[Comparison of E-learning and traditional classroom instruction of dental public health for dental students of Shahid Beheshti dental school during 2010-2011]

Considering the growing trend of information at the current era and development of educational patterns, transforming traditional education into e-learning is becoming increasingly popular. The present study was conducted to compare dental public health course offered through traditional training and e-learning. In this semi-experimental study, 70 senior[11[th] and 12[th] terms] dental students in Shahid Beheshti Dental School who took dental public health course in the first semester of 2010-2011 educational year were selected by census sampling method and assigned to the intervention or control group based on their term. Data were collected using the standard translated version of Distance Learning Attitude Survey [DLAS] questionnaire that was used after determining its validity and reliability. This questionnaire measured the success criteria of e-learning in students. The course was offered online to the intervention and as traditional classroom teaching to the control group for one semester. At the end of the course, a written examination was held for the students in both groups to evaluate their educational progress. Also, students' satisfaction about the educational method was assessed using the translated version of Individual Development and Educational Assessment [IDEA] questionnaire after determination of its validity and reliability. SPSS software was used for data analysis. 36 students, were assigned to the e-learning instruction group13 [36.1%] were males and 23 [63.9%] were females. Thirty four subjects were assigned to the traditional classroom instruction group out of which 10 [29.4%] were males and 24 [70.6%] were females. In terms of demographic characteristics, the only difference between the two groups was in the daily computer usage. The mean +/- SD of the final examination score was similar in the two groups of e-learning and traditional classroom teaching and no significant difference was detected in this respect. Students' satisfaction in the two groups was compared in five domains. The first 4 domains were the instructor's teaching, the educational content, attitude towards the educational course, and difficulty of the course and no significant difference was detected between the two groups in the mentioned domains. The only significant difference between the two groups was observed in the fifth domain namely the final perception and judgment of students [P<0.0001, 2.93 versus 3.85]. All students successfully passed the course. No statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of the knowledge gained about dental public health. E-learning method successfully achieved its objectives which were the development of positive attitude in students towards online education and obtaining their satisfaction. Given the necessary equipment and under certain conditions, e-learning can be successfully used as a substitute for traditional education in national dental universities

[Evaluation of the patient-based indices for orthodontic need assessment in the 13 to 18 year-old adolescents in Isfahan]

Normative need assessments should be substituted or integrated by patient-based outcome measures regarding their shortages in health-oriented approach. This study aimed to assess and compare the ability of an index of oral health-related quality of life measured by Child Oral Health Impact Profile [COHIP] questionnaire and the Aesthetic Component of Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need [AC-IOTN] to identify the normative need to orthodontic treatment using Dental Health Component-IOTN in a sample of the Iranian adolescents. Target population of this cross-sectional analytic study was 597 of the 13 to 18 year-old schoolchildren enrolled in middle and high schools of the city of Isfahan, Iran. They completed the COHIP questionnaire and then were examined by two calibrated trained dentists [agreement coefficient:0.9] to record the DHC grading. The students scored their AC in according to the images of the scale. The association between subjective indicators and clinically defined need were evaluated by the correlation analysis and the statistics for the diagnostic validity of tests. Of 568 examined students, 16.7% and 2.1% had definite need according to DHC and AC criteria, respectively. 10% of orthodontic patients had perceived distinct impact on their quality of life. The significant association [P=0.001] between the severity of malocclusion and quality of life was at moderate level by AC [R=0.37], but it was not convincing enough by DHC [R=0.16]. The specificity of AC to detect the healthy ones showed to be excellent but its low sensitivity disabled the recognition of patients, precisely. The considered patient-based indices did not meet the competencies to define the orthodontic need in the adolescents, but it could be employed to identify the persons with impaired quality of life and it would probably benefit the process of prioritization