Undergraduate Dental Students' Perceptions and Confidence Following a High-Fidelity ICU Simulation in Hospital...

Hospital Dentistry plays an important role in the prevention and management of oral complications among hospitalised and critically ill patients. However, undergraduate exposure to hospital-based dental care remains limited in many dental schools. High-fidelity simulation has emerged as a promising educational strategy for providing experiential learning opportunities in complex clinical environments.

To explore undergraduate dental students' perceptions, confidence, and acceptability regarding a high-fidelity simulation experience focused on oral care for critically ill patients in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) setting.

This cross-sectional pilot study included 45 final-year dental students who participated in a high-fidelity ICU simulation. The educational activity lasted approximately 3 h and included pre-briefing, simulation, and debriefing phases. Students worked in pairs within small groups and actively performed oral hygiene procedures on a simulated intubated patient. Following the activity, participants completed an anonymous questionnaire consisting of nine Likert-scale items and two open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise quantitative data. Internal consistency of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Responses to open-ended questions were analysed using thematic analysis.

Students reported highly positive perceptions regarding the simulation experience. The highest levels of agreement were observed for understanding the role of the dentist in the hospital environment (96%), recommendation to include more simulation-based activities in the undergraduate curriculum (93%), and clarity of the instructions provided during the activity (93%). High levels of agreement were also identified regarding the realism of the scenario (91%) and the perceived contribution of the activity to understanding Hospital Dentistry (91%). The questionnaire demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.93). Qualitative analysis identified three major themes: integration between theory and practice, increased confidence in providing oral care to critically ill patients, and the value of active participation through hands-on experience. Students also recommended extending the duration and frequency of simulation activities.

Participants reported positive perceptions regarding the high-fidelity simulation experience, particularly in relation to confidence, realism, and theory-practice integration. These findings support the acceptability and feasibility of simulation-based educational activities in Hospital Dentistry. Further studies incorporating objective measures of knowledge and clinical performance are needed to evaluate learning outcomes.