Participants’ assessments of the periodontal continuing educational program via the delivery mode of a periodontal alliance

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the periodontal continuing educational delivery mode via a periodontal alliance. METHODS: An innovative continuing educational delivery mode via a periodontal alliance has been conducted using a periodontal alliance of 30 hospitals in 18 provinces of China. This delivery mode integrates several instructional methods, including lectures, case presentations, and interactive question and answer sessions, all of which were conducted through online platforms. The effectiveness of the mode was evaluated via a questionnaire that was administered to the participants. The questionnaire consisted of 13 closed-ended questions and 2 open-ended questions. RESULTS: Of the 450 participants, 343 (76%) returned the questionnaire. Of the returned surveys, more than 92% provided positive feedback regarding the instructional methods of the program, stating that the techniques helped them study more efficiently and saved them time and money. More than 85% of the participants were satisfied with the instructional content and more than 90% of the participants considered the educational value of the program to be high, as it helped them identify gaps in knowledge, promoted their ability to establish treatment plans, and encouraged them to network with one another and thereby establish a supportive environment. With respect to the responses to the open-ended questions, the participants claimed that the most useful aspects of the program were related to time and cost savings. The most frequent feedback with respect to improving the program was to include hands-on courses and to divide the program into different levels. CONCLUSIONS: The participants responded positively to the program. The periodontal alliance delivery mode was determined to be an effective way to improve the quality of continuing dental education.