Table 2 Fuzzy Delphi findings on topics and their competency levels for dental materials science
No | Topic | Average Likert score | Threshold value d ≤ 0.2 | Expert’s Agreement (%) | Average fuzzy number | Ranking | Verdict | Bloom’s Cognitive Level | Simpson’s Psychomotor Level | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mean score | Corresponding level | Mean score | Corresponding level | ||||||||
1 | Introduction to clinical and laboratory dental materials | 4.69 | 0.136 | 75 | 0.739 | 14 | Accept | 3.03 | Apply | 3.24 | Guided response |
2 | Physical and mechanical properties of dental materials | 4.73 | 0.122 | 75 | 0.745 | 12 | Accept | 3.42 | Apply | 3.40 | Guided response |
3 | Biological properties of dental materials and their biocompatibility | 4.79 | 0.101 | 79 | 0.758 | 9 | Accept | 3.63 | Apply | 3.52 | Guided response |
4 | Introduction to metals and alloys: concept, structures, and properties | 4.47 | 0.173 | 95 | 0.694 | 20 | Accept | 2.95 | Understand | 2.85 | Set |
5 | Equilibrium phases of alloys | 3.92 | 0.146 | 85 | 0.597 | 32 | Accept | 2.52 | Understand | 2.65 | Set |
6 | Cast dental alloys | 4.16 | 0.169 | 82 | 0.668 | 27 | Accept | 2.79 | Understand | 2.85 | Set |
7 | Steel and wrought alloys | 4.03 | 0.157 | 82 | 0.613 | 30 | Accept | 2.76 | Understand | 2.92 | Set |
8 | Soldering and brazing | 3.76 | 0.169 | 76 | 0.552 | 35 | Accept | 2.55 | Understand | 2.81 | Set |
9 | Metal and alloys for orthodontics | 4.02 | 0.178 | 80 | 0.732 | 15 | Accept | 2.84 | Understand | 2.97 | Set |
10 | Tarnish and corrosion | 4.35 | 0.172 | 92 | 0.671 | 26 | Accept | 3.03 | Apply | 2.97 | Set |
11 | Direct gold filling | 3.63 | 0.245 | 69 | 0.526 | 36 | Reject | 2.82 | Understand | 2.85 | Set |
12 | Dental amalgam | 3.94 | 0.21 | 34 | 0.594 | 33 | Reject | 3.58 | Apply | 4.08 | Mechanism |
13 | Impression materials | 4.84 | 0.083 | 84 | 0.768 | 8 | Accept | 4.29 | Analyse | 4.34 | Mechanism |
14 | Principle of adhesion: acid etch and bonding agent | 4.87 | 0.069 | 87 | 0.774 | 3 | Accept | 4.23 | Analyse | 4.26 | Mechanism |
15 | Dental composite resin | 4.89 | 0.061 | 89 | 0.777 | 2 | Accept | 4.26 | Analyse | 4.39 | Mechanism |
16 | Glass ionomer cement | 4.85 | 0.076 | 85 | 0.771 | 4 | Accept | 4.18 | Analyse | 4.37 | Mechanism |
17 | Resin-modified glass ionomer cement & Compomer | 4.85 | 0.076 | 85 | 0.771 | 4 | Accept | 4.18 | Analyse | 4.35 | Mechanism |
18 | Dental cements | 4.84 | 0.084 | 85 | 0.768 | 6 | Accept | 4.24 | Analyse | 4.31 | Mechanism |
19 | Liners and bases | 4.74 | 0.122 | 77 | 0.748 | 11 | Accept | 4.10 | Analyse | 4.31 | Mechanism |
20 | Dental abrasive and polishing materials | 4.61 | 0.16 | 95 | 0.723 | 17 | Accept | 3.87 | Apply | 4.13 | Mechanism |
21 | Dental wax | 4.37 | 0.195 | 90 | 0.687 | 23 | Accept | 3.47 | Apply | 3.84 | Guided response |
22 | Gypsum products | 4.34 | 0.192 | 87 | 0.674 | 25 | Accept | 3.45 | Apply | 3.87 | Guided response |
23 | Casting technique | 4.00 | 0.187 | 75 | 0.600 | 31 | Accept | 2.92 | Understand | 3.31 | Guided response |
24 | Investment and refractory die | 3.84 | 0.203 | 44 | 0.568 | 34 | Reject | 2.81 | Understand | 3.26 | Guided response |
25 | Synthetic polymer | 4.18 | 0.175 | 78 | 0.645 | 29 | Accept | 3.05 | Apply | 3.51 | Guided response |
26 | Denture based polymer | 4.48 | 0.194 | 75 | 0.710 | 19 | Accept | 3.48 | Apply | 3.92 | Guided response |
27 | Denture lining materials | 4.42 | 0.177 | 92 | 0.684 | 24 | Accept | 3.61 | Apply | 4.05 | Mechanism |
28 | Dental ceramic | 4.76 | 0.117 | 79 | 0.752 | 10 | Accept | 3.98 | Apply | 3.77 | Guided response |
29 | Porcelain fused to metal | 4.73 | 0.124 | 75 | 0.745 | 12 | Accept | 3.97 | Apply | 3.77 | Guided response |
30 | Emerging dental biomaterials (Bioceramic, Bioactive materials) | 4.65 | 0.147 | 97 | 0.729 | 16 | Accept | 3.65 | Apply | 3.55 | Guided response |
31 | Biomaterials for regenerative dentistry | 4.61 | 0.156 | 95 | 0.723 | 18 | Accept | 3.42 | Apply | 3.40 | Guided response |
32 | Materials in digital dentistry (3-D printing and computer-aided design and manufacturing) | 4.44 | 0.178 | 92 | 0.687 | 22 | Accept | 3.26 | Apply | 3.29 | Guided response |
33 | Material testing and characterisation technologies | 4.05 | 0.149 | 80 | 0.648 | 28 | Accept | 2.92 | Understand | 3.00 | Guided response |
34 | Dental implant materials | 4.47 | 0.194 | 89 | 0.694 | 21 | Accept | 3.34 | Apply | 3.29 | Guided response |
35 | Endodontic materials | 4.92 | 0.045 | 92 | 0.784 | 1 | Accept | 4.19 | Analyse | 4.31 | Mechanism |
36 | Temporary restorative materials | 4.79 | 0.084 | 85 | 0.768 | 6 | Accept | 4.11 | Analyse | 4.45 | Mechanism |