Dental interns’ perception toward online learning of complete denture rehabilitation: a questionnaire survey

Abstract Background: Students' internship year is critical for dental interns to develop the skills and knowledge to perform complete denture rehabilitation (CDR). Online learning is recommended because students can't go to the clinic with the outbreak of COVID-19. This study aims to assess students' intentions toward online learning to improve teaching quality and ensure students master the CDR. Methods: A questionnaire-based online survey was conducted to evaluate internship students’ background and attitudes to online learning of CDR. The questionnaire consists of three parts and 20 structured questions regarding students’ experience with online learning, students’ knowledge background about CDR, and students’ attitude about online learning CDR. 63 dental interns, including 19 male and 44 female undergraduate dental students, participated in this survey. Results: 93.65% of the 63 students have participated in online learning, 76.19% believe it is necessary to provide online instruction, and 80.95 % plan to join in the future. 71.42% of the students think they are ready for online learning on CDR. Then, we evaluated students’ knowledge background about CDR. Survey results indicate most students believe they are unprepared to perform CDR in the clinic and only a small percentage of students are familiar with the diagnosis, treatment process, and operation of CDR. Fortunately, interns are incredibly optimistic about the prospect of learning complete dentures online. According to our survey, 60.90% of students enjoy learning online, 71.43% are motivated to continue online learning, and 82.54% believe online learning of CDR is helpful. Conclusion: According to the survey results, adopting online learning may be a practical solution to guarantee students' quality of oral clinical placements and address the growing shortage of clinical placement opportunities worldwide. Furthermore, the effectiveness and efficiency of online learning need to be further evaluated to ensure they can enhance dental interns’ knowledge level and practical ability of CDR.