Dental Curriculum Research Articles

FEEDBACK: DIFFERENT CONCEPTS AND PRACTICES IN A CULTURALLY DIFFERENT LEARNING ENVIRONMENT? STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS

Objective: To assess students’ perceptions of feedback, regarding its understanding, and practices in a traditional undergraduate dental curriculum in Pakistan, where feedback was not part of a formal curriculum as a structured entity.
 Study Design: Qualitative-phenomenology.
 Place and Duration of Study: Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad from Dec 2017 to May 2018.
 Methodology: Purposive sampling was done, and data was gathered using semi-structured, group interview of 16 BDS students. Data was organized using qualitative software package Atlas.ti 8.0 and analyzed using thematic framework analysis.
 Results: Feedback, though, being practiced by faculty, was not identify as feedback by students. They did not appreciate it as an essential skillset for learning and performance. Though, conceptions of students regarding this phenomenon varied, five emergent themes displayed the essence of the phenomenon in this learning environment: 1) understanding ‘feedback’ through participants’ response, 2) highly variant experiences of information exchange, 3) modes and forms of feedback, 4) factors affecting feedback and 5) methods achieving learning progression.
 Conclusion: Our students were devoid of formally instituted feedback practices, so they were unable to identify it as ‘feedback’. Wide range of contradictory and many negative experiences of participants indicated that formal training in feedback and its systematic use might improve students’ experiences.Keywords: , , , , , .

Should dental amalgams be used in dental training? The perspectives of dental academics at a university in South Africa

Dental amalgam has been used in dentistry for the last 150 years to restore posterior teeth. Concerns regarding the safety issues with amalgam due to its mercury content have lead to the introduction of composite dental material to restore posterior teeth. This has transformed the teaching and training trends of direct restorative materials for posterior teeth. This descriptive study aimed to gain insight into academic staff and clinical supervisors’ perceptions regarding the use of dental amalgams in the teaching of restorative dentistry. This study used a qualitative method of data collection. Two focus group discussions were conducted between March and May 2020. Seventeen participants were invited to participate. Fourteen responded and participated, yielding an 82% response rate. The data identified two major themes, viz. the challenges experienced with the teaching of dental amalgam and curriculum development recommendations. Clinical quota requirements, disposal of waste products, and occupational and environmental risks regarding mercury exposure were sub-themes. Some of the curriculum recommendations included the skills gained during cavity preparations, the training and quota requirements of dental materials, and teaching trends locally, nationally and internationally.This study revealed that dental amalgam is still an integral part of the restorative dentistry curriculum at the university. However, the teaching of resin composite now occupies more than fifty percent of the restorative dentistry curriculum. Academics and clinical supervisors show a greater affinity for the placement of composite restorations.

Dental educators’ views and knowledge of competencies required within a competency framework

The aim of the study was twofold; first was to explore and describe dental educators’ views of the competencies required within the AfriMEDS core competency framework. The second was to highlight the views of the dental educators, regarding the alignment of the AfriMEDS core competencies, with the dental curriculum. A case study approach to qualitative inquiry was used. The participants were purposefully selected, and two focus group discussions were conducted. An interview protocol was used to guide the discussions. The gathered data from the discussions were transcribed verbatim, and uploaded to the Atlas ti program for data analysis. Themes were identified from the findings of the thematic analysis. Results Dental educators required some guidance and clarity on the AfriMEDS core competency framework. However, they were able to recognize the competencies related to the AfriMEDS core competency framework. Two of these competencies, evidence-based dentistry, and private practice, were highlighted as core competencies in this current study; however, in AfriMEDS, only certain aspects of this was described. The results of this current study revealed that dental educators were able to make valuable recommendations about the additional competencies requirements for dental graduates.

