Assessing Learning in a Card Game Used in Predoctoral Orthodontics

Dealodontics, an original learning card game, supports skills in predoctoral orthodontics. The purpose of this study was to assess the pre-posttest learning effect from gameplay compared to a control group and to characterize the effect size.

This study was exempted by the New York University (NYU) Institutional Review Board (FY2021-5698). In Academic Year (AY) 2022-2023, second-year dental (D2) students enrolled in a Predoctoral Orthodontics Lab Session at NYU College of Dentistry were assigned into two groups: Control (N = 70) received a PowerPoint lesson, and Game (N = 139) played Dealodontics. Groups received identical pre- and post-tests with 14 questions. In AY 2023-2024, D2 students were assigned to only one group: Game (N = 139) received 28 identical pre- and post-test questions. The analysis included t-tests, and effect size based on pre-posttest differences.

In AY 2022-2023, Control and Game groups demonstrated pre-posttest learning gains: Control (0.39, standard deviation [SD] = 2.00, p = 0.10) and Game (1.0, SD = 1.95, p ≤ 0.0001). The difference in pre-posttest effects between groups was 0.65 (p = 0.03), favoring the Game.  In AY 2023-2024, Game pre-posttest results were positive (2.77, SD = 4.36, p ≤ 0.0001), with a medium to large effect size (d = 0.64).

In contrast to the Control group, students who played Dealodontics consistently demonstrated significant pre-posttest learning gains with a medium-large effect size. This study supports the use of the learning card game Dealodontics in the curriculum.