ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 pandemic presents a challenging situation for dental education, with school closures worldwide. While practical sessions are important for the acquisition of clinical skills, few studies have examined the role of home-based simulation learning (HBSL). This study aims to identify key aspects of simulation design and factors associated with students' satisfaction with HBSL. METHODS: During a "circuit-breaker" period in Singapore, the Nanyang Polytechnic School of Health & Social Sciences (Oral Health Therapy) distributed portable manikins and instruments to students and staff for use at home. Synchronous teaching sessions with real-time feedback were carried out over the Zoom teleconferencing platform. A cross-sectional survey of students was conducted after 3 weeks of the HBSL program. Multiple linear regression analyses were carried out to assess the association between satisfaction with domains of simulation design and overall satisfaction with HBSL. RESULTS: The top three factors of importance to students in HBSL were feedback and guided reflection, support, and objectives and information. Final-year students expressed higher levels of overall satisfaction and self-confidence following HBSL than first-year students. Satisfaction with the objectives (ß = 0.42, 95% CI 0.26-0.57), support (ß = 0.27, 95% CI 0.11-0.42), and problem-solving (ß = 0.28, 95% CI 0.10-0.46) domains in the Simulation Design Scale were positively associated with overall student satisfaction and self-confidence in learning. CONCLUSION: The findings can aid educators in the design of future HBSL programs, with a focus on areas of simulation design that are of importance to students.