OR16 - Reducing Perceived Barriers to Achieving Competency in Clinical Endodontics: The Development of Student-Informed Instructional Videos

Abstract:
The aim was to address the expressed educational needs of predoctoral students by creating instructional videos on endodontic topics in response to published findings that 95% of dental students are using YouTube to learn about clinical dentistry. Based on findings of previous studies exploring how and why students use social media to learn about endodontics, the Department of Endodontics at New York University (NYU) Dentistry developed educational videos on non-surgical endodontic topics. Prior to finalizing content, focus groups were conducted with third (D3) and fourth (D4)-year dental students to gather qualitative feedback on the usefulness and style of the newly developed learning tools. A survey was designed and will be distributed to the entire classes of D3 and D4 students to gather quantitative data about the finalized videos' effectiveness and assess the impact of student inclusion in curricular development approaches. Qualitative feedback revealed themes suggesting that students found these videos to be helpful and relevant to the realities of their clinical experiences during dental school; however, modifications were recommended. Feedback was related to the stage of education: D3 students appreciated the fundamental concepts covered, while D4 students focused on the conciseness of content and clinical implications. Quantitative analysis is ongoing, with results to be reported at AAE24. The findings suggest that student involvement in curricular processes may lead to higher satisfaction and broader use of academically developed educational tools.