Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 36 in total

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  1. Abd-Rahman ANA, Baharuddin IH, Abu-Hassan MI, Davies SJ
    J Dent Educ, 2021 Jul;85(7):1210-1216.
    PMID: 33792052 DOI: 10.1002/jdd.12600
    BACKGROUND: The outcome of assessments is determined by the standard-setting method used. Standard setting is the process of deciding what is good enough. A cutoff score of 50% was commonly used in dental schools in Malaysia. This study aims to compare the conventional, norm-referenced, and modified-Angoff standard-setting methods.

    METHODS: The norm-referenced method of standard setting was applied to the real scores of 40 final-year dental students on a multiple-choice question (MCQ), a short answer question (SAQ), and an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). A panel of 10 judges set the standard using the modified-Angoff method for the same paper in one sitting. One judge set the passing score of 10 OSCE questions after 2 weeks. A comparison of the grades and pass/fail rates derived from the absolute standard, norm-referenced, and modified-Angoff methods was made. The intra-rater and inter-rater reliabilities of the modified-Angoff method were assessed.

    RESULTS: The passing rate for the absolute standard was 100% (40/40), for the norm-referenced method it was 62.5% (25/40), and for the modified-Angoff method it was 80% (32/40). The modified-Angoff method had good inter-rater reliability of 0.876 and excellent test-retest reliability of 0.941.

    CONCLUSION: There were significant differences in the outcomes of these three standard-setting methods, as shown by the difference in the proportion of candidates who passed and failed the assessment. The modified-Angoff method was found to have good reliability for use with a professional qualifying dental examination.

  2. Ahmad MS, Razak IA, Borromeo GL
    J Dent Educ, 2014 Aug;78(8):1154-61.
    PMID: 25086148
    Meeting the oral health care needs of the growing population of people with special health care needs (SHCN) starts with dental students' acquisition of sound knowledge and development of clinical competence at the predoctoral level. The aim of this study was to review the level of undergraduate education in Special Needs Dentistry (SND) in Malaysian and Australian dental schools. The deans of all six Malaysian public dental schools and eight of nine Australian dental schools participated in a postal survey on current undergraduate didactic and clinical training in SND at their institutions. The results showed the number of dental schools in Malaysia with teaching in SND as a specific discipline was relatively low compared to that of Australia. However, a high percentage of Malaysian and Australian dental schools reported incorporating teaching of SND into pediatric dentistry (83.3 percent vs. 75 percent), oral medicine/oral pathology (66.7 percent vs. 75 percent), and oral surgery (66.7 percent vs. 25 percent). Most respondents said their school delivered SND clinical training in dental school clinics, hospital-based settings, and residential aged care facilities. Respondents in both countries viewed lack of faculty expertise as the greatest barrier to providing SND education. The study provides valuable information that can direct SND curriculum development in the two countries.
  3. Ahmad MS, Radhi DSM, Rusle FF, Zul MF, Jalaluddin J, Baharuddin IH
    J Dent Educ, 2020 Nov;84(11):1219-1229.
    PMID: 32645212 DOI: 10.1002/jdd.12295
    OBJECTIVES: Preparing future dental school graduates to provide comprehensive patient care with empathy requires the completion of adequate training in such practice. This study was undertaken to investigate the effectiveness of the Photodentistry learning activity, which uses visual arts, in improving dental students' empathy and learning experience in comprehensive patient care.

    METHODS: All fourth-year undergraduate dental students (n = 69, response rate = 100%) participated in the Photodentistry learning activity developed by specialists from the areas of dentistry, arts, education, and psychology. A survey using the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire (TEQ) was conducted both pretest and posttest, followed by an open-ended written survey of their reflection towards the learning activity. Quantitative data were analyzed via paired t-test (P < 0.05), while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis.

    RESULTS: There was a significant increase in both students' total mean empathy score and the individual scores for 8 (out of 16) items of the TEQ after the learning activity. Students stated that they had an improved understanding of managing patients in a comprehensive manner (e.g., managing medically compromised patients, performing treatment planning, communication with patients who have special health care needs). Students also reported the development of skills (e.g., observation, critical thinking) and positive attitudes (e.g., empathy, responsibility) towards patients.

    CONCLUSION: Photodentistry is an effective learning approach for improving dental students' empathy and learning experience in comprehensive patient care.

