In-office distance learning for practitioners.

Area of Science:

• Dental Continuing Education
• Distance Learning Technologies
• Orthodontic Practice Management

Background:

• Orthodontic residents show comparable learning from recorded seminars followed by live discussion versus fully live sessions.
• Continuing education for practicing orthodontists often faces time and travel constraints.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the acceptability and perceived effectiveness of using recorded interactive seminars combined with videoconference follow-up discussions.
• To assess this blended learning model for in-office continuing education for orthodontists.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-three orthodontic practitioners participated in small groups.
• Participants viewed recorded interactive seminars and engaged in live discussions via video conference (WebEx/Elluminate).
• Feedback was collected using Likert scale ratings and open-ended responses.

Main Results:

• 22 out of 23 participants found the method enjoyable and effective, expressing a desire for future participation.
• All participants would recommend this learning modality to colleagues.
• Participant age and experience had minimal impact on their perceptions.

Conclusions:

• Recorded seminars with live videoconferencing are an acceptable and effective continuing education method for orthodontists in private practice.
• This model has the potential to reduce time and travel expenses associated with traditional continuing education.
• The findings support the integration of blended learning in orthodontic professional development.