The evolving landscape of oral biology education: a comparative study of teaching strategies.

Background: With the enormous changes in dental education to prepare well-trained dentists for future requirements, little is known about students' feedback and their perceptions of their curriculum. With respect to academic progress, bridging the gap between basic biological sciences and clinical studies has recently become one of the prominent approaches. However, the perspectives of medical students are not frequently considered during the revision of the medical curriculum. This study aims to investigate the influence of different oral biology and embryology teaching strategies on dental students' clinical awareness and practices.

Methods: This cross-sectional study provided a structured and anonymous online questionnaire to at least 222 currently registered dental students and dental alumni from various Egyptian universities. The questions referred to oral biology teaching methods, clinical relevance, the use of virtual microscopes, and the associations of oral biology and embryology with other subjects in the dental curriculum. The answers were collected, and the data were statistically analyzed.

Results: According to data, students strongly preferred modern teaching techniques over traditional ones, such as 3D holography and virtual microscopy. Most participants from both national and private universities expressed a strong preference for modern teaching techniques. The majority of participants in the study also concurred that oral biology topics are pertinent to clinical decision-making.

Conclusion: By incorporating innovative technologies such as digital scanned slides, virtual microscopy, and holography, dental institutions can boost the educational process, especially the online process, and equip future dentists with essential skills for clinical excellence. Perpetual evaluation of teaching strategies is crucial for optimizing student engagement and ensuring the effectiveness of these advancements.