The efficacy of practical participation in undergraduate dental education

Clinical experience improves academic outcomes in dental Oral surgery education

INTRODUCTION

This paper aimed to determine if the level of a dental student's clinical experience in oral surgery influences the student's oral surgery academic outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The oral surgery clinical activity and academic outcomes for all students who completed their dental training in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 from the University of Sydney were analysed for correlation.

RESULTS

The clinical activity performed by 313 students was recorded. There was a weak, but statistically significant, Pearson correlation between total dental extractions and academic outcomes (r = .243, p = <.001). The total number of dental extractions performed was the only statistically significant variable on academic outcomes with linear regression analysis (β = .227, p = .005; model R2  = .077). The increase of a student's clinical experience from less than 45 to more than 65 dental extractions raised their oral surgery academic results by an average of 6.4%. There were no academic benefits to earlier clinical experience.

CONCLUSION

An increase in experience with dental extractions resulted in an increase in oral surgery academic outcomes, plateauing at 65 dental extractions. There was no academic advantage to dental student's having earlier clinical experience.

Implications of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Mental Health and Professional Psychomotor Skills of Dental Students

Purpose

To estimate dental students’ self-perception of mental well-being (MWB) and its effects on their clinical psychomotor skills (CPS) once they (or their family members) get infected with COVID-19.

Materials and Methods

This is a cross-sectional (n =268) study from a public dental college in Riyadh. We collected data on MWB and CPS. An 18-item online survey was used to collect the responses from the participants. The inter-rater reliability for the finalised survey came out to be 0.86.

Results

The participants (54.3%) who were infected with COVID-19 recorded that their CPS were significantly affected (almost 4 times higher) as compared to others (OR= 4.02; P=0.0004). However, 42.2% reported infection control measures at clinics resulted in bringing significant (OR=2.22, P=0.04) psychological upsets, for those who were infected with COVID-19. Participants (45.1%) also reported that they have difficulty in recalling old memories or information due to the COVID-19 pandemic; among them, 46.7% were the ones who (and/or any family member) were exposed to COVID-19.

Conclusion

The study spotlighted the extent of dental students’ MWB and its significant effect on their CPS once (themselves or a family member) infected with COVID-19. Moreover, levels of infection control measures at clinics resulted in psychological upsets for dental students.

Clinical Significance

The issue is fundamental as participants enter the clinical workforce and face the ever-increasing demands of dental practice.