Evaluating a New Technology‐Enhanced Curriculum for Teaching Nutrition in a Dental Hygiene Degree Program

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: This study assessed the impact of a newly created set of video-based nutrition education cases on dental hygiene students' knowledge, skills, and perceptions. METHOD: A pre/post study design examined changes in students' knowledge, skills, and perceptions from baseline traditional lecture-style classes (2020) to post-implementation of the new curriculum (2021). The technology-enhanced curriculum required online previewing, in-class discussions, and assessment of three nutrition cases. UBC's Behavioural Research Ethics Board (H20-00358) approved this project. DISCUSSION: A 5-point Likert scale used in the baseline (n = 23) and post surveys (n = 25) showed a range of responses to 15 variables, including dental hygiene students' working knowledge of nutrition, attitudes toward peer-to-peer education, and abilities to work on interdisciplinary healthcare teams. The statements with highest agreement were: I had to prepare for class in order to be successful (p = 0.006); Teaching and learning methods promoted understanding and application of key concepts (p = 0.042); and Course work facilitated critical thinking and problem solving (p = 0.001). Open-ended comments from both cohorts favoured more opportunities for case discussions and social exchanges with each other to better understand the fundamentals of nutrition education. CONCLUSIONS: The new curriculum improved measured outcomes while retaining student interest in both online and classroom settings. The development of the video-based case studies fostered interprofessional collaboration between dietetic and dental hygiene students, and the implementation improved students' educational experiences and development of professional skills.