Developing and implementing a teledentistry educational model in a predoctoral dental program

Abstract

Objectives: Teledentistry (TD) education has become essential to ensure that future dentists acquire the requisite competencies to navigate the evolving landscape of dental care. However, there is a dearth of comprehensive prior research that outlines a specific pedagogy for integrating TD education and training into the predoctoral dental curriculum. This article describes the development and implementation of an innovative TD educational model for predoctoral dental students.

Methods: The dental public health course for fourth and fifth-year students was redesigned to include a TD educational model, comprising four components: foundational knowledge and case discussions, critical thinking activities, designing TD programs, and hands-on and field training. Student feedback was gathered through a questionnaire.

Results: Out of 47 students enrolled in the course, 39 responded to the questionnaire. The feedback was predominantly positive, with most students expressing satisfaction with the instructor's performance, particularly in providing adequate help and feedback. Students felt the TD sessions gave them a solid foundational understanding of TD and helped them grasp its various modalities. However, some students desired more hands-on clinical training and faced time constraints that affected their ability to fully understand the material and complete assignments.

Conclusions: Integrating the TD educational model into the predoctoral dental curriculum has significantly improved the learning experience. This model has equipped students with essential practical and hands-on TD experience, preparing them for the dynamic field of dental practice and enabling them to meet the diverse needs of patients in various settings.

Keywords: access to care; curriculum; dental education; dental public health; information technology; teledentistry.