  4. Ahmad MS, Abuzar MA, Razak IA, Rahman SA, Borromeo GL
    J Dent Educ, 2017 Sep;81(9):1068-1076.
    PMID: 28864788 DOI: 10.21815/JDE.017.060
    Education in oral health is important to prepare future medical professionals for collaborative roles in maintaining patients' oral health, an important component of general health and well-being. The aims of this study were to determine the perceptions of medical students in Malaysia and Australia of the quality of their training in oral health care and their perceptions of their professional role in maintaining the oral health of their patients. A survey was administered in the classroom with final-year Malaysian (n=527; response rate=79.3%) and Australian (n=455; response rate: 60%) medical students at selected institutions in those countries. In the results, most of these medical students reported encountering patients with oral health conditions including ulcers, halitosis, and edentulism. A majority in both countries reported believing they should advise patients to obtain regular dental check-ups and eat a healthy diet, although they reported feeling less than comfortable in managing emergency dental cases. A high percentage reported they received a good education in smoking cessation but not in managing dental trauma, detecting cancerous lesions, or providing dietary advice in oral disease prevention. They expressed support for inclusion of oral health education in medical curricula. These students' experience with and perceptions of oral health care provide valuable information for medical curriculum development in these two countries as well as increasing understanding of this aspect of interprofessional education and practice now in development around the world.
  5. Ahmad NA, Naimie Z, Lui JL, Aziz AA, Abdullah M, Abu Kasim NH, et al.
    J Dent Educ, 2012 Oct;76(10):1377-83.
    PMID: 23066138
    This study is part of ongoing educational research conducted by the Department of Conservative Dentistry, University of Malaya, Malaysia, to evaluate the perception of clinical pairing. A thirteen-question survey was distributed to 148 dental students after they had experienced four-handed dentistry. The objectives were to identify the advantages, disadvantages, and the acceptance of the implementation of clinical pairing from the students' point of view. The responses from the open-ended questions were categorized into six main themes (areas of interest): quality-related (Q), patient-related (PT), partner-related (P), lecturer-related (T), infection control (IC), and learning environment (L). Data analysis was done using SPSS version 18. Results indicated that the students perceived they possessed enough knowledge regarding clinical pairing. However, it was found that they still preferred to work independently as compared to working in pairs. The benefits of clinical pairing may not be viewed in the same vein by both dental students and teachers. The quality-related theme was perceived by students as the main advantage of clinical pairing, whilst the partner-related theme was perceived otherwise. The study also revealed that students may have some preconceived notions about pairing that may have impaired their acceptance. As a consequence, some reluctance was seen in their responses.
  6. Akram A, Salam A, Bashir U, Maarof N, Meerah SM
    J Dent Educ, 2012 Dec;76(12):1691-6.
    PMID: 23225689
    This article describes a new tooth notation system designed to be implemented for educational purposes in dental schools in Malaysia and Pakistan for identification of teeth and subsequently dental communication for wellness of dental patients. Its format is constructed as a lesson plan to present an uncomplicated tooth notation system by first letter of each tooth class (I-incisor, C-canine, P-premolar, and M-molar) to describe and communicate dental information. The new system is a promising and potential educational lesson that is innovative in its contents, easily understandable, and usable in dental charting as indicated by the results of a pilot study. However, further studies are required to investigate the strength of this new system.
  7. Akram A, Zamzam R, Mohamad NB, Abdullah D, Meerah SM
    J Dent Educ, 2012 Nov;76(11):1527-31.
    PMID: 23144489
    Most dental schools lack a module on prescription writing in pharmacology. This study assessed the prescription writing skills of a group of Malaysian dental students at the end of their undergraduate training program. A quantitative study of a two-group posttest experiment was designed, and thirty-seven fifth-year (final-year) dental students were divided into two groups (A [n=18] and B [n=19]). Group A received a didactic lecture on how to write a complete prescription, while Group B served as a control group. For prescription writing, three standardized dental scenarios with a diagnosis of irreversible pulpitis associated with a child and a pregnant woman and periapical pulpitis for an adult man were administered. Thus, a total of 111 prescriptions (Group A [n=54] and Group B [n=57]) were collected. Twelve elements in each prescription were assessed by frequency and a chi-square test. Improvements in eight out of the twelve elements were observed in prescriptions written by students in Group A. The significantly improved elements were provision of the symbol R(x) (39.8 percent) (p<0.001), inclusion of the prescriber's signature (75.3 percent) (p<0.001), inclusion of the date with the prescriber's signature (54.6 percent) (p<0.001), and inclusion of the prescriber's registration (30.5 percent) (p<0.001). Overall, Group A gained almost a 50 percent improvement in writing complete prescriptions due to the intervening lecture. It appeared a traditional lecture led to the more accurate writing of a complete prescription. It was suggested that a module on prescription writing be added to the school's pharmacology curriculum, so that dental graduates will be competent in prescription writing for the sake of their patients' health.
  8. Babar MG, Hasan SS, Yong WM, Mitha S, Al-Waeli HA
    J Dent Educ, 2017 Apr;81(4):404-412.
    PMID: 28365604 DOI: 10.21815/JDE.016.008
    Empathy has been identified as a crucial foundation in building an effective dentist-patient relationship. The aim of this study was to assess patients' perceptions of dental students' empathic care in the primary oral health care clinic at International Medical University in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in May-October 2014. The study also assessed the validity and reliability of the Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) Measure in this setting; the association between number of encounters and students' CARE Measure scores; and the association between students' empathy (measured by the Toronto Empathy Questionnaire) and CARE Measure scores. Participants were 283 patients (aged ≥18 years) who were asked to self-complete the ten-item CARE Measure immediately after their clinical encounter with students who provided care under supervision of the teaching staff. The results showed that the CARE Measure demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's α=0.95). A single factor solution emerged, accounting for 69% of the variance. The mean CARE Measure score in the consultations was 43.55±6.14, and 26% of the students achieved the maximum possible score of 50. The mean number of encounters with each student was 2.33±2.78. An increase of one episode was associated with an insignificant average CARE score decrease of 0.05 (-0.28, 0.38), whereas students' empathy was associated with a small increase in average CARE Measure score of 0.63 (0.08, 1.18). These results provide evidence of the measure's ability to support feedback to dental students on their empathy when interacting with patients.
  9. Baharuddin IH, Khrul Fazri KH, Mohamad Safran H, Abdul Rahim MA, Ismail IH
    J Dent Educ, 2021 Nov;85(11):1695-1701.
    PMID: 34250603 DOI: 10.1002/jdd.12741
    BACKGROUND: Unhappiness, stress, and burnout will often lead to low academic performance among dental students. Perseverance and passion for long-term goal, known as grit, could overcome these despondent emotions. Our Study is looking at whether grit should be added as another domain during the interview process. The main objective of this study was to determine the association between grit and happiness among Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) dental students. In addition to that, the prevalence of gritty and happy dental students in UiTM was also determined and compared across the years of study.

    METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. Validated Short Grit Scale (Grit-S) and Pemberton Happiness Index (PHI) were distributed to all 409 undergraduate dental students in Faculty of Dentistry, UiTM through their class representatives. Scores for both grit and happiness were calculated according to their instruction manual. Data were analyzed using SPSS Version 25 by descriptive analysis, one-way ANOVA, independent t-test, Pearson's correlation, and linear regression.

    RESULT: Two hundred sixty-six students returned the answered questionnaires, yielding a response rate of 65%. Prevalence of gritty and happy UiTM dental students was found to be at 79% and 41%, respectively. There was a significant positive fair linear correlation between grit and happiness among dental students (r = 0.225, p 

  10. Chong JA, Chew JK, Ravindranath S, Pau A
    J Dent Educ, 2014 Feb;78(2):206-12.
    PMID: 24489028
    This study investigated the impact of clinical audit training on record-keeping behavior of dental students and students' perceptions of the clinical audit training. The training was delivered to Year 4 and Year 5 undergraduates at the School of Dentistry, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It included a practical audit exercise on patient records. The results were presented by the undergraduates, and guidelines were framed from the recommendations proposed. Following this, an audit of Year 4 and Year 5 students' patient records before and after the audit training was carried out. A total of 100 records were audited against a predetermined set of criteria by two examiners. An email survey of the students was also conducted to explore their views of the audit training. Results showed statistically significant improvements in record-keeping following audit training. Responses to the email survey were analyzed qualitatively. Respondents reported that the audit training helped them to identify deficiencies in their record-keeping practice, increased their knowledge in record-keeping, and improved their record-keeping skills. Improvements in clinical audit teaching were also proposed.
  11. Karobari MI, Ahmed HMA, Khamis MFB, Ibrahim N, Noorani TY
    J Dent Educ, 2023 Aug;87(8):1089-1098.
    PMID: 37164913 DOI: 10.1002/jdd.13236
    PURPOSE: To assess the application and accuracy of two systems (Vertucci et al. 1974 and Ahmed et al. 2017) in classifying the root and canal morphology of human dentition among final-year undergraduates, interns, and postgraduate dental students in India.

