Investigating Factors Affecting the Quality of Clinical Education from the Perspective of Dental Students of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences in 2024

Background: Clinical education, as a cornerstone of dental training, plays a pivotal role in cultivating professional dentists and preparing them for therapeutic challenges.Given that the quality of clinical education directly influences students' professional competencies and subsequently the quality of healthcare services, identifying the factors affecting its quality is of paramount importance.Considering the key role of dental students as primary stakeholders in clinical education and the significance of their perspectives for program reforms, and noting the absence of a comprehensive study in this regard at Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, the present study was conducted to identify factors affecting the quality of clinical education and to propose improvement strategies based on students' viewpoints.Methods: This descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted in the second semester of the 2024 academic year among dental students at Ardabil University of Medical Sciences who had completed at least two semesters in clinical education settings and was willing to participate.Using Morgan's table, a sample size of 177 students was estimated.Participants were selected randomly from available students in various departments of the dentistry faculty.The data collection instrument was a questionnaire comprising 26 items across 5 main domains of clinical education quality, rated on a five-point Likert scale.A significance level of 0.05 was considered.Results: The findings indicated that educational objectives and programs (=0.328) and instructor's performance (=0.303) had the most significant impact on the quality of clinical education.Subsequently, the educational environment (=0.218) and interaction with students (=0.188) were of lesser importance, respectively.Evaluation (=0.136) had the least impact on the quality of clinical education.Furthermore, older students and those in higher academic semesters evaluated the quality of clinical education more positively.No significant differences were observed in the evaluation of clinical education quality based on gender or clinical education groups. Conclusion:From the perspective of dental students at Ardabil University of Medical Sciences, educational objectives and programs, along with instructors, are the most decisive factors in the quality of clinical education.Enhancing these two components, in addition to improving the educational environment and student interaction, is essential for increasing the quality of clinical education.It is recommended that educational policymakers focus on strengthening these areas.