Dental Students' Knowledge, Attitude, and Confidence toward Evidence-based Dentistry: A 5-year Retrospective Study.

AIM: The purpose was to assess dental students' knowledge, attitude, and confidence toward evidence-based dentistry in five graduating Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) classes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All dental students (class of 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023) enrolled in the D3 research design course were required to take a pre-Knowledge, Attitude, and Confidence in Evidence-based Dentistry (KACE) survey. On completion of the 11-week course, a post-KACE survey was distributed to compare the differences in the three domains of evidence-based dentistry (EBD). For the knowledge domain, the responses from the 10 questions were converted to either correct (1) or wrong (0) so that the compiled scores could range from 0 to 10. The attitudes and confidence domains used a five-point Likert scale. The compiled attitude score was a sum of the responses from 10 questions yielding a range from 10 to 50. For confidence, the compiled score ranged from 6 to 30. RESULTS: The mean knowledge scores of all classes together before and after training were 2.7 and 4.4, respectively. Overall, there was a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-knowledge indicating an improvement in knowledge associated with the training (p < 0.001). The mean attitudes of all classes together before and after the training were 35.3 and 37.2, respectively. Overall, there was a statistically significant improvement in attitude (p < 0.001). The values of mean confidence of all classes together before and after the training were 15.3 and 19.5, respectively. Overall, there was a statistically significant improvement in confidence (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A dental curriculum emphasizing Evidence-based practice (EBD) resulted in increased knowledge acquisition, improved attitude, and confidence toward EBD of dental students. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Educational initiatives emphasizing evidence-based dentistry increase students' knowledge acquisition, improved attitude, and confidence toward EBD that may also translate to active implementation of EBD in their future practices.

Grand rounds for dental students: an exploration.

Grand Rounds are widely used in medicine for educating students comprehensively about clinical issues. The aim of this study was to explore the value of Grand Rounds for introducing first- (D1) and second-year (D2) dental students to an interdisciplinary approach to dental care. The objectives were to explore how interested students were in various topics, which topics they would like to see addressed in future sessions, which aspects they liked/disliked, how they evaluated the program components, and how they evaluated the outcomes. Data were collected from D1s at the end of the Year 1 fall term and from D1s and D2s at the beginning and end of the Year 1 winter term and at the end of Year 2. Response rates for most of the groups ranged from 88% to 100%, but response rates for surveys at the end of the study period fell to 40% and 32%. The results showed that the students were most interested in clinical topics that were presented in an interdisciplinary way. Their suggested topics ranged from specialty-specific issues to treatment-related topics such as implants and cosmetic dentistry. The open-ended responses showed that students liked learning differing perspectives on these topics, but disliked the course-related assignments and the preparation work in small groups. The closed-ended responses showed that the students appreciated the in-class presentations by experts and evaluated the course as helpful in informing them about the complexity of issues and the importance of the interplay between basic and clinical sciences. Educating future dentists in a way in which they embrace interdisciplinary approaches is challenging. Using the Grand Rounds concept could be one approach to increasing students' awareness of the importance of interdisciplinary work.

Implementation of a new advanced graduate education program in oral implantology.

The academic program for the Harvard School of Dental Medicine's Advanced Graduate Program in Oral Implantology is based on scientific evidence applied to educational quality, translational research, patient care, and service. The objective of the program is to enable highly motivated individuals with proven scholarship and excellence in patient care to achieve academic leadership in the clinical and scientific fields of implant dentistry and tissue regeneration. A detailed curriculum describing the academic program, as well as a business plan (which included a management plan describing the organizational structure, financial implications, and market forces) and implementation and communication plans, were developed before moving forward. With careful academic and business planning, the result was a vibrant implant program, in which all placements and restorations of implants are coordinated with regard to practice management. The program is integrated into the existing clinical care model and has been financially self-sustaining from its inception. Six students have participated in the last two years. On average, each student performed seventy-nine procedures on twenty-nine patients, generating over $46,000 in production. The curriculum includes didactics, hands-on clinical learning, and research activities. Research is a critical component as well. The results demonstrate that the time taken to develop a detailed curriculum and business plan for a new academic program, which anticipated and resolved potential barriers to success, was instrumental in the successful implementation of an oral implantology residency program.

