Testing an Educational Resource for Implementation in Temporomandibular Disorders Curriculum Through a Phase I Define and Refine Study

Objectives: This pilot study assessed the feasibility of a virtual patient-based learning (VPBL) platform as an educational tool to address insufficient clinical exposure to temporomandibular disorder (TMD) cases in predoctoral dental education. Methods: The VPBL platform, developed with Articulate Storyline, featured 15 virtual patients (VPs) based on Diagnostic Criteria for TMD. In a two-step study, 40 third- and fourth-year dental students rated the platform's feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, burden, and usability using standardized Likert-based scales. In Cohort 1, 20 students (65.0% females; 26.9 ± 3.3 years old) evaluated the 15 VPs and provided feedback. Cohort 2-study consisted of adjusting the VPs based on feedback from Cohort 1 and re-piloting the cases on 20 randomly selected 4th-year students (68.4% females; 26.8 ± 1.9 years old). Scores from Cohort 1 and Cohort 2 were compared using independent t-tests; qualitative exit interviews were conducted on all participants. Results: The Cohort 1 study revealed high ratings in acceptability (4.4 ± 0.5, range 1–5), appropriateness (4.4 ± 0.6, range 1–5), feasibility (4.2 ± 0.5, range 1–5), and usability (73.8 ± 15.2, range 0–100), with a minimal burden (the greatest being the difficulty of use, 1.9 ± 0.6, range 0–4). In the Cohort 2 study, the VPBL was adjusted according to feedback, and five additional VPs were created. Compared to the Cohort 1-study, the modified-VPBL obtained significantly higher scores in acceptability (4.8 ± 0.3, p = 0.015), appropriateness (4.7 ± 0.4, p = 0.035), feasibility (4.7 ± 0.4, p = 0.004), usability (83.6 ± 12.9, p = 0.034), and lower scores in difficulty of use (1.5 ± 0.3, p = 0.022). Conclusions: The VPBL platform demonstrated feasibility as an educational tool for integration into the TMD curriculum for third- and fourth-year dental students. These Phase I data provide scientific validation for more rigorous testing on a broader scale.