Enhancing Dentists' Knowldge of Denture Hygiene/Care Using Online Self-Directed E-learning

Objectives: Dentures are devices used to replace oral hard and soft tissues and improve patients’ quality of life. Poor denture hygiene has been linked to increased risk of oral and dental diseases and is attributed to lack of dental professionals’ knowledge. Little evidence exists demonstrating the effectiveness of using an online e-learning package intervention to improve dentists’ knowledge of denture care and hygiene. This preliminary study aimed to develop a bespoke online e-learning package, determine its educational effectiveness, and evaluate its usage.
Methods: Solomon four-group design was utilised to determine the educational effectiveness of a bespoke online CPD created using an HTML-5 internet-based programme (H5P). Forty general dental practitioners (GDPs) were invited and designated to one of four experimental groups, A – pre-intervention test, CPD intervention, post-intervention test, B – pre-intervention test, post-intervention test, C – CPD intervention, post-intervention test, and D – post-intervention test only. A technology acceptance model (TAM) questionnaire evaluated participant CPD usage according to seven TAM factors. Two-way ANOVA determined pre-intervention test sensitisation, and the effect of CPD intervention on post-intervention test scores. Inter-item correlation and path-analysis was conducted for TAM questionnaire results for each TAM factor.
Results: Twenty-five GDPs participated, there was no evidence of pre-intervention test sensitisation. Post-intervention mean test scores did not significantly (p>0.05) differ between groups B and D. CPD intervention groups A and C demonstrated significantly (p<0.0001) higher post-intervention mean test scores. Statistically significant correlation was demonstrated between computer ‘self-efficacy’, ‘perceived usefulness’ (0.636, p<0.05), and ‘perceived ease of use’ (0.780, p<0.01), and between ‘perceived usefulness’ and ‘behavioural intention’ (0.851, p<0.01)
Conclusions: The online e-learning package increased GDP knowledge in denture care and hygiene using the Solomon four-group design. TAM analysis suggested those GDPs with good computer skills evaluated the CPD as easy to use, helpful, and recommendable to their colleagues.