La investigación en pregrado: diseño de una propuesta para su inserción en el plan de estudios de odontología / The undergraduate research: designing a proposal for insertion into the dental curriculum

Diseñar una propuesta que permita a los estudiantes del primer año de Odontología de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, aproximarse al quehacer investigativo a través de la elaboración de una revisión bibliográfica sustentada en el análisis de evidencia, en el marco de los objetivos programáticos de la asignatura "Bioquímica" para el período lectivo 2008-2009. Proyecto factible en el que se definen las estrategias para la incorporación al proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de asignatura "Bioquímica", conocimientos sobre búsqueda, valoración y uso de evidencia, y en el que se establecen además las pautas metodológicas para la realización de un trabajo de investigación documental por parte de los estudiantes que cursan dicha materia.Se formuló la propuesta mediante la definición de los objetivos, el planteamiento de la justificación, el análisis de la factibilidad en términos de los recursos humanos y tecnológicos disponibles, y la descripción de las fases de implementación del proyecto con su respectivo cronograma de ejecución. Son muchas las iniciativas que en distintas regiones del planeta intentan dar un nuevo enfoque a la educación odontológica, para adaptar la práctica profesional a las necesidades de la sociedad contemporánea. Los pilares de esta reforma del currículo son la investigación y la Odontología Basada en Evidencia. La primera, contribuiría al desarrollo de competencias centrales tales como el pensamiento crítico, el trabajo en equipo, la ética y la responsabilidad social. La segunda, permitiría la integración de dichas competencias a la toma de decisiones en los distintos niveles de las instituciones prestadoras de servicios odontológicos y de salud en general

To design a proposal that allow first-year students of Dentistry from the Universidad Central de Venezuela, an approach to research activities through the development of a literature review based on analysis of evidence, within the framework of the program's objectives of the subject "Biochemistry" for the school period 2008-2009.Feasible project in which are defined strategies for the incorporation to the teaching/learning process of the subject "Biochemistry", knowledge about search, valuation and use of evidence, and in addition has settled the methodological guidelines for conducting of a documentary research work by students studying this subject. The proposal was made by defining of the objectives, the approach of the justification, the analysis of the feasibility in terms of human and technological resources available, and the description of the stages of the project implementation with their execution schedule.There are many initiatives across the globe attempting to give a new approach to dental education, for adapt the professional practice to the needs of the contemporary society. The pillars of this reform of the curricula are the research and the Evidence-Based Dentistry. The first will contribute to the development of core competencies such as critical thinking, teamwork, ethics and social responsibility. The second will allow the integration of these competencies to the decision making at various levels of the institutions providing dental services and general health

"Providers practice prevention": promoting dental hygienists' use of evidence-based treatment of tobacco use and dependence.

High rates of tobacco use prompted the development of a provider education program in Kentucky to promote implementation of evidence-based tobacco cessation treatment among registered dental hygienists (R.D.H.s). All R.D.H.s throughout the state were notified of the program and invited to participate. Participants were asked to complete a pre-program survey and post-program evaluation. A follow-up survey was administered one year following program participation. Two hundred and ninety-four R.D.H.s completed the pre- and post-program surveys, and the follow-up survey was completed by 53 percent (N=156) of the initial sample. Analyses exploring the immediate effect (from pre- to post-program) found the program to have had a universally positive impact (p<.05) across knowledge, attitudes, and intended clinical practices regarding tobacco use and treatment. Regarding the program's durable effects (from pre-program to follow-up), statistically significant (p<.05) and positive effects were realized for most of the outcomes, including subjective knowledge, attitudes, and practices. It was concluded that the program serves as an effective introduction to the Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: Clinical Practice Guideline. Additional intervention might enhance the durability of the program's efficacy and promote more complete adoption of evidence-based tobacco cessation strategies by dental hygienists, leading to an even broader impact on cancer prevention and control of tobacco-related malignancy.