Effectiveness of a program on evidence-based dentistry in dental students

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Evidence-Based Dentistry

Background:

• Evidence-based dentistry (EBD) integrates scientific evidence, clinical expertise, and patient preferences for optimal oral healthcare.
• Assessing the impact of educational interventions on EBD knowledge and attitudes is crucial for advancing dental practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a community-dentistry course education program in enhancing dental students' knowledge and attitudes regarding EBD.
• To measure changes in actual knowledge, self-assessed knowledge, and attitudes before and after the EBD educational intervention.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental study design with 64 senior dental students, randomized into intervention (32) and control (32) groups.
• A 40-item questionnaire, validated for reliability and content, assessed knowledge and attitudes.
• Paired t-tests and independent t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-intervention scores between groups using SPSS v.20.

Main Results:

• No significant baseline differences in knowledge or attitudes were observed between the intervention and control groups (P > 0.05).
• The intervention group demonstrated statistically significant improvements in actual knowledge, self-assessed knowledge, and attitudes post-education (P < 0.001).
• The educational intervention showed substantial effect sizes (86%, 62%, 57%) in the measured domains.

Conclusions:

• The EBD education program effectively improved dental students' knowledge and attitudes.
• The findings suggest the program's value in fostering evidence-based practice among future dentists.
• Further research should explore the long-term impact and clinical performance outcomes.