Assessment of the Need for Designing an Interactive Educational Tool on Exophytic Lesions of the Oral Mucosa

Introduction This study sought to evaluate the necessity of creating an interactive educational resource for instructing dental students on oral exophytic lesions. It also aimed to determine the validity and reliability of a questionnaire designed to assess the quality of educational software tailored to these lesions. Materials and methods This descriptive cross-sectional study involved 102 dental students from Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Iran, who had completed the theoretical course on oral exophytic lesions. A paper questionnaire, including 23 items, assessed their clinical knowledge, the efficacy and limitations of existing educational resources, and the need for interactive electronic courseware (e-courseware). The questionnaire's validity and reliability were evaluated through expert feedback and statistical measures (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha). Results Students' answers to the seven items about evaluating their clinical diagnosis knowledge of oral exophytic lesions were between four and five items correct on average. This finding indicated that students' overall skill in diagnosing exophytic lesions was poor to moderate. The study highlighted a moderate level of self-assessed clinical ability in diagnosing oral exophytic lesions among students (62.7%), with a preference for textbooks and color atlases as primary information sources. The disadvantages of existing electronic resources were noted, alongside a strong student consensus (88.23%) on the need for interactive e-courseware featuring comprehensive, visually engaging content for differential diagnosis education. The reliability and validity analyses of the questionnaire underscored its appropriateness for assessing educational needs. In this regard, ICC for the usability of scientific context, training ability, and interaction was 0.92, 0.73, and 0.82, respectively. Also, Cronbach's alpha score was at 0.90. Conclusion The research underscores a significant gap in dental students' knowledge and diagnostic skills regarding oral exophytic lesions. It emphasizes the critical need for an innovative, interactive educational tool that aligns with contemporary students' digital learning preferences. The envisioned e-courseware would facilitate self-learning and address current resources' limitations, potentially transforming dental education by enhancing clinical diagnostic skills through accessible, effective, and engaging digital content.