title: An "XL" endodontics intervention for dental students required to repeat the course: changing frustration to improved grades and attitudes.
abstract: Given the psychological and financial costs involved with failing a clinical course, especially in developing countries, an alternative educational method was tested with students who had to repeat the year-long endodontic course at the University of Chile Faculty of Dentistry. The objectives of the intervention were to deepen theoretical knowledge and practical experiences, as well as to reinforce personal confidence in an endodontic clinical setting for students who failed the regular endodontic course. The aim of this study was to evaluate the success of this new model of educational intervention. In the study, 28 students who had failed the endodontic course repeated it with an alternative teaching method. The students attended patients immediately following practical competence exams, and they had access to simulated models that used rotary instruments and access cavities and had emergency care practice. Feedback sessions were held after each clinical session. Final grades were compared with those of other students who repeated the course without the intervention from 2007 to 2009. A survey was administered to understand the causes of initial failure and their opinions of the intervention. Students who participated in the alternative course did significantly better than their counterparts from previous years who did not receive the intervention (5.7±0.3 vs. 5.4±0.2; p<0.05). Their overall perception of the intervention was positive, and the main cause for previous course failure was personal insecurity and slow clinical care performance (54.2% of the students). The intervention course not only improved grades but also generated interest in endodontics, a contrasting perspective to the frustration students usually express after repeating the course. The results of this study support the introduction of similar interventions in endodontics and perhaps other courses.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Alcota is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Fuenzalida is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Barrientos is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Garrido is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Ruiz de Gauna is Professor, Department of Theory and History of Education, Teacher Training School of Bilbao, University of The Basque Country, Spain; and Dr. González is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile, and Associate Researcher, Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Chile.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alcota
authors.affiliation: Dr. Alcota is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Fuenzalida is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Barrientos is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Garrido is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Ruiz de Gauna is Professor, Department of Theory and History of Education, Teacher Training School of Bilbao, University of The Basque Country, Spain; and Dr. González is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile, and Associate Researcher, Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Chile.
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fuenzalida
authors.affiliation: Dr. Alcota is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Fuenzalida is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Barrientos is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Garrido is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Ruiz de Gauna is Professor, Department of Theory and History of Education, Teacher Training School of Bilbao, University of The Basque Country, Spain; and Dr. González is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile, and Associate Researcher, Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Chile.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barrientos
authors.affiliation: Dr. Alcota is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Fuenzalida is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Barrientos is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Garrido is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Ruiz de Gauna is Professor, Department of Theory and History of Education, Teacher Training School of Bilbao, University of The Basque Country, Spain; and Dr. González is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile, and Associate Researcher, Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Chile.
authors.forename: Mauricio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garrido
authors.affiliation: Dr. Alcota is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Fuenzalida is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Barrientos is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Garrido is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Ruiz de Gauna is Professor, Department of Theory and History of Education, Teacher Training School of Bilbao, University of The Basque Country, Spain; and Dr. González is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile, and Associate Researcher, Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Chile.
authors.forename: Pilar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruiz de Gauna
authors.affiliation: Dr. Alcota is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Fuenzalida is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Barrientos is Instructor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Garrido is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile; Dr. Ruiz de Gauna is Professor, Department of Theory and History of Education, Teacher Training School of Bilbao, University of The Basque Country, Spain; and Dr. González is Assistant Professor, Department of Conservative Dentistry, School of Dentistry, University of Chile, and Associate Researcher, Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, University of Chile. fgonzalez@u.uchile.cl.
authors.forename: Fermín E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: González
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004497:Education, Dental; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004708:Endodontics / Q000193:education*; D005246:Feedback; D005639:Frustration; D006801:Humans; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D012073:Remedial Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D018915:Root Canal Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation; D012649:Self Concept; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D013664:Teaching Materials
keywords: Chile; academic failure; dental education; educational intervention; endodontics