Evaluation of resources for an interactive infection control instructional program

Area of Science:

• Dental Hygiene Education
• Infection Control Instruction
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Effective infection control education is crucial for dental hygiene students.
• Traditional methods may not fully engage all learners.
• Developing interactive and adaptable learning resources is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess educational resources for an interactive infection control program.
• To evaluate the program's impact on first and second-year dental hygiene students.
• To gather student feedback on learning modalities.

Main Methods:

• An educator's toolkit facilitated the creation of online and interactive learning modules.
• Descriptive statistics analyzed post-instruction opinion survey data.
• A 5-point Likert-type scale measured student perceptions.

Main Results:

• High student confidence in understanding infection control (92-100%) and clinic preparedness (96-100%).
• Students appreciated self-paced learning (88-100%).
• First-year students favored online components; second-year students preferred the interactive workshop, with mixed engagement with online videos.

Conclusions:

• The study details the development and implementation of an infection control program at one institution.
• The program utilized an educator's toolkit to create diverse learning experiences.
• Findings highlight student preferences for interactive and self-paced learning in infection control education.