The Dental Students Perception on Online Classes

Online learning has become the next frontier and the method of choice for some education providers. This study focuses on students’ insight on online classes and ways to improve it. The cross-sectional study was done at the Dental Faculty of the Islamic Science University of Malaysia (USIM), which include almost all undergraduate dental students who had attended online classes. In total, 179 respondents managed to answer the full set of questionnaires with thirty different questions. The data analysis reveals that mixed physical and online classes is recommended by the students to improve their learning experience and education performance. Excellent multimedia, video presentation, fast internet connection and communication is a crucial key for the success of student education. In conclusion, online learning has become an alternative to conventional teaching in dental institutions. The flexibility of the time to study and the option to pause/ playback are some of the benefits of online learning. However, not all subject in dentistry can be taught effectively in online learning. Students practical, laboratory and clinical teaching still need to be conducted physically as hands-on training is still the best. Nevertheless, online learning is still a viable teaching method for strengthening the theoretical academic part.