Preferred Learning Styles of Dental Students in Madinah, Saudi Arabia: Bridging the Gender Gap

Analysis of different factors on dental students' perception of a flipped classroom model: A 6-year follow-up study

INTRODUCTION

To evaluate different factors affecting two different cohorts of dental students' perceptions with the flipped classroom (FC) model in a preclinical dental course over six years.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In 2016 (cohort #1) and 2022 (cohort #2), second-year dental students participated in FC model in a preclinical dental course consisting of pre-class recorded videos and lectures along with classroom interactive exercises. Students then completed an anonymous pen-and-paper survey evaluating three factors influencing students' overall study experience with the FC model. Survey responses from cohort #1 and cohort #2 were compared to assess the effect of generation, student demographics and COVID-19 pandemic on students' perceptions.

RESULTS

When asked to rate the FC experience out of 5, the mean ratings of cohort #1 and cohort #2 were 4.3 (±0.9) and 4.0 (±0.8), respectively. Cohort #2 preferred viewing slides and videos prior to class and had a higher agreement that pre-class course materials were beneficial to class preparation. Conversely, cohort #1 had a higher agreement that in-class discussion and exercises helped them to learn course content. From cohort #2, 88.6% of males and 71.6% of females preferred the FC approach over traditional lecture.

CONCLUSION

Both cohorts reported positively with the FC model of teaching. Cohort #2 had higher positive reports with the pre-class work and cohort #1 had a higher positive report with in-class work. Course design should reflect the students' points of view and learning perspectives with careful consideration of the student population in the classroom.

Situational simulation teaching effectively improves dental students' non-operational clinical competency and objective structured clinical examination performance

BACKGROUND

Appropriate communication with dental patients enhances treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction. Implementing simulated patient interviews courses can improve patient-centered care and reduce conflict during clerkship training. Therefore, this study explored the relationship among student participation in a situational simulation course (SSC), academic performance, clerkship performance, and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) performance.

METHODS

This study was conducted with a sample of fifth-year dental students undergoing clerkship training. After implementing a situational simulation course to investigate the relationship among participation in SSC, academic performance, clerkship performance, and OSCE performance, a path analysis model was developed and tested.

RESULTS

Eighty-seven fifth-year dental students were eligible for the SSC, and most (n = 70, 80.46%) volunteered to participate. The path analysis model revealed that academic performance had a direct effect on OSCE performance (β = 0.281, P = 0.003) and clerkship performance (β = 0.441, P < 0.001). In addition, SSC teaching had a direct effect on OSCE performance (β = 0.356, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

SSCs can enhance dental students' non-operational clinical competency and OSCE performance effectively. Simulated patient encounters with feedback, incorporated into the dental curricula, have led to improved communication. Based on our findings, we suggest implementing SSC teaching before the OSCE to improve communication and cognitive skills.

Body painting, ultrasound, clinical examination, and peer-teaching: A student-centered approach to enhance musculoskeletal anatomy learning

The presented course, established 2016 as a compulsory elective for 22nd-year bachelor medical students, aimed to enhance deep learning of upper and lower limb anatomy from a clinical perspective by a maximum of student-centered activities combining hands-on skills training with team-learning. Three cohorts (in total 60 students) participated in this study. Students rotated through body painting, ultrasound, and clinical investigation supervised by faculty or an experienced clinician. Teams of 3-4 students prepared presentations on clinical anatomy and pathological conditions, which by teacher- and peer assessments on average achieved >85% (mean 17.8/20 points ± 1.06). After each activity session, the students reported their learning experience through a reflective diary. Fifty students (83%) evaluated the course by a voluntary anonymous questionnaire combining Likert-type scale and free-text questions to assess, predominantly, perception of course activities and their perceived influence on learning anatomy. Journal reports and questionnaires revealed that the students highly valued the course, and 92% (29 females, 17 males) rated group work satisfying or well-perceived. The highest appreciation achieved ultrasound followed by clinical examination and body painting, which one third proposed to integrate into the regular dissection course. All students recommended the course to their younger peers. This course was feasible to integrate in the pre-existing curriculum. Limiting factors to offer this elective course to more students are availability of clinical teachers, technical equipment, and education rooms. Being student-directed tasks, body painting and reflective diary-writing would be feasible to implement without additional faculty, which we recommend to educators for student engagement activation.