title: Proposal of e-learning strategy to teach Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) to undergraduate and graduate students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate e-learning strategy in teaching Atraumatic Restorative Treatment (ART) to undergraduate and graduate students. The sample comprised 76 participants-38 dental students and 38 pediatric dentistry students-in a specialization course. To evaluate knowledge improvement, participants were subjected to a test performed before and after the course.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A single researcher corrected the tests and intraexaminer reproducibility was calculated (CCI = 0.991; 95% IC = 0.975-0.996). All students improved their performances after the e-learning course (Paired t-tests p < 0.001). The means of undergraduate students were 4.7 (initial) and 6.4 (final) and those of graduate students were 6.8 (initial) and 8.2 (final). The comparison of the final evaluation means showed a statistically significant difference (t-tests p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The e-learning strategy has the potential of improving students' knowledge in ART. Mature students perform better in this teaching modality when it is applied exclusively via distance learning.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculdade de Odontologia da Universidade Paulista, Av, Comendador Enzo Ferrari, 280 - Swift, Campinas, Brazil. lucilazaccaro@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Lucila Basto
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Daniela Prócida
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Raggio
authors.forename: Carlos Felipe
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Bonacina
authors.forename: Chao Lung
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Fausto Medeiros
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: Marcelo José Strazzeri
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Bönecker
authors.forename: Ana Estela
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Haddad
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003479:Curriculum; D057087:Dental Atraumatic Restorative Treatment; D020375:Education, Distance; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013337:Students, Medical