Evaluating digital resources as a supplement to traditional anatomy teaching in dental education

Oral macroscopic anatomy forms a core component of dental education, requiring both detailed factual knowledge and the ability to recognize complex three-dimensional structures. This study evaluated whether structured digital learning supplements, introduced alongside traditional teaching, improved short-term learning outcomes and long-term knowledge retention among dental students.

Four student cohorts from the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Oslo, were included. Two earlier cohorts (2016 and 2017; n = 96) received traditional anatomy teaching, while two later cohorts (2018 and 2019; n = 98) also had access to structured digital supplements, including lecture recordings, stepwise digital model presentations, an animated osteology key, and high-resolution images of dissected specimens. Performance was assessed during the second-year practical examination and re-evaluated 2.5 years later during the fifth-year dissection course. Logistic regression mixed-effects models were used to compare outcomes between teaching approaches, and surveys captured student perceptions of the digital resources.

Students with access to digital supplements achieved markedly higher scores in the second-year practical examination across osteology and macroscopic anatomy tasks. This performance advantage persisted 2.5 years later during the fifth-year dissection course, indicating enhanced long-term retention. Survey data showed extensive use of digital materials during the second year, with students reporting that the resources improved their understanding and supported examination preparation. Although overall use declined by the fifth year, many students revisited the digital resources when they needed repetition in preparation for clinical activities, such as surgical procedures.

Structured digital supplements meaningfully enhanced traditional teaching in oral macroscopic anatomy, improving initial learning outcomes and supporting retention well into clinical training. Digital tools provided flexible, self-paced opportunities for repetition and active recall, while hands-on work with physical models and specimens remained essential. These findings support a blended learning approach in which digital resources complement, but do not replace, practical anatomy teaching.