Evaluating the impact of an online self-paced learning course on enhancing dental undergraduates' competencies in delivering brief tobacco interventions: a quasi-experimental study
1
Public Health Dentistry (Dental College), Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, India
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
World Health Organisation (WHO) highlights the vital role of dental professionals in reducing tobacco use through brief interventions.(1) Tobacco cessation interventions can significantly enhance the quality of care delivered to patients.(2) Dental professionals often lack the necessary skills and knowledge in tobacco cessation due to insufficient training during their academic programs.(3) It is essential to develop and implement training programs that enhance dental undergraduates' knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding tobacco cessation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an online self-paced learning course in achieving brief tobacco cessation intervention competence among dental undergraduates.
METHODS:
A quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design was conducted among all enrolled dental undergraduates (interns and residents) from a tertiary dental institute in Manipur, India, from April to December 2025. A total of 58 dental undergraduates completed the WHO e-Learning course “Training for primary care providers: brief tobacco interventions”.(4) The free course includes six modules and is self-paced, taking around six hours to complete. A self-administered structured questionnaire, adapted from a previously validated instrument (5) was sent to participants via email both before and six months after the training. The main outcome variables included scores for knowledge, attitude, practice, and self-efficacy. Pre and post-test changes in scores were assessed using Student's t-test.
RESULTS:
Overall, 95% of participants successfully completed both assessments, demonstrating competency in tobacco cessation. Dental undergraduates improved their knowledge scores by 3 points, increasing from a mean of 4.68 pre-course to 7.68 post-course. They also developed sufficient attitudes and self-efficacy, achieving a mean of 8.3 out of 10.
CONCLUSIONS:
The online self-paced learning course was effective in enhancing tobacco cessation skills among dental undergraduates. This training provides a comprehensive and ongoing strategy for dental professionals to conduct brief tobacco interventions during routine care.
World Health Organisation (WHO) highlights the vital role of dental professionals in reducing tobacco use through brief interventions.(1) Tobacco cessation interventions can significantly enhance the quality of care delivered to patients.(2) Dental professionals often lack the necessary skills and knowledge in tobacco cessation due to insufficient training during their academic programs.(3) It is essential to develop and implement training programs that enhance dental undergraduates' knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding tobacco cessation. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an online self-paced learning course in achieving brief tobacco cessation intervention competence among dental undergraduates.
METHODS:
A quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design was conducted among all enrolled dental undergraduates (interns and residents) from a tertiary dental institute in Manipur, India, from April to December 2025. A total of 58 dental undergraduates completed the WHO e-Learning course “Training for primary care providers: brief tobacco interventions”.(4) The free course includes six modules and is self-paced, taking around six hours to complete. A self-administered structured questionnaire, adapted from a previously validated instrument (5) was sent to participants via email both before and six months after the training. The main outcome variables included scores for knowledge, attitude, practice, and self-efficacy. Pre and post-test changes in scores were assessed using Student's t-test.
RESULTS:
Overall, 95% of participants successfully completed both assessments, demonstrating competency in tobacco cessation. Dental undergraduates improved their knowledge scores by 3 points, increasing from a mean of 4.68 pre-course to 7.68 post-course. They also developed sufficient attitudes and self-efficacy, achieving a mean of 8.3 out of 10.
CONCLUSIONS:
The online self-paced learning course was effective in enhancing tobacco cessation skills among dental undergraduates. This training provides a comprehensive and ongoing strategy for dental professionals to conduct brief tobacco interventions during routine care.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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