and Methods: Designs of six partially edentulous cases (three maxillary and three mandibular) were drawn by two hundred forty eight of sixth year UQU dental students. All participants were provided with prepared RPD design sheets and allowed to draw the design. The design components were also written in the space provided in the table of the design sheet. This study was conducted over four consecutive years from 2018 to 2021. The maxillary study cases were: Kennedy Class III, Kennedy Class III modification 1 and Kennedy Class I modification 1. While the mandibular study cases were: Kennedy Class I and two cases of Kennedy Class I modification 1.
Results: The excellent and good scores of RPD designs for the UQU sixth-year dental students were higher than the satisfactory and unsatisfactory scores. The excellent score was gradually increased in successive academic years from 2018 to 2021.
Conclusion: Most of the dental students at Umm Al-Qura University were able to provide the appropriate design for the various cases of removable partial dentures. This reflects the students' understanding of the basic principles of RPD design and thus is an evidence to the quality of the removable prosthodontics course.