title: Assessment of a novel module for training dental students in child abuse recognition and reporting.
abstract: This study assessed the merits of introducing a novel, online interactive training module designed to positively engage dental students and teach them to recognize and report signs of child abuse and neglect. The study aimed to determine if the online training module educated the students equivalently or better than a lecture presentation of the same content. Seventy-two students from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine's class of 2015 (90 percent of the class) agreed to participate and were randomly assigned to either a traditional lecture-based presentation or the online training module. Study participants were given a twenty-question multiple-choice pretest on their knowledge of child abuse recognition and reporting prior to the start of the study. The same instrument was administered as a posttest. At the end of the training, questionnaires were also given to both groups to assess students' perceptions of the two educational methodologies. The results showed that the interactive online training module was more effective than the lecture-based method. Results of the posttest comparison of the two groups were statistically significant (p<0.05) in favor of the online training group. Additionally, the students reported that the interactive online training module was engaging and a helpful resource, but on average they did not prefer it as a total replacement for the lecture-based approach.
authors.affiliation: Mr. Shapiro is a fourth-year D.D.S./M.A. candidate, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and Columbia Teachers College; Dr. Anderson is Professor of Natural Sciences and Chair, Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Columbia University Teachers College; and Dr. Lal is Director of Predoctoral Pediatric Dentistry and Associate Professor of Clinical Dentistry, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Shapiro
authors.affiliation: Mr. Shapiro is a fourth-year D.D.S./M.A. candidate, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and Columbia Teachers College; Dr. Anderson is Professor of Natural Sciences and Chair, Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Columbia University Teachers College; and Dr. Lal is Director of Predoctoral Pediatric Dentistry and Associate Professor of Clinical Dentistry, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine.
authors.forename: O Roger
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Mr. Shapiro is a fourth-year D.D.S./M.A. candidate, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine and Columbia Teachers College; Dr. Anderson is Professor of Natural Sciences and Chair, Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Columbia University Teachers College; and Dr. Lal is Director of Predoctoral Pediatric Dentistry and Associate Professor of Clinical Dentistry, Columbia University College of Dental Medicine. Sl784@columbia.edu.
authors.forename: Shantanu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lal
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007858:Learning; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D009518:New York; D013335:Students, Dental; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*
keywords: child abuse and neglect; dental education; e-learning; family violence; online education; online training module