Utilizing Whiteboard Animated Videos in Biomedical Sciences: A Comparative Study Between Two Dental Schools

Health profession institutions increasingly invest in digital resources to enhance student learning, yet limited research on their usage leaves them without evidence-based implementation guidance. This retrospective study evaluated dental students' use of whiteboard animated videos as supplementary resources in biomedical sciences at the University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry ("Dugoni") and Western University of Health Sciences, College of Dental Medicine ("WUCDM").

Video usage data from Dugoni's class of 2023 (n = 137) and WUCDM's class of 2024 (n = 67) was analyzed over three academic years to identify patterns, including class-level frequency of "video watches," videos with the highest unique viewers, and those with the highest total watch counts. ANOVA tests assessed differences in average "video watches" per student across years at each institution.

Videos were frequently accessed during the first year but declined as students entered clinical training. At Dugoni, "video watches" decreased from 6489 in Year 1 to 640 in Year 2 and 1710 in Year 3. At WUCDM, "video watches" fell from 1021 in Year 1 to 328 in Year 2 and 210 in Year 3. ANOVA tests showed significant differences in average "video watches" per student between the first and subsequent years at Dugoni, while none were observed at WUCDM. Dugoni's more sustained usage likely reflected faculty integration into coursework.

The videos are most valuable in preclinical training, and faculty engagement is essential for optimizing their impact. These findings provide insights for institutions considering investments in digital learning resources.