Application of online learning combined with case-based discussion in oral medicine education

During the past decades, the rapid development of modern teaching tools and methods has been observed, and the new teaching module constructed through digitization or networking has been widely used in the field of medical education. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and acceptability of the online learning combined with case-based discussion (CBD) approach in oral medicine education.

Sixty senior students majoring in stomatology were randomly divided into two groups. One group (new module-based teaching group [NG], n = 30) watched an online teaching video and discussed clinical cases in groups. The control group (traditional lecture-based group [TG], n = 30) was assigned to the traditional lecture-based teaching. Subsequently, a theory assessment was conducted on the topics taught, and the scores of both groups were compared. Feedback about this teaching model was obtained from the NG.

The results showed that students in the NG had significantly better performance in terms of mastering professional knowledge than did students in the TG. Moreover, most students in the NG had a high degree of satisfaction with this new teaching method, as they agreed that it can mobilize their learning enthusiasm and promote their engagement, interaction, and cooperation in the learning of oral medicine.

Our findings indicate the effectiveness and high satisfaction of CBD combined with online learning in the teaching of oral medicine. This study is expected to provide new ideas for improving the dental teaching quality.