Advancing Dental Education by Integrating Teledentistry Teaching and Learning into the Predoc Curriculum

In the advancing and changing landscape of dental education, dental curricula should be forward-thinking about the future roles of dental professionals. The need to train future dental providers to be able to facilitate care to underserved areas, and to patients who can’t come in person to a dental office, is becoming significant. Advancing dental education in 21st century with tele-dentistry should be a part of the dental curriculum, as it has been used for over a decade at this point. During the Covid-19 pandemic, tele-dentistry has become a vital method of engagement with patients and has the potential to expand across the country for those who are unable to be seen in person for any number of reasons. The main aim of this effort is to foster development and advancement in tele-dentistry and to help the integration of tele-dental education in teaching and learning. The importance of working on developing ways to teach dentistry to predoctoral students cannot be overlooked, and hence, we have been looking at best practices for integrating tele-dentistry into the dental curriculum.Dental Education should incorporate tele-dental education into predoctoral education, as it facilitates care for underserved populations as well as any other patients who are not able to be seen in person.

Development of an Online Asynchronous Clinical Learning Resource ("Ask the Expert") in Dental Education to Promote Personalized Learning.

This article describes the development and testing of an online asynchronous clinical learning resource named “Ask the Expert” to enhance clinical learning in dentistry. After the resource development, dental students from years 3 and 4 were randomly allocated to two groups (Group A—“Ask the Expert” and L—“lecturer-led”). All the students attempted a pre-test related to replacement of teeth in the anterior aesthetic zone. Group A (33 students) underwent an online case-based learning session of 60 minutes’ duration without a facilitator, while Group L (27 students) concurrently underwent a case-based learning session of 60 minutes’ duration with a lecturer facilitating the session. An immediate post-test was conducted followed by a retention test after one week. Student feedback was obtained. There was a significant increase in the test scores (maximum score 10) for both groups when comparing the pre-test (Group A—5.61 ± 1.34, Group L—5.22 ± 1.57) and immediate post-test scores (Group A—7.42 ± 1.34, Group L—8.04 ± 1.22; paired t-test, p < 0.001). However, no significant difference was observed in the test scores when comparing Group A to Group L for both the immediate post-test as well as the retention test (Group A—5.36 ± 1.29, Group L—5.33 ± 1.39 (independent sample t-test, p > 0.05). To conclude, adequately structured online asynchronous learning resources are comparable in their effectiveness to online synchronous learning in the undergraduate dental curriculum.

Correspondence between William Gies and Simon Flexner to guide a 21st century dental curriculum.

Correspondence between William Gies and Simon Flexner to guide a 21st century dental curriculum.

Opportunities for narrative medicine in dental education and practice, a narrative review.

Reflection is one of four components of the experiential learning cycle and is often the one overlooked. This practice can be used in graduate-level health care education, such as medicine and dentistry. This metacognitive practice allows students to conceptualize learning in a clinical setting and apply this knowledge to new scenarios. Reflective practice can be taught using different modalities of narrative medicine, and several studies have studied its effectiveness in areas such as professional development, collaboration, communication among others. Most of these studies, however, have been conducted solely in the medical setting, and narrative medicine may have useful application in the practice and teaching of dentistry. This literature review examined the outcomes of narrative medicine in medical studies concerning reflection and hypothesized their benefits to dental education. The studies reviewed were chosen by utilizing key term searches of the National Center for Biotechnology Information PubMed library and qualitative factor analysis by study team investigators. Elective-based, prospective enrollment and whole cohort participation programs were analyzed for potential effectiveness in dental education. The most feasible programs for potential integration into dental curricula are elective-based, small-group, graduate-level courses with a level of evaluation such as residency competencies, as demonstrated by Arntfield et al. CONCLUSION(S): These programs should be investigated further to evaluate their potential in improving reflective skills of students, and ultimately in improving their experiential learning experience.

