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Dental Students' Perceptions of Standardized Patient Experiences Conducted Virtually: A Multi-Year Qualitative Study
Jhanvi P Desai1, Michelle R McQuistan1, Lance Brendan Young1
1Department of Preventive and Community Dentistry, The University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa, USA.
Purpose:
As teledentistry becomes more common, it is important for students to develop skills in communicating with patients virtually. This study investigated students' individual communication perceptions and preferences compared to in-person sessions of participating in standardized patient (SP) exercises in a virtual medium.
Methods:
Between 2020 and 2022, first-, second-, and third-year dental students completed virtual SP visits followed by a written reflection. The authors qualitatively content analyzed these assignments by first identifying discrete statements describing the impact of the virtual medium on students' preferences, and then using a grounded-theory constant comparative approach to identify emergent themes and subthemes. Themes were subsequently coded for valence (positive vs. negative).
Results:
The 485 written reflection assignments by 248 unique students yielded 189 statements for analysis. Three broad themes were identified: overall perceptions of the virtual medium, perceptions of the virtual medium's influence on students' thoughts, and perceptions of the virtual medium's influence on students' performance. Within these categories, nine subthemes were identified, of which three had a negative valence and six had a positive valence. The students reported mixed perceptions. A majority preferred in-person experiences due to increased cognitive load associated with unfamiliarity with technology and multitasking while conducting the virtual exercise. A minority of students found the virtual experience enjoyable with reduced anxiety and an opportunity to broaden their communication skills.
Conclusions:
By anticipating and addressing student concerns proactively, and by emphasizing the value of developing teledentistry skills, instructors can help their students better understand and embrace the benefits of virtual SP training.
