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While most dental residents found virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic to be effective and have significant potential for continued use, most faculty did not, according to a new study published in Dentistry Journal.

Shasha Cui, EdD, MBA, EIOH Curriculum Development Manager

The study, co-authored by experts at Eastman Institute for Oral Health and the University of Rochester, surveyed 46 dental residents and 10 faculty members from June to August 2021, using questionnaires to obtain data on demographics, perceptions of virtual learning, burnout and regulatory focus theory (RFT) types. RFT explains how motivation toward either positive or negative outcomes affects human behavior and goal achievement. RFT was employed in this study to understand the impact of motivational orientations (promotion or prevention focus), on virtual learning outcomes.

Other findings included:

• Younger, less experienced residents preferred virtual formats, while older, more seasoned residents favored traditional, in-person education.
• Dentists trained outside the U.S. or Canada preferred in-person learning to virtual.
• Residents who scored higher on the RFT promotion-focus scale found virtual formats more engaging and well-suited to their educational goals.
• Hybrid learning, integrating online and face-to-face education, was preferred by all respondents, as more inclusive and supportive of diverse learning styles.
• The study also revealed that 52% of residents experienced burnout during the pandemic, with a higher incidence among female study participants.

“The study’s findings underscore the importance of fostering an inclusive, supportive educational environment that not only embraces technological advancements in virtual learning but also addresses the diverse needs of both dental residents and faculty,” said Shasha Cui, EdD, MBA, EIOH Curriculum Development manager, who co-authored the study with Kumari Saswati Kar, Shruti Vasani, Nisreen Al Jallad, Mechelle R. Sanders, Rita Cacciato, Tong Tong Wu, Jin Xiao, Hans Malmstrom.

The study, was featured in a special issue marking the first impact factor of Dentistry Journal.