Perceived Barriers in the Utilization of Oral Health-Care Services among Care Home Geriatric Residents in Chennai City

Aim: According to recent surveys, the elderly uses oral health services at a lower rate than any other age group which is mostly driven by their perceived need and perceived barriers. The purpose of this study is to assess the perceived barriers of care home geriatric residents in the utilization of oral health care services in Chennai city. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted among 237 elders from 14 randomly selected care homes in Chennai. Anderson and Newman's, framework was used to assess the utilization of oral health-care services. A structured interview was conducted to collect the demographic data and to assess the perceived need and barriers. Data collected were analyzed using the SPSS software version 20. Multiple logistic regression analysis was done to assess the association between the various perceived barriers. Results: Among the 237 participants, 24% were male and 76% were female. The mean age was 74.1 years. The primary perceived barrier was found to be a lack of perceived need for oral health-care services (72%) despite the poor oral health status (93%). The other barriers were unacceptability (89.9%), unaffordability (39.2%), unavailability (33.3%), inaccessibility (35.4%), and lack of accommodation (8.9%). Aging was found to a major perceived barrier in the utilization of oral health services (81.4%). Conclusion: The current study highlights the importance of oral health education and promotion among institutionalized elderly, as well as the need for domiciliary oral health-care services. The need for geriatric dentistry in the curriculum of dentistry is also emphasized.

Perceptions of Dental Undergraduates Towards Online Education During COVID-19: Assessment from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

PurposeThe social distancing mandates instituted during COVID-19 pandemic mark the sudden transition in the mode of dental education’s delivery to the virtual instruction. It is vital to assess students’ perceptions towards virtual learning environments, particularly among those gaining education in resource-strained countries. This cross-sectional study aims to assess the perceptions of dental undergraduates towards online education, environment and transferable skills and patient care during COVID-19 in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.Materials and MethodsDental preclinical and clinical undergraduate students from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka were recruited from November 2020 to March 2021 through a 47-item web-based survey consisting of psychometrically valid subscales of Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) and Transferable Skills Questionnaire. The mean scores of students’ perceptions of learning, environment, and patient care skills were compared among preclinical and clinical students of the participating countries.ResultsOf total 930 participants, 44.4% were from India, 26.1% from Sri Lanka and 29.5% responses from Nepal. Sri Lanka reported the highest mean scores across all domains of perception indicative of positive attitude. Clinical students from all participating countries had statistically significantly higher positive perception of transferable skills in patient care as opposed to their preclinical counterparts. On the contrary, perception towards learning was higher among preclinical students as opposed to clinical students. These differences were statistically significant for Nepal and Sri Lanka.ConclusionThe findings of this study underscore the need to develop and implement effective online dental educational interventions to foster academic growth and essential practical skills without compromising academic rigor and continuity in the dental education curriculum.

EVALUATION OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF INHALATION SEDATION IN CHILDREN AMONGST PEDODONTISTS AND GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONERS IN MANGALORE, INDIA

Inhalation sedation is a minimally depressed level of consciousness that retains the patient's ability to maintain an airway independently and continuously and respond to stimulation and command. Found to be safe for use in dentistry with positive outcomes, it is used to manage anxiety in pediatric patients during procedures. Aim of our study was to determine the frequency of usage of inhalation sedation as adjunctive management technique in children by Dentists. A Cross sectional study was conducted with pre-structured questionnaire given to Pedodontists and General dental practitioners in various Dental colleges and clinics in and around Mangalore. Total sample size was 72. Data was collected and analyzed using SPSS version 17.0 with the Test of Proportions. 32 out of 72 participants were trained in usage of Inhalation Sedation, out of which 14 used it regularly. Out of the 80.56% dentists not using it, majority said that expensive equipment, increased cost of treatment and potential complications were the main reasons for not using it. 59.72% of participants wanted to gain information, knowledge and undergo training in the usage of Inhalation Sedation.58.33% agreed to use it in their future dental career. 70.83% believed that knowledge and training to use Inhalation Sedation is integral part of dental curriculum for undergraduates. This study showed willingness of the dentists to provide Inhalation Sedation as a behavior management technique to their patients. The lack of training, costly equipment, increased cost of treatment are the main barriers to providing such services to the patients.

To assess students' perception about Kahoot! as an innovative learning tool in oral pathology- a qualitative study.