    METHODS: The survey was conducted using physical and online presentation modes in two phases. Phase 1; PowerPoint presentation (PPT), describing the most used classification system (Vertucci et al. 1974) and its supplementary types and Ahmed et al. (2017) classification. A single presenter delivered the PPT to participants, using either a projector in an auditorium/seminar hall (face-to-face) or an online platform (zoom meeting software). Phase 2 involved determining the students' responses. A questionnaire was distributed amongst the participants after the lecture and collected for analysis. Fisher's exact test was used to analyze the data statistically, and the significance level was set at 0.05 (p 

  12. Khan SA, Omar H, Babar MG, Toh CG
    J Dent Educ, 2012 Dec;76(12):1675-83.
    PMID: 23225687
    Health economics, a special branch of science applying economic principles to the health delivery system, is a relatively young subdiscipline. The literature is scanty about teaching health economics in the medical and dental fields. Delivery methods of this topic vary from one university to another, with lectures, seminars, and independent learning reported as teaching/learning tools used for the topic. Ideally, debates should foster the development of logical reasoning and communication skills. Health economics in dentistry is taught under the community oral health module that constitutes part of an outcome-based dental curriculum in a private dental school in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. For this study, the students were divided into two groups: active participants (active debaters) and supporting participants (nonactive debaters). The debate style chosen for this activity was parliamentary style. Active and nonactive debaters' perceptions were evaluated before and after the activity through a structured questionnaire using a five-point rating scale addressing the topic and perceptions about debate as an educational tool. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used as a measure of internal consistency for the questionnaire items. Among a total of eighty-two third-year dental students of two successive cohorts (thirty-eight students and forty-four students), seventy-three completed the questionnaire, yielding a response rate of 89 percent. Students' responses to the questionnaire were analyzed with the Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance test. Results revealed that the students felt that their interest in debate, knowledge of the topic, and reinforcement of the previous knowledge had improved following participation in the debate. Within the limitations of this study, it can be concluded that debate was a useful tool in teaching health economics to dental students.
  13. Lau MN, Sivarajan S, Kamarudin Y, Othman SA, Wan Hassan WN, Soh EX, et al.
    J Dent Educ, 2022 Nov;86(11):1477-1487.
    PMID: 35650663 DOI: 10.1002/jdd.12954
    OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore students' perceptions of flipped classroom (FC) compared to live demonstration (LD) in transferring skills of fabricating orthodontic wire components for orthodontic removable appliances.

    METHODS: Forty third-year undergraduate dental students were randomly assigned to two groups: FC (n = 20) and LD (n = 20). Students in group FC attended FC, while students in group LD attended LD. Both groups underwent a series of standardized teaching sessions to acquire skills in fabricating six types of orthodontic wire components. Eight students (four high achievers and four low achievers) from each group were randomly selected to attend separate focus group discussion (FGD) sessions. Students' perceptions on the strengths, weaknesses, and suggestions for improvement on each teaching method were explored. Audio and video recordings of FGD were transcribed and thematically analyzed using NVivo version 12 software.

    RESULTS: Promoting personalized learning, improvement in teaching efficacy, inaccuracy of three-dimensional demonstration from online video, and lack of standardization among instructors and video demonstration were among the themes identified. Similarly, lack of standardization among instructors was one of the themes identified for LD, in addition to other themes such as enabling immediate clarification and vantage point affected by seating arrangement and class size.

    CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, FC outperformed LD in fostering personalized learning and improving the efficacy of physical class time. LD was more advantageous than FC in allowing immediate question and answer. However, seating arrangement and class size affected LD in contrast to FC.

  14. Lin GSS, Hashim H
    J Dent Educ, 2024 Mar 27.
    PMID: 38532665 DOI: 10.1002/jdd.13526
    PURPOSE: The present study aims to evaluate students' perceptions of different types of written assessment within the context of dental materials science and to identify how various learning styles exhibited by dental students, as well as gender and ethnicity, may influence their perceptions of these assessment methods.

    METHODS: The study was conducted among second-year dental students in a dental materials science class, during which students participated in a mock assessment that included extended matching questions (EMQs) and single correct answer (SCA) questions. An online questionnaire comprising three sections: demographic information, Honey and Mumford's Learning Styles Questionnaire, and 15 closed-ended questionnaire items employing a 5-point Likert scale were administered to assess students' perceptions of the assessment methods. Statistical analyses were conducted using the Kruskal-Wallis test, Mann-Whitney U test, and a post-hoc Bonferroni test.

    RESULTS: All 70 students participated in the study with the majority being female, Chinese, and activist learners. Median total scores among various learning styles, gender, and ethnicity did not exhibit significant differences. Analysis of individual questionnaire items revealed mixed perceptions regarding EMQs. Reflectors generally held more positive perceptions of EMQs, while theorists showed the lowest total median scores toward EMQs. Most students did not prefer EMQs over SCAs, and some students expressed confusion about EMQs, especially those with a theorist learning style.

