Enhancing Dental Education: Impact of Remote Teaching on Dental Students' Academic Performance in Orthodontics-A Pilot Study

Abstract

Objective: Remote teaching strategies have been widely adapted in recent years but their impact on dental students' learning outcomes is less well understood. The aim of this mixed-method pilot study was to examine the impact of remote teaching on undergraduate dental student's learning outcome as assessed by examination performance and student feedback in an orthodontics course.

Methods: Out of the lectures (19 in total), 10 were delivered remotely (live online lecture or video recording) and 9 as traditional classroom teaching in 2023. The course examination, completed by 47 of the 48 course participants, consisted of 38 single best answer multiple choice questions with 2 questions dedicated to each lecture topic.

Results: The average lecture attendance was 83% of the students enrolled in the course. Statistical analysis revealed no significant association between examination scores and the mode of teaching or the mandatory nature of the lecture (r_s = -0.022, p = .897 and r_s = -0.048, p = .773, respectively). However, individual students' examination scores correlated positively with the frequency of lecture attendance (r_s = 0.416, p = .004). Students' preferences were in favor of blended learning approach, although notable individual differences in opinions were observed in the feedback received.

Conclusion: The findings of this study support the hypothesis that remote teaching generates an equally good learning outcome in orthodontics as classroom lectures, as reflected by examination performance.

Keywords: dental education; distance learning; orthodontics.

Figure 1.

Lecture attendance for the 48 students. *Compulsory lecture. #Remote lecture.

Figure 2.

Number of students (out of 48) with a correct answer on both examination questions by lecture. *Compulsory lecture. #Remote lecture.