Research on hand dexterity and the practice of dentistry: reality and myth.

A brief review of the literature finds that studies of digital dexterity fail to confirm that dental students or dentists possess aptitudes that are different from the general population or that those with higher aptitudes achieve superior levels of performance. It is suggested that the complex nature of modern dental practice requires such a broad range of skills that digital dexterity contributes only a small increment or that technical dental procedures are completely trainable in the course of dental education.