Evaluation of a digital game for teaching behavioral aspects of clinical communication in dentistry

Abstract

Introduction Traditionally, dental students learn the skills for dentist-patient interaction and communication via on-site contact with patients, when they start clinical training. However, preclinical students (who have not started clinical practice) have fewer chances to realize the context of dentist-patient interaction. It has remained unclear if a gamification approach via digital media, i.e., a computer role-playing game, can help to learn clinical communication skills. The intervention-based study investigates the effectiveness of the clinical dentist-patient communication (CDPC) game on students’ motivation, beliefs, and self-efficacy to learn behavioral issues of clinical communication. Methods Fifty-two dental students (Preclinical group) and 18 dental interns and dentists (Clinical group) played the CDPC game, which consists of 16 scenes of clinical context about dentist-patient communication (less than 40 min for playing), via web browsers. Pre-test and post-test questionnaires were used to assess their motivation, beliefs, and self-efficacy to learn behavioral issues of clinical communication. The effectiveness was examined by comparing pre-test and post-test scores within-subject and between-group difference was compared between Preclinical and Clinical groups, via non-parametric statistical tests. Results (A) In the Preclinical group, participants showed a significant increase in motivation and self-efficacy in learning after playing the CDPC game (p < 0.05, adjusted of multiple comparison). (B) In contrast, the Clinical group did not show a significant difference before vs. after playing the game. (C) After playing the game, the Preclinical group showed a significant association between motivation and beliefs (p = 0.024) and between motivation and self-efficacy (p = 0.001); the Clinical group showed a significant association between motivation and beliefs (p = 0.033). Conclusions The current evidence suggests that gamification of learning helps preclinical students to understand the context of clinical dentist-patient interaction and increase their motivation and self-efficacy to learn behavioral issues of clinical communication.

The development of a serious game for laser applications in dentistry and the evaluation of dental students' satisfaction

“…In several studies, students have reported that gamification enhances their interest in the course subject, knowledge acquisition, and retention, emphasizing the most critical aspect of the lesson for review [ 20 ]. Similar to the current study, high levels of user satisfaction and perception were reported in other studies using game-based learning for learning orofacial spaces [ 9 ], oral histology [ 6 ], factual knowledge [ 21 ], and clinical communication [ 13 ]. Tantawi et al [ 22 ] reported that gamification significantly improved dental students' academic writing scores; however, their writing satisfaction and self-perceived improvement were modest.…”

“…In dentistry, the use of online gamification platforms, such as Kahoot!®, has resulted in increased satisfaction among dental students in the teaching of microbiology, immunology, and histology concepts [ 3 , 7 ]. Game-based learning has been effective for various subjects in dentistry, including oral histology [ 6 ], orthodontics [ 8 ], learning orofacial spaces [ 9 ], oral lesions diagnosis and treatment planning [ 10 ], endodontics [ 11 ], oral rehabilitation of edentulous patients [ 12 ], clinical communication [ 13 ], teledentistry training [ 14 ], basic life support skills [ 15 ], and clinical reasoning skills [ 16 ], has shown a positive effect on students' motivation, self-perceived confidence, awareness, self-efficacy in learning, cognitive skills, knowledge. Digital gamification platforms engage students with different learning styles due to their easy accessibility and ability to integrate well with varied teaching methods while significantly increasing student participation and engagement in the classroom compared to traditional lecture-based teaching [ 17 ].…”

Formação profissional em saúde e o uso de tecnologias educacionais digitais: revisão integrativa

“…Nos artigos A2 e A4 explorados dentro do ambiente virtual de aprendizagem, o mesmo pode ser utilizado como um objeto de aprendizagem, com resultados e impacto positivo na transferência e aprendizagem de profissionais (FILATRO;CAVALCANTI, 2018;LIN;YANG, 2023).…”