Academic performance, anxiety, and satisfaction in the anatomy education of two first-year dental medicine cohorts differing in instructional sequence and language: a descriptive cohort-based comparison.

Relevance. Dental diseases are the most prevalent conditions globally, affecting over 3.7 billion people. Dental education primarily focuses on treatment rather than prevention, limiting the ability of future specialists to prevent diseases in patients. This underscores the need for research to enhance preventive approaches. The artificial intelligence (AI) used in this study is integrated into the educational process and allows students and specialists to easily monitor the dynamics of oral hygiene status. AI enhances objectivity and standardizes assessment, which improves diagnostic accuracy and optimizes specialist training. The aim is to assess the influence of professional dental education on the level of individual oral hygiene among dental and pediatric faculty students at the university using an artificial intelligence-based system for evaluating dental plaque and oral hygiene status, and to develop dental preventive recommendations that can be integrated into the educational process. Materials and Methods. A photoprotocol and plaque analysis of the AI system for assessing the hygienic condition of the oral cavity were used. The oral hygiene assessment AI analyzes and identifies hygiene indices OHI-S, PHP, API and the percentage of plaque. The standard photo protocol and the AI system, according to the assessment of the hygienic condition of the oral cavity, minimized the subjectivity of the study. A survey was conducted to assess knowledge and habits. Results. Fifth-year dental students (n=37) exhibited: dental plaque percentage (DPP) 13.45 ± 6.16%, OHI-S 0.66 ± 0.42, PHP 1.37 ± 0.59, API 53.34 ± 18.99%. First-year dental students (n=49) showed: DPP 17.46 ± 7.55%, OHI-S 1.33 ± 0.54, PHP 1.74 ± 0.81, API 72.01 ± 1%. Pediatric faculty students (n=54) had: DPP 14.4 ± 1.46%, OHI-S 0.77 ± 0.25, PHP 1.45 ± 0.42, API 56.35 ± 13.27%. Questionnaire results indicated that 80% of students brush twice daily. Fifth-year students used additional hygiene aids (dental floss, irrigators) more frequently than first-year students. Conclusion. No group achieved optimal oral hygiene status. Fifth-year dental students demonstrated hygiene indices comparable to first-year dental and pediatric faculty students, suggesting a lack of interest in disease prevention among future dentists, as they fail to model high hygiene standards. The findings highlight the need to revise training and motivation systems to emphasize oral disease prevention.

Several studies in virtual three‐dimensional (3D) anatomy have shown either no difference in traditional and 3D learning among dental students or disadvantages in 3D learning over traditional learning. There are few studies in the literature that explore the effectiveness of virtual stereoscopic 3D anatomy models on dental students' learning. This study aimed to determine if virtual 3D stereoscopic anatomical models of the middle and inner ear could improve first‐year dental students' short‐term retention. This study also aimed to determine if there was a correlation between first‐year dental students' spatial abilities and their learning gains from virtual 3D anatomy exposure. During the fall 2018 semester, the first‐year dental students were invited to participate in 3D learning sessions pertaining to the middle and inner ear. Students (n=18) attended to a 3D learning session featuring virtual stereoscopic middle and inner ear models. During the learning session, the student participants completed a pre‐test before and a post‐test after the virtual 3D learning experience. At the end of the 3D learning sessions, students completed a mental rotation test (MRT) for measuring their spatial abilities and a survey for assessing their perceptions of 3D learning. The average scores on all of the students' performance measures, pre‐tests, post‐tests, and MRT's, will be analyzed using a repeated measures ANOVA. In addition, the pre‐ and post‐ knowledge test performances, respectively, of the students with high and low spatial ability will be compared using a one‐way ANOVA. The results of the statistical analyses will determine whether there is a significant difference between the pre‐ and post‐3D test scores of the first‐year dental students and whether there is a significant relationship between first‐year dental students' spatial abilities and learning. Overall, the first‐year dental students perceived the 3D learning sessions of middle and inner ear anatomy to be a positive learning experience. The use of virtual stereoscopic 3D anatomy has the potential to improve first‐year dental students' learning of the anatomy of regions as complex as the middle and inner ear when used as a supplement to traditional instruction.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Objective: End-of-life care is important to improve the quality of life of terminally ill patients. However, dental school students have few opportunities to learn about such care. The present study was performed to allow future curriculum planning by chronologically examining the influence of an end-of-life care lecture on students’ attitudes toward end-of-life care. Methods:The participants were 48 first-year dental school students (25 men and 23 women; medianage, 19.5y; range, 18 – 26y). The students’ attitudes toward end-of-life care were measured using a shortened version of the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Scale, Form B, Japanese version.The survey was carried out three times—prior to the lecture, immediately after the lecture, and 7 months after the lecture to capture changes over time. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for statistical analysis. Results: A 100% collection rate/valid response rate was achieved before and immediately after the lecture. Furthermore, 91.7% of those who responded to the survey returned valid responses 7 months after the lecture. Of the six items, the post-lecture score for “it is meaningful for me to care for dying patients” increased significantly from the pre-lecture score (p < 0.05), but that recorded 7 months after the lecture did not show a significant difference from the pre-lecture score (p > 0.05). Conclusion: One-off lectures have limited influence on attitudes and awareness regarding end-of-life care among first-year dental students. Thus, a systematic curriculum over 6 years is necessary.

