Addressing Perceived Barriers to Achieving Competency in Clinical Endodontics: A Mixed-Methods Study

The aim of this study was to assess predoctoral dental students' satisfaction with faculty-created educational content, aimed at reducing perceived barriers to achieving clinical competency in endodontics.

This mixed-methods study was conducted with third (D3)- and fourth (D4)-year dental students at New York University College of Dentistry. Focus groups were held to collect qualitative data after initial drafts of clinical instructional videos were made. Surveys were then sent to four randomized groups of D3 and D4 students to collect quantitative data regarding satisfaction with final versions of the instructional videos.

Qualitative data indicated that D3 and D4 students valued different things when evaluating the instructional videos. D3 students were likely to express positive feedback about background information and the explanation of fundamental concepts. Alternatively, D4 students were more likely to express positive feedback about the enhanced visualization that filming through the clinical operating microscopes afforded. Both groups were adept at pointing out inconsistencies between the presented video content and their formal, didactic curriculum. Quantitative data indicated that all respondents (100%) would be willing to watch these videos if they were integrated into their dental school curriculum. Student respondents indicated relatively equal preferences between having the videos published on YouTube/social media (51%) or on an NYU-affiliated platform (49%).

Students expressed satisfaction with faculty-created educational videos, with D3 and D4 students valuing different aspects of the content. Partnering with dental students helps ensure that created content is reflective of students' curriculum and responsive to their preferred learning styles.