Exploring predoctoral dental student use of YouTube as a learning tool for clinical endodontic procedures

Rubber Dam Isolation Survey among Dental Students in Al-Qassim University and How to Promote its Usage

Rubber dam isolation is crucial in dentistry, but its use varies among dental students. There is a need to assess their awareness, attitudes, and practices and find ways to promote its usage. To evaluate dental students' knowledge and practices regarding rubber dam isolation and identify barriers to its use. The study employed a cross-sectional design to assess dental students' knowledge and practices regarding rubber dam isolation. Data were collected from dental students at Al-Qassim University during the period from January to March 2023. A convenience sampling method was used, involving students from the third, fourth, and fifth academic years, with a total of 62 questionnaires distributed. A pre-tested questionnaire consisting of 11 closed-ended questions was used to collect data, and the analysis was performed using SPSS version 21, with results presented through descriptive statistics. Only 21% always used rubber dam for amalgam restorations, while 53.2% used it for composite restorations. Over 70% believed their education on rubber dam was adequate. The main barriers were difficulty (40.3%) and time constraints (53.2%). About 68% felt rubber dam should be mandatory for composite treatments. Dental students need more education and training to bridge the gap between knowledge and practice concerning rubber dam isolation. Implementing it can enhance the quality of dental care.

Qualitative Evaluation of YouTube Videos on Dental Fear, Anxiety and Phobia

The aim of this study was to review the health information of dental fear-, dental anxiety-, and dental phobia-related videos on YouTube. The 100 most widely viewed videos for the keywords "dental fear", "dental anxiety", and "dental phobia" were chosen for evaluation. Out of the 300 videos, 145 videos met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed. It was found that most of them were produced by the professions, with a dentist delivering the key messages or with patients giving testimonials. Many etiological factors and symptoms were described. Many pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions were recommended to the audience, such as sedation and distraction, respectively. However, there was a lack of information on the definition or diagnostic criteria of dental fear, dental anxiety, and dental phobia. Videos with high views had a higher ratio of misleading information. Videos with a dentist being the informant had a similar ratio of misleading information compared to other videos. Without adequate information on how to diagnose, it would be very difficult for the audience to determine if the video content was relevant or useful. The dental profession can work together with psychologists or psychiatrists to produce authoritative videos with accurate content.

Content Analysis of YouTube Videos on Radiographic Anatomy on Dental Panoramic Images

The radiographic anatomy on dental panoramic images is essential knowledge for proper diagnosis and treatment planning purposes. No prior study has examined the content of YouTube videos with regard to radiographic anatomy on panoramic radiography. The objective of this study was to provide a content analysis on these videos. The initial search string was: (panoramic anatomy). An additional search was performed with the search string: (OPG landmarks). By screening the resultant videos and their related videos (recommended by YouTube as a list on the right of the screen), a total of 62 videos were screened. Videos were excluded if they were irrelevant (e.g., focusing on radiographic errors without covering the anatomy), elaborating mainly with drawings without showing the landmarks on panoramic images, duplicate videos, and non-English speaking. Finally, 38 videos were included and analyzed. Most of them showed clear panoramic images and had clear tracing or delineation of the anatomical landmarks. On average, each video described 26 landmarks, including 12.3 from the midfacial region, 8.2 from the mandible, and 5.2 from soft tissue/air space/others. The videos were of good quality in general, with some frequent shortcomings being lack of visual aid with skull and schematic diagrams, and lack of discussion on clinical relevance. The maxillary sinus was the structure mostly involved in wrong information, particularly the wrong delineation of its posterior wall.

Content Analysis of YouTube Videos That Demonstrate Panoramic Radiography

In this digital era, dental students often search for online resources for self-directed learning. YouTube is one of the most commonly sought online platforms for educational or instructional videos. No prior study has examined the validity of panoramic radiography videos available on YouTube. This study provides a content analysis of these YouTube videos. A search for relevant YouTube videos was conducted in April 2022. The search string was: (panoramic OR pan OR OPG) AND (dental OR dentistry OR X-ray). The first 100 videos that resulted from the search and their related videos were screened. Exclusion criteria included irrelevance (e.g., no demonstration of panoramic radiography procedures) and non-English videos. For each included video, the following parameters were recorded: image receptor type, patient age, patient type (real patient, animation, or phantom head), patient preparation procedures, machine preparation, patient positioning, and operator safety. The number of views, comments, likes, and channel subscribers were recorded, as well as the video duration and the age of the video. Forty videos were included and analyzed. Most of the videos demonstrated digital panoramic radiography with an adult patient. Procedures on the patient and machine preparations as well as patient positioning were generally explained well. However, most videos did not well-demonstrate operator safety details concerning the use of adequate personal protective equipment. View count, comment count, and channel subscriber count positively correlated with the like count. Clinicians and students should carefully critique the content of such instructional videos and refer to the contents from other sources such as user manuals and latest recommendations from local authorities.