Impact of early clinical exposure and preclinical tutorial guide on undergraduate dental students in Shanghai

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the impact of early clinical exposure courses and a preclinical tutorial guide on the academic performance of undergraduate dental students. Methods The early clinical exposure curriculum was carried out at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Shanghai Ninth People’s Hospital. A total of 364 students participated in this study. Seventy six clinicians from different sub-specialties volunteered as tutors. Two detailed questionnaires were administered separately to investigate the students’ and tutors’ opinions on the project. The results from students were gathered and further compared between the experimental group (n=253) who went through the curriculum and the control group (n=111) who did not. The tutors were asked to evaluate the students’ performance based on their observations. Results The results can be classified into two key categories: the evaluation of teaching outcomes and the appraisal of course arrangements. While students in the experimental group acknowledged and applauded the curriculum, all students in the control group showed a willingness to participate in the course. The tutors affirmed the effectiveness of the course and the students’ progress. Conclusions The combination of early clinical exposure and a preclinical tutorial system may extend conventional courses. The feedback provided in this study demonstrates the effectiveness of the curriculum, and some improvements are expected.