    CONCLUSION: Although students generally showed good perceptions towards these assessment methods, further research is needed to better understand the interplay of learning styles, assessment preferences, and educational outcomes in dental education.

  15. Mohamed Rohani M, Mohd Nor NA
    J Dent Educ, 2021 May;85(5):690-698.
    PMID: 33476414 DOI: 10.1002/jdd.12528
    INTRODUCTION: The Special Care Dentistry (SCD) undergraduate program increasingly aims to address student attitudes toward people with disabilities (PWD). One of the efforts made by the Faculty of Dentistry, University of Malaya (FODUM), is to introduce Disability Equality Training (DET) as part of the learning activity in the SCD curriculum. This study aimed to explore students' perception about the DET program.

    METHODS: This was a qualitative research project exploring students' perception toward DET in 2 cohorts of third-year dental students from FODUM (n = 100). The reflection notes were analyzed using Luborsky's method of thematic analysis. Identification of themes was based on statements that were most frequently reported by students.

    RESULTS: The majority of the students gave positive feedback for the training, which includes enhanced knowledge, attitudes, and skills about treating PWD. They also reflected that the DET improved their understanding of social and professional responsibility. In terms of learning experience, many reported that the training was useful and enjoyable. Students' suggestions for improvement included learning "sign language", visiting special needs centers, and providing simulation exercises involving real PWD.

    CONCLUSION: Students' comments on the DET were positive and they enjoyed the learning experience. The findings support the continuation of DET as part of the undergraduate dental curriculum. Dental institutions seeking to implement or refine the SCD curriculum are encouraged to include DET based on its potential benefits for undergraduate students.

  16. Nimbalkar S, Seow LL, Babar MG, Arunachalam S
    J Dent Educ, 2023 Dec;87 Suppl 3:1867-1869.
    PMID: 37322855 DOI: 10.1002/jdd.13299
  17. Nor NA, Yusof ZY, Shahidan MN
    J Dent Educ, 2011 Dec;75(12):1611-9.
    PMID: 22184601
    The Ministry of Higher Education in Malaysia has called for the implementation of a soft skills module in all public universities in Malaysia. In response to this and as part of curriculum development efforts for a new integrated program for 2011, a study was undertaken to improve the University of Malaya (UM) Faculty of Dentistry's communication skills course. One of the study objectives was to investigate dental students' attitudes towards communication skills learning and the association between their attitudes and demographic and education-related characteristics. A cross-sectional survey--using a self-administered twenty-four-item adapted Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) that contained both positive (PAS) and negative (NAS) attitude subscales--was carried out targeting all final-year dental students at the UM and the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). A total of 148 students completed the survey, yielding a response rate of 88.1 percent. Overall, UKM students had significantly more positive attitudes towards communication skills learning (PAS score: mean=48.69, SD=4.48, p<0.001) than UM students (mean=46.03, SD=4.22). There was no statistically significant difference in negative attitudes between the two groups. UKM students with more positive attitudes tended to be female (p<0.05). UM students with more negative attitudes perceived themselves as poor communicators (p<0.05), and UKM students with more negative attitudes tended to have poor English proficiency (p<0.05). This study found that both UM and UKM final-year dental students have positive and negative attitudes towards learning communication skills. These attitudes were significantly associated with certain background and education-related attributes. Outcomes of this study served as a valuable guide in strengthening the communication skills course for the UM's new, integrated dental curriculum.
  18. Omar H, Khan SA, Toh CG
    J Dent Educ, 2013 May;77(5):640-7.
    PMID: 23658411
    Student-generated videos provide an authentic learning experience for students, enhance motivation and engagement, improve communication skills, and improve collaborative learning skills. This article describes the development and implementation of a student-generated video activity as part of a knowledge, observation, simulation, and experience (KOSE) program at the School of Dentistry, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It also reports the students' perceptions of an activity that introduced first-year dental students (n=44) to clinical scenarios involving patients and dental team aiming to improve professional behavior and communication skills. The learning activity was divided into three phases: preparatory phase, video production phase, and video-watching. Students were organized into five groups and were instructed to generate videos addressing given clinical scenarios. Following the activity, students' perceptions were assessed with a questionnaire. The results showed that 86 percent and 88 percent, respectively, of the students agreed that preparation of the activity enhanced their understanding of the role of dentists in provision of health care and the role of enhanced teamwork. In addition, 86 percent and 75 percent, respectively, agreed that the activity improved their communication and project management skills. Overall, the dental students perceived that the student-generated video activity was a positive experience and enabled them to play the major role in driving their learning process.
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