Situational simulation teaching effectively improves dental students' non-operational clinical competency and objective structured clinical examination performance

Ju-Hui Wu; Pei Chen Lin; Kun-Tsung Lee; Hsin-Liang Liu; Peih-Ying Lu; Chen-Yi Lee

doi:10.1186/s12909-024-05546-4

Situational simulation teaching effectively improves dental students' non-operational clinical competency and objective structured clinical examination performance

BMC Med Educ. 2024 May 14;24(1):533. doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-05546-4.

Authors

Ju-Hui Wu^{1

2

3}, Pei Chen Lin^{1

2}, Kun-Tsung Lee^{1

2}, Hsin-Liang Liu^{4

5}, Peih-Ying Lu^{3

6

7}, Chen-Yi Lee^{8

9}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Oral Hygiene, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, No. 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, 80708.
² Department of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
³ Center for Medical Education and Humanizing Health Professional Education, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
⁴ Graduate Institute of Adult Education, National Kaohsiung Normal University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
⁶ School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
⁷ College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
⁸ Department of Oral Hygiene, College of Dental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, No. 100, Shih-Chuan 1st Road, 80708. cylee@kmu.edu.tw.
⁹ Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. cylee@kmu.edu.tw.

Abstract

Background: Appropriate communication with dental patients enhances treatment outcomes and patient satisfaction. Implementing simulated patient interviews courses can improve patient-centered care and reduce conflict during clerkship training. Therefore, this study explored the relationship among student participation in a situational simulation course (SSC), academic performance, clerkship performance, and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) performance.

Methods: This study was conducted with a sample of fifth-year dental students undergoing clerkship training. After implementing a situational simulation course to investigate the relationship among participation in SSC, academic performance, clerkship performance, and OSCE performance, a path analysis model was developed and tested.

Results: Eighty-seven fifth-year dental students were eligible for the SSC, and most (n = 70, 80.46%) volunteered to participate. The path analysis model revealed that academic performance had a direct effect on OSCE performance (β = 0.281, P = 0.003) and clerkship performance (β = 0.441, P < 0.001). In addition, SSC teaching had a direct effect on OSCE performance (β = 0.356, P < 0.001).

Conclusions: SSCs can enhance dental students' non-operational clinical competency and OSCE performance effectively. Simulated patient encounters with feedback, incorporated into the dental curricula, have led to improved communication. Based on our findings, we suggest implementing SSC teaching before the OSCE to improve communication and cognitive skills.

Keywords: Clinical simulation education; Objective structured clinical examination; Simulated patient; Undergraduate dental students.

MeSH terms

Academic Performance
Clinical Clerkship
Clinical Competence*
Education, Dental* / methods
Education, Dental* / standards
Educational Measurement*
Female
Humans
Male
Patient Simulation
Simulation Training
Students, Dental*

Abstract

MeSH terms

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