Objetives: Assess levels of trait anxiety, state anxiety and dental anxiety before extraction of lower third molars and check the correlation and reliability of the scales used for the measurement of preoperative anxiety.Study Design: A prospective study of patients treated with extraction of a lower third molar between September 2010 to December 2010 was carried out. A total of 125 patients were included in the study. All of them were patients of the Oral Surgery and Implantology Department (Valencia University Medical and Dental School, Valencia, Spain). Before surgery, patients had to complete a preoperative protocol with 4 scales: the STAI-T (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait) for measuring trait anxiety, the STAI-S (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-State) for measuring state anxiety, and DAS (Dental anxiety Scale of N. Corah) and APAIS (Amsterdam Preoperative anxiety and Information Scale) for measuring dental anxiety.Results: Patients undergoing extractions of an impacted lower third molar showed low levels of trait anxiety and moderate levels of state anxiety and dental anxiety. Higher levels of trait anxiety were obtained for older patients. Women had higher mean levels of dental anxiety and state anxiety that men with a statistically significant difference in STAI-S scales, DAS, and APAIS. Patients with higher trait anxiety and state anxiety showed higher levels of dental anxiety. A significant correlation (p ≤ 0.01) (p = 0.00) was found between the four scales used to measure anxiety. The scale showed higher correlation was STAI-S scale. The 4 scales showed high reliability (α of C.> 0.80).Conclusions: Patients with highest levels of trait anxiety and state anxiety, had more dental anxiety. The STAI-T, STAI-S, DAS and APAIS scales provided useful information about anxiety before the extraction of lower impacted third molars. The STAI-S is the scale with highest correlation and reliability. Key words:Extraction of impacted lower third molars, preoperative anxiety, dental anxiety, trait anxiety, state anxiety.

The purpose of this paper is to describe educational efforts to increase dental students' knowledge concerning oral and systemic health effects of carbonated beverage (soda/pop) consumption. Multiple choice pre- and post-tests were developed and administered to seventy-three first-year dental students. An educational brochure was developed and distributed during a lecture on the effects of soda/pop consumption, and four days later, a post-test was administered. Three groups of third-year dental students (n = 19, 15, 17, respectively) also completed the pre- and post-tests with different educational interventions for each group. Results indicated that the first-year dental students' knowledge of the effects of soda/pop consumption improved significantly from a pre-test score of 10.8 (68 percent) to a post-test score of 14.0 (88 percent) (p < .01). On the post-test, 70 percent of the first-year dental students who reported soda/pop consumption indicated that they had considered changing their soda/pop drinking habits after reading the brochure and hearing the presentation. For third-year dental students, there was no significant difference in pre- to post-test scores. This survey shows that, for first-year dental students, the combination of written and verbal education was effective in improving both knowledge and behavioral intent relative to carbonated beverage consumption.

