Abstract: Objective To explore the application effect of a combined teaching method of digital cephalometric analysis and traditional manual measurement in orthodontics laboratory teaching. Methods A non-randomized controlled trial design with grade-based grouping was adopted. From 2022 to 2024, 199 fourth-year undergraduate students majoring in oral medicine (five-year program) from Xiamen Medical College (classes of 2018-2020) were enrolled as research subjects. The 2018 cohort (65 students) received traditional manual measurement instruction, the 2019 cohort (65 students) received digital cephalometric measurement instruction, and the 2020 cohort (69 students) received combined teaching incorporating both digital cephalometric analysis and traditional manual measurement. After course completion, theoretical and practical examination scores of the three groups were compared, and student evaluations of teaching effectiveness were collected via questionnaire. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), LSD post-hoc test (with FDR correction), and chi-square test were used for data analysis. Results The ranking of students′ theoretical examination scores was combined teaching group [(82.93±2.80) points] > traditional manual measurement group [(80.23±4.38) points] > digital measurement group [(77.35±5.31) points]. The ranking of practical examination scores was combined teaching group [(88.59±5.37) points] > digital measurement group [(86.42±6.02) points] > traditional manual measurement group [(83.77±6.25) points], all P<0.05. Questionnaire results showed that in the four dimensions of teaching effectiveness evaluation—knowledge acquisition, skill application, learning attitude, and learning outcomes—most specific items in the combined teaching group scored higher than the other two groups, with statistically significant inter-group differences after FDR correction (all q<0.05). A total of 185 students (93.0%) were willing to choose the combined approach of digital cephalometric analysis and traditional manual measurement. Conclusions The combined approach helps enhance students′ theoretical knowledge and practical operational skills and is highly accepted by students. It is recommended to adopt the combined teaching approach in orthodontics cephalometric laboratory instruction.

Key words: Orthodontics, Digital measurement, Cephalometric measurements, Combined teaching, Curriculum reform