Performance of Dental Students in Understanding and Retention of Oral Pathology Concepts: A Comparative Analysis of Traditional versus Live-Field Teaching Methods

BACKGROUND: Understanding oral aspects of pathology by traditional techniques has always been a paradigm in the field of dental education. Traditional methods of teaching include interaction using black board, projectors, and alternate methods of teaching such as a student-centered approach where live-field demonstrations, audio visual aids, and student interaction are also gaining importance, ultimately promoting active education. The aim of the study was to compare live-field and static-field teaching methods in understanding and retention of the histopathological features in dental students. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional analytical study, wherein a uniform cohort of III-year dental students was obtained by randomizing the study subjects. Practical classes were conducted using traditional black board/static pictures and dynamic live-field teaching comprising of microscope connected to an HD screen and projector demonstrating the preferred microscopic field. Alternately, the level of retention of knowledge was measured using customized topic-based tests. The comparison of average scores was done between live-field and static-field teaching groups using the paired t-test. RESULTS: The test scores using the paired t-test were marginally elevated in the conventional mode of teaching; however, it varied with respect to precise topics taken using both the genres of teaching. CONCLUSION: A balance of both conventional and virtual teaching needs to be achieved to enhance the comprehension in student learning. Nevertheless, in the impending years, advanced research is entailed to see if the virtual mode of teaching could replace the conventional method for the advancement in the study prospects.