Performance of undergraduate dental students on ICDAS clinical caries detection after different learning strategies

AIM This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a digital learning tool on undergraduate dental students' performance in detecting dental caries using ICDAS. METHODS An experimental digital learning tool (DLT) was created using digital photographs of sound and carious teeth. Thirty-nine students were divided into three groups (n = 13) and each assessed 12 randomly allocated patients before and after learning strategies: G1, ICDAS e-learning program; G2, ICDAS e-learning program plus DLT; G3, no learning strategy. Students (n = 32) reassessed patients 2 weeks after training. RESULTS Comparing before and after the learning strategies, any difference in the values of specificity and area under the ROC curve for all groups was found. Sensitivity was statistically significantly higher for G1 and G2. Comparing the groups, G2 showed a significant increase in sensitivity at the D2 and D3 thresholds. Spearman's correlations with the gold standard before and after the learning strategy were 0.60 and 0.61 for G1, 0.57 and 0.63 for G2, and 0.54 and 0.54 for G3, respectively. The Wilcoxon test showed a statistically significant difference between the values obtained before and after learning strategies for G1 and G2. CONCLUSIONS Use of the DLT after the ICDAS e-learning program tended to increase the sensitivity of ICDAS used by undergraduate dental students. The DLT appeared to improve dental students' ability to use ICDAS.

Defining Goals and Learning Objectives for a Longitudinal Clerkship in the Complex Context of Health Care

In autumn 2007 the Swiss Medical School of Berne (Switzerland) implemented mandatory short-term clerkships in primary health care for all undergraduate medical students. Students studying for a Bachelor degree complete 8 half-days per year in the office of a general practitioner, while students studying for a Masters complete a three-week clerkship. Every student completes his clerkships in the same GP office during his four years of study. The purpose of this paper is to show how the goals and learning objectives were developed and evaluated. Method:A working group of general practitioners and faculty had the task of defining goals and learning objectives for a specific training program within the complex context of primary health care. The group based its work on various national and international publications. An evaluation of the program, a list of minimum requirements for the clerkships, an oral exam in the first year and an OSCE assignment in the third year assessed achievement of the learning objectives. Results: The findings present the goals and principal learning objectives for these clerkships, the results of the evaluation and the achievement of minimum requirements. Most of the defined learning objectives were taught and duly learned by students. Some learning objectives proved to be incompatible in the context of ambulatory primary care and had to be adjusted accordingly. Discussion: The learning objectives were evaluated and adapted to address students’ and teachers’ needs and the requirements of the medical school. The achievement of minimum requirements (and hence of the learning objectives) for clerkships has been mandatory since 2008. Further evaluations will show whether additional learning objectives need to be adopte