Dental students’ Exhortations to Optimum Utilization of Time Allocated in the BDS Curriculum for Clinical Sessions

Objectives: Clinical training is fundamental for grooming budding dentists. A study was therefore carried out to seek suggestions from the undergraduate male and female students for optimum utilization of the time specified for clinical sessions of the core and supporting courses.
Methods: Population of this research project comprised of 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th year male and female students of the BDS classes of the college of Dentistry, King Saud University. A questionnaire comprising 11 questions was distributed among 360 students including 3rd year n=88 M, 47 F), 4th year (n=61 M, 41 F) and 5th year (n=85 M, 38 F). The students were requested to give their feedback on a 7 scale Likert scale. The data obtained were subjected to the IBM SPSS software for calculating Means, percentages and Chi square for each question.
Results: A total of 291 male and female students out of 360 filled the questionnaire at a rate of 80.83% including 101 female and 190 male students. For optimum utilization of the time allocated for clinical sessions, students suggested increasing no of instructors followed by increasing no. of dental assistants as indicated by score of 5.72 and 5.18 on a 7 point Likert scale. Besides it was suggested to increase the number of clinical sessions. All students unanimously suggested change and not to stay in the current situation.
Conclusions: The students were found dissatisfied with the current situation and suggested to increase the number of clinical instructors and the dental assistants for optimum utilization of the clinical time. Although students suggested increasing the number of clinical sessions yet a further study is required to know the specified courses wherein clinical sessions will be required to increase.