This qualitative study was conducted to investigate the perception of third-year dental students' about Kahoot! as an innovative learning, teaching, and assessment tool for the subject of Oral Pathology at the Fatima Jinnah Dental College, Karachi. This online App was implemented as a teaching and assessment tool in both the first and second semesters during the academic year 2019. Out of 75 students, 50 were females and 25 were males. Students' opinion about Kahoot! was assessed using a questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale. Kahoot! has been implemented for the first time in the dental curriculum of our institution. Around 90% of the students accepted that they can easily comprehend the knowledge, challenge their mental ability, and become an attentive learner. The quizzes assisted students to identify different oral structures, histological features, and oral mucosal alteration in an interesting way. According to students' opinion, Kahoot! assist them to develop a notion of self-directed learning (69; 92%), and prepared to attempt exams confidently (68; 90%).

Faculty Development Programs in Dentistry

Oral health-care delivery in India is rapidly evolving given the increasing awareness about oral health among the public, advances in dental science and technology, and the demand for high-quality care. The dental workforce needs to be trained to develop the required skills and attitudes for delivering quality dental care. Modifications are required in the dental curriculum to accommodate the changing needs of the society. There is an urgent need to incorporate advances in educational methods and technology in dental teaching/learning to prepare future dental practitioners for real-world challenges. The conventional training of dental faculty in India does not involve any training in educational methods and techniques. Faculty development programs organized on a regular basis in the institutions can be very helpful in training the teachers in the latest and evidence-based teaching/learning methods. This article highlights the current status of faculty development initiatives for improving dental education and also makes suggestions to improve faculty training in Indian dental institutions for future.

Effectiveness of online training of first and second year AEGD residents in identifying, referring, and managing patients at-risk for substance use and opioid disorders.

Dentists have contributed greatly to the opioid epidemic, dispensing roughly 8.6% of opioids totaling over 18 million prescriptions in a 12-month period from July 2016 to June 2017 and report educational gaps regarding screening techniques for substance misuse and an unfamiliarity with available referral resources. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge and comfort level of residents in identifying, referring, and managing patients who are at risk for opioid use or substance use disorder in the dental setting before and after an online case-based training course. Thirty-five first year (PGY1) and 11 second year (PGY2) advanced education in general dentistry (AEGD) residents participated in an online training course that aimed to assess knowledge in the domains of identifying, referring, and managing patients at risk for substance abuse disorder and opioid use in an academic setting. There were nine subdomains within the three major domains that further assessed resident comfort and knowledge. Before and after training, data were collected and analyzed. Analysis of the results indicated that (1) the training modules increased resident comfort in identifying (p=0.011), referring (p=0.032), and managing (p=0.002) patients at risk for opioid substance use. (2) PGY1 residents benefited more than PGY2 residents in identifying (p=0.034) and the manage domains (p<0.001). (3) Residents viewed the module quality, usefulness, and applicability favorably. Further analysis of the nine subdomains is presented. Our study suggests that dental curricula would benefit from incorporating training of residents in identifying, referring, and managing patients at risk for substance use disorder and opioid use.

Development of Rubrics for Dental Hygienists' Competence: Based Dental Hygiene Process

Objectives: This study aims to secure the basic data for developing a rubric as an assessment tool to be applied to or used for the dental hygiene curriculum and develop an assessment rubric by steps of ‘dental hygiene management process’. Methods: The rubric was developed after literature review based on dental hygienists Competence and the dental hygiene process. Results: The development of the ‘dental hygiene management process’ assessment rubric was conducted to allow learners to spontaneously determine the direction of their own learning, understand their learning levels and reach their academic achievement levels, based on the performance standard and level of dental hygienists tasks. Conclusions: The ‘dental hygiene management process’ assessment rubric can motivate learners to receive fair evaluation and feedback about their learning levels and enhance their academic achievement, and would be used as a reliable assessment tool by securing the equity and validity in the evaluation of ‘dental hygiene management process’.

KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICES OF DENTAL STUDENTS AND PRACTITIONERS TOWARDS CONSCIOUS SEDATION - A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

BACKGROUND: Dental professionals work effectively and efficiently to impart a positive behavioral attitude towards dental treatment in children with oral health care needs. The main objective of sedation in pediatric dentistry is to reduce fear, minimize physical discomfort and control behavior for dental procedures. The present study was carried out to evaluate the knowledge, attitude and practices of dental students and practitioners towards conscious sedation. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 384 dental professionals that included undergraduate, postgraduate dental students and dental practitioners across Tamil Nadu, India. The data was collected through self-constructed questionnaires consisting of 28 questions in English and circulated via online platform on account of COVID-19 pandemic. Every respondent was informed of the purpose of the study and participation was purely voluntary. RESULTS: The mean age of the study participants was found to be 25.99 ± 12.34 years (mean ± S.D) comprising of 184 (48%) males and 200 (52%) females. Majority of the study participants acquired knowledge about conscious sedation through dental curriculum only. About 46.1% considered conscious sedation over general anesthesia for all dental procedures like restoration, scaling, minor bone fractures and minor surgeries, 40.1% preferred midazolam and 78.4% recommend Nitrous oxide sedation as effective technique. Most of the study participants believed oral sedation was easier to administer, required less expertise and skill with minimal or no complication. CONCLUSION: This study reveals lacunae in adequate knowledge and understanding among the practitioners. The result of this study thus provides an insight on need for strategies like incorporating guidelines in dental curriculum, organizing continuing dental education programs and workshops to provide knowledge and incorporate positive attitude among the dental professionals to offer effective conscious sedation in children necessitating oral health care. KEYWORDS: Dental anxiety, Midazolam, Pediatric dentistry, general

Presence of management, entrepreneurship, leadership and marketing topics in the dental school curriculum in Brazil.

To analyse the presence and characteristics of curricular components related to management, entrepreneurship, leadership and marketing as part of the structure and teaching methods of undergraduate courses in dentistry in Brazil. This is an observational study that used the Ministry of Education's Undergraduate Course Accreditation Platform, which included 424 undergraduate courses in Dentistry on the last date of collection (August 31 2019). The following items were analysed as follows: the existence of curricular components in relation to the proposed themes, the most recurring denominations of curricular components, minimum and maximum workload, mandatory/optional classification, theoretical/practical teaching condition and in which year the curricular components were inserted. 367/424 (86.6%) of dentistry courses in Brazil included at least one of the topics: management, entrepreneurship, leadership and marketing curricular components in their curriculum, whilst 57/424 (13.4%) did not have these curricular components in their curricular structure. The most frequent names were "Management" 99 (45.21%) and "Entrepreneurship" 80 (36.5%). There was a predominance of the "theoretical method" and the number of hours varied considerably, with the most common course hours between 40 and 60h. The majority of curricular components were inserted in the third to fifth year and offered on a compulsory basis. Most curricular matrices of dentistry courses in Brazil had components related to the topics studied. However, due to the variety of curricular components' names, hours, periods of courses and different teaching methodologies, there is a need to redesign the teaching and learning process, defining educational and evaluation models with common curricular components.

There is value in taking the time to teach history of dentistry and ethics in dentistry curriculum

Abstract Objectives The teaching and assessment of soft skills such as ethical behaviour remains a challenge to dental schools. This paper aims to attempt to help the description and retrospective evaluation of a history of dentistry and medical ethics course in the dentistry curriculum of Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University. Methods The study included students (n=78) of the Faculty of Dental Sciences of Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University. History of dentistry and medical ethics are taught each for 1 h, total 2 h per week in the curriculum (theoretical/cases). Students’ academic performance was evaluated with mid-term and final exams. Participants were assessed according to their level of success and failure. Results Participants of the study were 51.3% (n=40) male and 48.7% (n=38) female students. The success rate of the midterm exam was 78.34%, while the success rate of the final was 76.32%. Mid-term exam success was not statistically significantly different than final exam (p&gt;0.215). Conclusions The success of our students in the history of dentistry and ethics course are promising clues for us to propose that there is value in taking the time to teach the course in dental curriculum.

