Internet usage among dental students in north India

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Digital Health Literacy

Background:

• The internet offers vast resources for dental education.
• Understanding student internet usage is crucial for integrating digital tools in dental schools.
• Limited data exists on Indian dental students' internet utilization for academic purposes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate internet usage patterns among undergraduate dental students in northern India.
• To assess dental students' attitudes towards internet use.
• To compare internet utilization for academic purposes with Western counterparts.

Main Methods:

• A specially designed, self-administered questionnaire was used.
• All undergraduate students from two dental schools in northern India participated.
• Data on internet access, usage for academic purposes, and information accessibility were collected.

Main Results:

• 88.84% of students used the internet.
• Only 44% of internet users accessed it for academic purposes.
• 75.7% found dental information easily accessible online, while 24.3% reported difficulties.

Conclusions:

• A majority of Indian dental students use the internet, but academic engagement is lower than in Western countries.
• While dental information is largely accessible, there's a gap in leveraging the internet for formal education.
• Future interventions should focus on enhancing academic internet utilization among dental students in India.