Journal of dental education
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Dental students are future leaders of health care and the dental profession. The purpose of this study was to assess the interest in leadership development programs at the University of the Pacific Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry and compare the results with similar studies. ⋯ Following mentorship, small-group discussion (74 percent), public speaking (56 percent), dental society member mentorship (40 percent), panel discussions (39 percent), community outreach (39 percent), and capstone project (13 percent) followed in popularity. This study established a foundation to develop a pilot for the Dugoni Practical Leadership Initiative at Pacific based on the preferences of the participants in this survey. With more data and longitudinal studies, we will assess how these programs translate to leadership in dental school and after graduation.
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Over the past two decades, interest in dentistry in the United States has shown a steady period of growth. There were 12,210 individuals who applied to the 2009 entering class of U. S. dental schools. ⋯ While the 2009 underrepresented minority applicants comprised 12 percent of both the applicant and first-time enrollee pools, the percentage of underrepresented minority enrollees of underrepresented minority applicants decreased from 2008. Seventy-one percent of enrollees earned a baccalaureate degree in biological science or chemistry/physical science. Regardless of major fields of study, the percent rates of enrollment generally exceeded 32 percent.
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Comparative Study
Comparative use of podcasts vs. lecture transcripts as learning aids for dental students.
The purpose of this project was to describe dental students' use of lecture podcasts versus written lecture transcripts as learning aids under three different circumstances: studying for an exam, reviewing an attended lecture, and reviewing a missed lecture. Additional analyses were performed to see whether demographic differences (e.g., age, gender, language skills, and computer skills) or grade differences were associated with preferences for using podcast versus written lecture transcripts of class notes. ⋯ The major findings were that 1) a high percentage of students (70-92 percent) used one or both aids in all three utilization circumstances with a consistent preference for podcast use, especially when reviewing a missed lecture; 2) course grades were not associated with the preferred use of either lecture aid; and 3) over half the students listened to the podcasts at speeds that were one and one-half or two times faster than normal speech, especially younger students. Further studies are warranted to delve into the current student generation's preferred learning styles and the resultant learning outcomes associated with those preferences.
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The purpose of this report is to describe the rationale and subsequent transition of a pharmacology course for dental students from a traditional face-to-face lecture format to online delivery using a course management system (CMS). A dental school faculty member with dental and pharmacology degrees and a Ph. D. was asked to serve as course director and to develop and implement a nontraditional course using the Blackboard CMS technology, which houses asynchronous course content materials, study guides, and online resource materials. ⋯ In a comparison of overall course grades from the previous year, student performance in this course was much stronger. As a result of student feedback seeking more interaction with the course director, it was determined that the next time the course is offered there will be additional opportunities for greater face-to-face time with the instructor. Ongoing evaluation will be important as new teaching technologies emerge and are adopted for teaching and learning.
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Controlled Clinical Trial
Oral health promotion through an online training program for medical students.
The objective of this study was to compare the impact on knowledge and counseling skills of face-to-face and Internet-based oral health training programs on medical students. Participants consisted of 148 (82 percent) of the 180 invited students attending their fifth academic year at the Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brasil, in 2007. The interventions took place during a three-month training period in the clinical Center for Health Promotion, which comprised part of a clerkship in Internal Medicine. ⋯ Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to identify the odds ratios of scoring above Control's medians on the final assessment and the OSCE. In the results, Cy+C performed significantly better than Control on both the final assessment (OR 9.4; 95% CI 2.7-32.8) and the OSCE (OR 5.6; 95% CI 1.9-16.3) and outperformed all the other groups. The Cy+C group showed the most significant increase in knowledge and the best skills in asking and counseling about oral health.