Enhancing Tooth Anatomy Education: Integrating Lecturio in a Flipped Classroom for year 1 undergraduate dental students in private Malaysian university- A mixed method study

<ns5:p>Background Tooth anatomy is foundational in dental education, demanding mastery of complex 3D structures and morphology. Traditional lecture-based methods often limit interactive learning and diverse learning styles. This mixed-methods study explores the impact of integrating Lecturio's digital platform into a flipped classroom model for Year 1 dental students learning tooth anatomy at private Malaysian dental school. Methods A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was employed with Year 1 dental students (n = 56) wherein students were quasi-randomly assigned to a control group (n = 28) receiving traditional lectures or an intervention group (n = 28) experiencing the flipped classroom with Lecturio. Quantitative data included pre-and post-test scores assessing knowledge acquisition and survey responses on student perceptions (engagement, satisfaction, and perceived effectiveness). Qualitative data from focus groups explored student experiences in-depth. Data were analysed using paired and independent t-tests, thematic analysis, and a convergent parallel approach for integration. Results The flipped classroom group demonstrated a significantly more substantial improvement in tooth anatomy knowledge (p &lt; 0.05). Quantitative analysis of survey data revealed higher engagement, satisfaction, and perceived effectiveness in the flipped classroom group. Qualitative findings underscored active learning as a key theme, indicating that the flipped classroom model promotes student engagement and participation. Conclusions The integration of Lecturio into a flipped classroom model emerges as a potent tool for enhancing tooth anatomy education. This model not only fosters active learning but also caters to diverse learning styles, thereby improving knowledge acquisition. The findings of this study provide compelling evidence for the effectiveness of the flipped classroom model in dental education.</ns5:p>