Mind-Body Wellness: A Complement to Dental Education and Professional Development.

We strive in dental education to train our students to leave dental school with a skill set that enables them to be competent in diagnosis, treatment planning, and in their technical skills to treat their patients. We do not however train our students in practices to maintain their physical and mental well-being, cope with the demands of the dental school curriculum, and provide a toolbox of skills to manage the stresses of dentistry that will be with them for as long as they practice. The COVID-19 pandemic has added a new layer of stress on dental students and although the topic of wellness has been addressed in various ways in dental school environments, integrating a wellness component that supports our student's vulnerabilities while also teaching skills to build resilience to adversity is a needed and missing component in the dental curriculum. Elective stress management wellness courses have been implemented in dental schools and although this is a promising start, the demands of the dental school curriculum make it a difficult environment to become relaxed, grounded, and focused. Based on 6 years of experience in creating and implementing an integrated wellness program at an academic dental institution, this article aims to outline the benefits and applications for teaching mind-body practices in the dental school curriculum as preventative approaches to maintaining overall student wellness, for developing effective strategies to manage academic and clinical challenges and how it sets the foundation for the health, well-being, and professional mindset of future dentists.

Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical and Dental Students and Fresh Graduates from Saudi Arabia.

This study aimed to assess the knowledge level and attitudes of graduating Saudi medical and dental students and fresh graduates from those faculties about pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and the relation of their knowledge level to sociodemographic variables. In this cross-sectional study, 722 graduating students and fresh graduates were requested to answer a questionnaire pretested for validity and reliability. The data were analyzed statistically. Results revealed that medical participants scored 15.45 (out of 22), with 38% of them showing good knowledge about pediatric OSA, while dental participants scored 14.59, with 25.2% of them showing good knowledge. By regression analysis, medical participants (odds ratio (OR): 1.529) were more likely to have good knowledge than dental participants, while participants who belonged to institutions located in the central region (OR: 0.546) were less likely to have good knowledge than those from southern region institutions. In addition, participants from public institutions (OR: 0.290) were less likely to have good knowledge than those from private institutions. Regarding attitudes, medical participants scored 14.13 (out of 20), and dental participants scored 14.64. We detected a significant positive correlation between knowledge and attitude scores of dental participants. Given these findings, the knowledge level of graduating Saudi medical and dental students and fresh graduates about pediatric OSA was not optimal. The college type, institution sector, and location in the kingdom were factors associated with good knowledge. There is a need for further education and training about pediatric OSA in the undergraduate Saudi medical and dental curricula and continuing professional development programs about the topic after graduation.

Making of a “dental surgeon” in COVID-19 pandemic; a qualitative study exploring undergraduate dental students perspective

Background: The closure of educational institutes in Pakistan due to COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a spontaneous shift from traditional to digital teaching and learning. The present study explores the perception of undergraduate dental students regarding its advantages and limitations.&#x0D; Methods: This qualitative study was conducted from December 2020 to February 2021. Utilizing non-probability sampling technique 12 students from three dental colleges of Rawalpindi participated in the study. Three focus group interviews, each with four students were carried out. Data was transcribed verbatim and thematic analysis done.&#x0D; Result: The advantages include becoming a self-directed learner, ease and accessibility. The online teaching was perceived well and participants agreed it saved their time and enhanced time utility. However the challenges included technical issues, behavioral issues and learning compromised clinical skills. Students in their preclinical years were more satisfied with online teaching as compared to those in their clinical years.&#x0D; Conclusion: The present study support the use of online teaching and learning. This mode of teaching allowed the continuation of medical and dental education during these uncertain times. Hence rigorous effects be made to maximize the promising potential benefits of online teaching. Reevaluating the dental curriculum, by incorporating online teaching within traditional dental education will strengthen the curricula and enable future dentist to have an impact in the community.&#x0D; Keywords: COVID-19, Dental education, Dental students, Online teaching, Undergraduate