(PO-040) Podcast as Study Material for National Board Examination: Preliminary Findings

Author: Neha Sethi, D.D.S. – University of Minnesota School of Dentistry
Author: Jessica Lettelleir, B.S. – Dental Student, University of Minnesota School of Dentistry
Author: Keith Mays, D.D.S. MS Ph.D – Dean, School of Dentistry, University of Minnesota School of Dentistry
Submitter: Neha Sethi, D.D.S. – University of Minnesota School of Dentistry

Objectives: Over the last ten years, there has been a transformation process of the National Dental Board Examination. The examination that is given to dental students traditionally was composed of two parts, which is now one part that integrated the biomedical, behavioral, and clinical sciences into one examination. There has been a phased transition with the first
examination under the new formatted being offered in 2018, and the discontinuation of the traditional parts I and II in 2020 and 2022 respectively, leading ultimately to a single new integrated format. Therefore, dental students are preparing for examinations under a new format for the first time, without the benefit of historic data that informs preparation. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the students’ perspective on the effectiveness of Podcast as supplemental examination review material.

Methods: Ten-fifteen minute long, Case-Based Podcasts were developed based on actual completed clinical cases. Academic content and accuracy were reviewed by student and faculty collaborations. Each Podcast was recorded and released via Spotify to third and fourth years dental students preparing for the INBDE. A Qualtrics 15-item Likert-questionnaire was be distributed to dental students who listened to the Podcast. The respondents were de-identified and descriptive analysis were performed.

Results: Two Podcast were developed and released for student board preparation. There were five respondents to the survey. 80% responded that the case itself was useful, 80% felt the case/topic would be helpful for board preparation, 60% believed podcast could be useful in the dental curriculum, and 80% believe additional content would help for board prep.

Conclusion: Reflecting on the needs for remote content delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic, Podcast supplemental or review material could be a useful modality. Integrated Case-Based Podcast is an additional tool for national board preparation.