Educational videos as a teaching approach to enhance dental students’ practical skills in preclinical courses

The use of video teaching material is increasingly popular and has been useful under Covid-19 teaching circumstances, where practical courses have been somewhat limited according to the pandemic situation. The objective of this trial was to evaluate whether high-quality educational videos—viewed once or repeatedly—can effectively support dental students in acquiring practical skills for delivering oral hygiene instructions, while also enhancing their confidence and sense of safety. This study aims to contribute preliminary insights into the potential value of video-assisted learning in this specific context within dental education. 82 students from the 2nd term of dental school were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to two groups. The participants watched two videos showing the application of the Bass toothbrushing method and the interdental brushing technique. Group 1 viewed the video only once, whereas Group 2 viewed the videos repeatedly every week on four consecutive weeks before the seminar. By the end of the four weeks, the students participated in a practical test by blinded examiners to evaluate the level of their obtained skills of oral hygiene instructions, demonstrated on a plastic model. The data analysis was conducted by an individual who was not involved in teaching or supervising the student courses. The results of this trial show that the students subjectively gained confidence in performing the techniques accurately, after watching the videos. The participants exhibited significant improvement in toothbrushing technique and applying the interdental brush after repetitive viewing of the videos compared to single viewing. There were no significant differences between groups regarding the assessment of the size of interdental spaces using a colorimetric probe. The findings of this trial support earlier studies indicating that video-based learning can serve as an effective resource for students in preclinical dental education, improving comprehension and practical skills. While enhanced technique and brush application were linked to multiple video viewings, the measurement of interdental spaces did not yield significant differences across groups.