Undergraduate Dental Students' Perceptions and Confidence Following a High‐Fidelity <scp>ICU</scp> Simulation in Hospital Dentistry: A Pilot Study

BACKGROUND: Hospital Dentistry plays an important role in the prevention and management of oral complications among hospitalised and critically ill patients. However, undergraduate exposure to hospital-based dental care remains limited in many dental schools. High-fidelity simulation has emerged as a promising educational strategy for providing experiential learning opportunities in complex clinical environments. OBJECTIVE: To explore undergraduate dental students' perceptions, confidence, and acceptability regarding a high-fidelity simulation experience focused on oral care for critically ill patients in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) setting. METHODS: This cross-sectional pilot study included 45 final-year dental students who participated in a high-fidelity ICU simulation. The educational activity lasted approximately 3 h and included pre-briefing, simulation, and debriefing phases. Students worked in pairs within small groups and actively performed oral hygiene procedures on a simulated intubated patient. Following the activity, participants completed an anonymous questionnaire consisting of nine Likert-scale items and two open-ended questions. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise quantitative data. Internal consistency of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Responses to open-ended questions were analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Students reported highly positive perceptions regarding the simulation experience. The highest levels of agreement were observed for understanding the role of the dentist in the hospital environment (96%), recommendation to include more simulation-based activities in the undergraduate curriculum (93%), and clarity of the instructions provided during the activity (93%). High levels of agreement were also identified regarding the realism of the scenario (91%) and the perceived contribution of the activity to understanding Hospital Dentistry (91%). The questionnaire demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.93). Qualitative analysis identified three major themes: integration between theory and practice, increased confidence in providing oral care to critically ill patients, and the value of active participation through hands-on experience. Students also recommended extending the duration and frequency of simulation activities. CONCLUSION: Participants reported positive perceptions regarding the high-fidelity simulation experience, particularly in relation to confidence, realism, and theory-practice integration. These findings support the acceptability and feasibility of simulation-based educational activities in Hospital Dentistry. Further studies incorporating objective measures of knowledge and clinical performance are needed to evaluate learning outcomes.