Clinical teaching in dentistry: Evaluating a clinical oral pathology rotation while looking to the future of dental education.

Abstract

Clinical teaching in dentistry has cycled through specialty-based "departmental" teaching to group practice scenarios. The aims of this study were to ascertain third-year dental students' perceptions of a specialty-based rotation supplemented by online educational tools and to compare their Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) scores to those of the students in the previous year. This retrospective research design included the analysis of OSCE scores, and student responses to survey questions regarding their perceptions of the clinical oral pathology (COP) rotation. This study was completed in 2022. It included data from 2020 to 2021 and 2021 to 2022 corresponding to input from the Classes of 2022 and 2023, respectively. The response rate was 100%. The students evaluated the focused COP rotation and the online teaching modules as a positive experience. The results of the OSCE were similar to those of the previous class and showed a high average score. This study shows that students had a positive perception to specialty-based learning with online educational tools and that it enhanced the education they received in the comprehensive care clinic. The OSCE scores were similar to those of the previous class. These findings suggest a method of maintaining high-quality dental education through challenges as it continues evolving.