This study aimed to validate the learning effectiveness of an instructional module in helping first-year dental students and international graduate advanced standing students learn to avoid plagiarism in their scientific writing. The module was administered to a total of 226 first year dental students (157 at the University of Pittsburgh, in 2018 and 2019; 69 at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in 2019), and a total of 102 international graduate advanced standing students at the University of Illinois at Chicago, in 2019 and 2020. Psychometric analysis of the module's test items confirmed reliability and validity. An independent sample t-test performed on the module pretest scores determined that the first -year dental students entered their programs with more knowledge about plagiarism than the international graduate advanced standing students. Mean differences were calculated between pretest and posttest scores for each group and indicated that the module was equally effective at helping both groups learn to avoid plagiarism. An independent sample t-test compared the posttest mean scores of the 2 groups and determined that the first -year students achieved a greater learning outcome from the module. An independent sample t-test for Equality of Means with Levene's Test for Equality of Variances were performed to compare the mean differences between posttest and pretest scores for the 2 groups. These tests indicated that the 2 groups learned to avoid plagiarism at the same rate. The instructional module proved to be valid, reliable, effective, and time-efficient in improving student knowledge about avoiding plagiarism.

The aims of this study were to evaluate 1) the effect of different light-curing training methods on first-year dental students' light-curing performance immediately after and one year after training and 2) the effect of dental student year (first vs. third year) and different light-curing training methods on students' light-curing efficacy. The study was organized into two parts, conducted in 2013 and 2014. In the first part, all students (N=66) in the first-year restorative course at a Canadian dental school were invited to participate in a light-curing activity immediately after training; after 12 months, those students (now in their second year) were asked to again perform the light-curing activity. In the second part, all the subsequent first-year students (N=75) and third-year students (N=95) were invited to perform the same light-curing activity after training. Each class was divided into three groups: the Control group received a lecture; the Tips group received the same lecture plus tips on "7 Steps to Ensure Better Light Curing"; and the Simulator group received the lecture, tips, and hands-on training using the patient simulator. In the first part of the study, all 66 students participated in the first year; 39 of those participated a year later. In the second part, all students in both years participated. For the first part, time had a significant effect on light-curing performance, with significantly higher results in the second year. When the first-year students' results were isolated, training method had a significant effect on mean and maximum irradiance values. The second part found a significant effect of training on mean (p=0.003) and maximum (p=0.021) irradiance. The interaction DDS*training was significant (p=0.037) when the after-training values were analyzed. These results point to the need for further research to determine the most effective light-curing training methods.

The purpose of this study was to document the stress (anxiety and depression) symptoms of third-year dental students using two psychological measures. Eighty-six students in two successive third-year classes were tested with the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in October, December, and April. For both state and trait anxiety, changes across test administrations indicated significant increases for the 1985 class. For depression, no significant changes were found across either test administration or between classes. Comparisons were made between the reported stress symptoms of third-year and first-year dental students. A stress management program within the dental school environment was recommended.

First Year Dental Students’ Self-Perceptions And Attitudes Towards Dentistry

The Impact of Family Engagement on Anxiety Levels in a Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the awareness of oral health and hygiene habits among the first year dental students and interns. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross- sectional survey was circulated among the first year dental students and interns using a self constructed questionnaire comprising 15 questions based on oral health and hygiene habits. Results: A number of 50 first year dental students and 50 interns were investigated. Concern for oral hygiene and related habits was observed in 92.7% of interns, whereas only 86.4% of first-year dental students showed similar awareness. Conclusion: To conclude, the study demonstrated that interns are more concerned about their oral hygiene and habits than first year dental students. As dental students gain more academic and hands-on experience, their knowledge and personal habits related to oral health improve. Teaching students about proper oral hygiene early in their training could help them develop good habits that last a lifetime.

