Designing and implementation of a mobile application for teaching population oral health needs assessment for dental students; a non-randomized trial

Abstract Objective This study investigates the effectiveness of a newly developed smartphone-based application for teaching population oral health needs assessment to undergraduate dental students. Methods Target population in this study consisted of all students of Shahid Beheshti School of dentist...

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Main Authors: Hadi Ghasemi, Amin Habibi, Soleiman Ahmady
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2024-12-01
Series:BDJ Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41405-024-00287-4
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author Hadi Ghasemi
Amin Habibi
Soleiman Ahmady
author_facet Hadi Ghasemi
Amin Habibi
Soleiman Ahmady
author_sort Hadi Ghasemi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Objective This study investigates the effectiveness of a newly developed smartphone-based application for teaching population oral health needs assessment to undergraduate dental students. Methods Target population in this study consisted of all students of Shahid Beheshti School of dentistry in the 7th and 8th semesters in the year 2023. The intervention group (7th semester) received teaching about population oral health needs assessment based on the book “Oral health surveys; basic methods”, by means of an application, while the control group (8th semester) received the same content through self-learning activity. A questionnaire inquiring about the students’ general aspects of smartphone usage, attitude towards learning based on mobile devices (m-learning), and level of knowledge about the content of the book was used for data collection. Results Most dental students used smartphones extensively and expressed positive attitudes toward mobile learning with no significant statistical difference between intervention and control groups. However, both groups demonstrated limited knowledge gain from the book content, with the mobile application showing no superiority to self-learning education. Conclusion The present study did not demonstrate superior effectiveness of a smartphone app compared to traditional teacher-centered instruction, but the students’ significant mobile usage and positive attitude towards m-learning suggest potential for further investigation in dental education.
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spelling doaj-art-ec09f28afb65463e8029601aad6faa5b2025-08-20T02:39:52ZengNature Publishing GroupBDJ Open2056-807X2024-12-011011810.1038/s41405-024-00287-4Designing and implementation of a mobile application for teaching population oral health needs assessment for dental students; a non-randomized trialHadi Ghasemi0Amin Habibi1Soleiman Ahmady2Department of Community Oral Health, School of Dentistry, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Medical Education, Virtual School of Medical Education and Management, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Medical Education, Virtual School of Medical Education and Management, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical SciencesAbstract Objective This study investigates the effectiveness of a newly developed smartphone-based application for teaching population oral health needs assessment to undergraduate dental students. Methods Target population in this study consisted of all students of Shahid Beheshti School of dentistry in the 7th and 8th semesters in the year 2023. The intervention group (7th semester) received teaching about population oral health needs assessment based on the book “Oral health surveys; basic methods”, by means of an application, while the control group (8th semester) received the same content through self-learning activity. A questionnaire inquiring about the students’ general aspects of smartphone usage, attitude towards learning based on mobile devices (m-learning), and level of knowledge about the content of the book was used for data collection. Results Most dental students used smartphones extensively and expressed positive attitudes toward mobile learning with no significant statistical difference between intervention and control groups. However, both groups demonstrated limited knowledge gain from the book content, with the mobile application showing no superiority to self-learning education. Conclusion The present study did not demonstrate superior effectiveness of a smartphone app compared to traditional teacher-centered instruction, but the students’ significant mobile usage and positive attitude towards m-learning suggest potential for further investigation in dental education.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41405-024-00287-4
spellingShingle Hadi Ghasemi
Amin Habibi
Soleiman Ahmady
Designing and implementation of a mobile application for teaching population oral health needs assessment for dental students; a non-randomized trial
BDJ Open
title Designing and implementation of a mobile application for teaching population oral health needs assessment for dental students; a non-randomized trial
title_full Designing and implementation of a mobile application for teaching population oral health needs assessment for dental students; a non-randomized trial
title_fullStr Designing and implementation of a mobile application for teaching population oral health needs assessment for dental students; a non-randomized trial
title_full_unstemmed Designing and implementation of a mobile application for teaching population oral health needs assessment for dental students; a non-randomized trial
title_short Designing and implementation of a mobile application for teaching population oral health needs assessment for dental students; a non-randomized trial
title_sort designing and implementation of a mobile application for teaching population oral health needs assessment for dental students a non randomized trial
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41405-024-00287-4
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AT soleimanahmady designingandimplementationofamobileapplicationforteachingpopulationoralhealthneedsassessmentfordentalstudentsanonrandomizedtrial