EFFECT OF A GAMIFIED LEARNING INTERVENTION ON DENTAL STUDENTS’ CLINICAL PERFORMANCE: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

Abstract

Background: Clinical performance is a critical competency for dental students, reflecting their technical proficiency and readiness for professional practice. With the growing adoption of educational technologies, gamification has emerged as an innovative approach to enhance engagement, motivation, and learning in educational settings. While prior studies have reported positive effects on knowledge acquisition and cognitive skills, limited evidence has addressed its impact on the clinical performance of dental students. This study examined the effectiveness of gamified learning in improving the clinical performance of dental students.

Methods: A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-test measures was employed. Fifty-two dentistry students were divided into control (traditional instruction, n = 26) and experimental (gamified instruction, n = 26) groups for the study. The clinical performance was assessed using a validated scale. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was conducted with pre-test scores as a covariate to evaluate post-test differences. Logistic regression was used to examine the probability of improved performance based on pre-test scores and group assignment.

Results: ANCOVA revealed a non-significant effect of gamified instruction on clinical performance after adjusting for the baseline scores. However, students in the gamified group achieved higher adjusted mean scores than those in the control group, indicating superior clinical-task performance. Logistic regression confirmed that group membership significantly predicted improved outcomes, with students in the gamified group showing higher odds of better performance.

Conclusion: Gamified learning can effectively enhance clinical performance in dental education by fostering motivation, engagement, and skill development in students. These findings support the integration of gamification into dental curricula to strengthen clinical training and prepare students for professional practice.