This longitudinal text-mining study examines dental hygiene students' perceptions of dental hygienists and dentists at three different points in time during their training course. The null hypothesis of the study was that there would be no change in the dental hygiene students' perceptions of the dental hygienists and dentists over the course of 3 years. First-year dental hygiene students participated in this study beginning with the academic year 2020. The questionnaires were conducted in 2020, 2021, and 2022. Participants were asked to write their perceptions of dental hygienists and dentists on the questionnaire sheets, and a quantitative text-mining analysis was performed. Initially, 59 female students were assessed for enrollment in this study, and the overall participation rate was 88.1%. The first-year students' perceptions of dental hygienists were "assist" and "beside" the dentist based on the co-occurrence group, while in the second-year, "cleaning" and "tooth" emerged in this group, and a new group of "cordinal-listen-story" materialised. In the third year, these groups merged into one group centered on "kind." In the perceptions of dentists, the word "fear" was the most frequent before clinical training, while the frequency of the world "kind" increased after clinical training. The word "treat" was ranked third in the second year of curriculum and then first in the final year. The null hypothesis was rejected. It can be concluded that if interactions between dental hygiene and dental students are systematically incorporated from early undergraduate education, clinical practice will be more meaningful and lead to stronger intraprofessional collaboration in future clinical practice.

Background: Anatomy education has traditionally relied on didactic lectures, but innovative approaches such as the flipped classroom are increasingly being explored to promote active learning, engagement, and deeper understanding. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the flipped classroom compared to traditional lectures in teaching histology to first-year MBBS students. Methods: A quasi-experimental crossover study was conducted among 150 first-year MBBS students. Two histology topics (stomach and small intestine) were taught using the flipped classroom and didactic lecture methods. Pre-test, mid-test, and post-test scores were recorded using multiple-choice questionnaires. Group A initially underwent flipped classroom teaching, and Group B didactic lectures for Topic 1, followed by crossover for Topic 2. Statistical analysis was performed using paired and independent t-tests. Results: The participants comprised 150 first-year MBBS students (52% female; mean age 19.4 ± 0.8 years). Both teaching methods significantly improved student performance. Didactic lectures showed greater short-term gains (mean post-test = 9.48 ± 1.33 vs. 8.92 ± 1.73; p < 0.05). The flipped classroom group demonstrated a steady incremental improvement from pre-test (6.98 ± 1.94) to mid-test (7.25 ± 2.17) and post-test (8.92 ± 1.73), confirming progressive learning and retention (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Didactic lectures remain effective for achieving rapid short-term learning gains, whereas the flipped classroom fosters gradual improvement, learner autonomy, and deeper engagement. Recommendations: A blended, context-sensitive approach integrating both lectures and flipped classroom strategies is recommended to optimize learning outcomes in anatomy education. Future studies should assess long-term knowledge retention, adaptability, and the role of technology-enabled blended models across diverse medical curricula.

This study identifies stressors for dental hygiene students and examined significant differences in stress levels between first- and last-year dental hygiene students and between dental hygiene and dental students. A modified dental environmental stress (DES) questionnaire was utilized to determine the sources of stress. The questionnaire was completed by 153 (93 percent) first- and last-year dental hygiene students from four programs. Seven stressors were among the top ten stress items cited by both classes of dental hygiene students; seven other stressors exhibited significant differences (p = .01). The authors' hypothesis is that some of these stressors may be remediable. Seven of the top ten stressors for first-year dental hygiene and dental students were shared, while ten exhibited significant differences. Among last-year students, eighteen items were significant, and seven of the top ten stressors were the same.

This study explored perceptions of first-year dental students' self-efficacy, cultural competence, and intent to provide care in school-based settings before and after the completion of an oral health educational rotation with inner-city public school children. The oral health educational rotation is mandatory for all first-year dental students at Marquette University School of Dentistry (MUSoD). Pre- and post-rotation surveys on perceptions of self-efficacy, cultural competence, and intent to provide care in school-based settings were administered online to first-year dental students at MUSoD. The pre- and post-rotation survey response rates were 75 percent and 70 percent, respectively. The percentages of students reporting a dentist as a family member in the pre and post surveys were 36.7 percent and 39.3 percent, respectively. Students who reported having a dentist as a family member had significantly higher adjusted odds for self-efficacy (1.73, CI: 1.06-2.84) and cultural competence (2.03, 95 percent CI: 1.03-4.00). Dental students' participation in a mandatory oral health education rotation was associated with an increase in self-efficacy and cultural competence, but not with their intent to provide dental care in school-based settings.