The use of information and communication technology among undergraduate students in dental training

Abstract

Aims: This study aims to investigate the current knowledge, skills, and opinions of undergraduate dental students at local universities in Malaysia with respect to information and communication technology (ICT). Settings and Design: This was a cross-sectional study involving a convenient sample of 359 dental students from two universities in Malaysia, i.e., Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia (USIM). Subjects and Methods: The use of ICT among the students was assessed using a questionnaire that had been pretested. The components of the questionnaire consisted of access and availability of computers, computer activities, information technology (IT) literacy and competence, Internet access, activities involving Internet and dentistry and use of ICT in clinical management. Ethical approval was obtained from UKM Research Ethics Committee. Statistical Analysis Used: Data analysis was done using SPSS version 22. Results: The sample comprised of 78.8% of females and 21.2% of males with the mean age of 21.21 years old. The majority were Malays (72.4%) and Chinese (25.3%). Most of the students were from UKM (65.7%). The total of clinical students were 62.4%. Majority of the students had access to computers and Internet. They possessed adequate IT knowledge and skills, and they agreed that ICT resources were mandatory for education in dentistry. However, there were still some students who complained of obstacles in using the computers for patients' data storage and retrieval, especially in UKM. Conclusions: The students demonstrated favorable attitude and perception toward utilization of computers and Internet for education in dentistry.