Bridging the gap: a card-based pharmacology resource to support prescribing in undergraduate dental clinical training

In dentistry, pharmacology is usually taught during early undergraduate training, whereas prescribing decisions are mainly required later during clinical practice. This temporal gap may hinder the transfer of pharmacological knowledge to patient care and contribute to low prescribing confidence among dental students. Educational strategies that provide concise, point-of-care support may help address this challenge.

A descriptive educational study using a cross-sectional survey design was conducted during undergraduate dental clinical rotations. A visual, card-based pharmacology resource based on microlearning and just-in-time learning principles (Odontomecum in Cards) was implemented in the clinical setting. An anonymous online survey explored students' perceptions of the resource, including self-reported confidence in pharmacological prescribing before and after use, perceived usefulness, usability, acceptability, and qualitative feedback.

A total of 100 undergraduate dental students (39 fourth-year and 61 fifth-year) completed the survey. Self-reported confidence in pharmacological prescribing was higher after use of the cards in the overall sample and in both academic years. Students reported high perceived usefulness and ease of use of the resource in the clinical setting, and most indicated that they would recommend it to peers. Qualitative feedback emphasized the practicality of the cards and suggested improvements mainly related to accessibility and format.

A visual, card-based pharmacology resource integrated into dental clinical training was well accepted by students and associated with increased perceived confidence in prescribing. These findings support the potential value of microlearning and just-in-time educational approaches in dental pharmacology education.