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ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Integration of oral health promotion into general health care has been highly recommended by the World Health Organization. GPs can play an active role in the promotion of oral health care. Our aim was needs assessment for presentation of oral health topics in general medical students, training curriculum and to determine interventional method to improve their oral health knowledge by opinion poll among medical faculty authorities and members. METHODS: In this descriptive-analytic study conducted cross-sectionally, oral health knowledge and attitude of medical students of Babol University of Medical Sciences, who educated in third to sixth years of their course, were assessed by census. To comparison, 50 dental students in this university who educated in third to sixth years of their course and 50 engineering students who educated in third and fourth years of their course from Babol Noshirvani University of Technology were included by simple sampling. The means of data collection was a questionnaire. After analyzing the data, a survey on medical faculty authorities and members was conducted regarding to the necessity and how to plan the method of intervention for medical students in relation to oral health. FINDINGS: 319 students responded to the questionnaires. The mean age was 21.94±1.28, with an age range of 19-25 years. Mean and standard deviation scores were 8.02±3.41, 15.35±2.47 and 5.73±2.68 for medical, dental and engineering students, respectively. 61.7% of medical students have tendency to provide oral health topics in their academic courses. Medical faculty members of Babol University of Medical Sciences agreed with providing this topics as a part of public health course. CONCLUSION: Medical students’ lack of knowledge about oral health and the positive attitudes of medical faculty authorities and members toward this subject, revealed a great need for inclusion of this topic in medical students, curriculum.

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ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of educational processes is an important step to determine the success rate of educational system in performing its responsibilities and to detect that educational programs are desirable and matched to educational goals or not. The objective of this study was to evaluate the results of 10 years national comprehensive exams of medical clerkship, pre-internship and dental continuing exams in Babol University of Medical Sciences. METHODS: The results of 10 years national comprehensive exams of medical clerkship, pre-internship and dental continuing exams related to Babol University of Medical Sciences which had been published by Ministry of Health and Medical Education Department up to year 2010, were entered to excel software sheets and for each lesson, the mean rank of the university among the participant medical universities was notified, aligned rate was calculated and compared. FINDINGS: In the lessons related to medical clerkship, pre-internship and dental continuing exams, the lessons of genetics, radiology and genetics had the highest aligned rate, respectively.Parasitology, orthopedics and physiology had the lowest aligned rate in these 10 years. CONCLUSION: It seems that the results of these national comprehensive exams, can be a proper baseline for implementation of suitable educational policies in the universities for reinforcement of strength points and intervention in weak points of each university.

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ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The satisfaction rate of clients toward the offered services qualitatively is the one of the most important indices for the evaluation of services provided in different health and treatment sections. As regards an efficient health system only through the provision of quality services can meet its mission to provide health. This study was done to evaluate the satisfaction rate of patients referred to Dentistry Faculty of Babol University of Medical Sciences, 2010. METHODS: This cross sectional study was done on 500 patients referred to the Babol dental school in 2010 using questionnaires to assess their satisfaction of services. Data were analyzed by T-Test, One way ANOVA, Pearson and Spearmen correlations tests. FINDINGS: In the present study, age and patients' satisfaction of heath care had a direct relationship and satisfaction increased with age (p<0.0001). But patients' satisfaction with education level, gender, and having or not having insurance, had not statistically significant relationships (p>0.05). On the other hand those who had a rural insurance significantly were satisfied less than others from reception of services (p=0.003). In general, overall satisfaction score of patients in medical services was 27.84±3.45(out of 40). Also %65.1 of patients described specialized treatment services as high quality. CONCLUSION: As regards the results of the present study shows that the patients' satisfaction of services in Babol Dental School is in the desirable level and it is hoped that with solving of existing problems , improving the quality and quantity of services and modification of reception process, the present situation can be improved.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: For an efficient bedside teaching, the need to investigation, planning and reflection exists. To evaluate the current situation of education system, this study aimed to determine the view of Babol dental students about the practical value of educational contents in oral medicine department. METHODS: In this descriptve and analytical cross-sectional study, a valid and reliable questionnaire was designed. In the 1st part, demographic questions and in the 2nd part, questions about the practical value of theoretical oral medicine contents were asked. The students rated the value as low, moderate and high. The questionnaire was destributed among 101 dental students of 4th, 5th and 6th year . FINDINGS: 90 students full-filled the questionnaires and entered the study. Based on the results of this study, there was no significant difference in the practical value of taught contents among men and women (P=0.596) and also students, method of entrance to dental school (P= 0.413). A significant correlation exists between the practical value of taught contents and their academic year (IV, V, VI)(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Students mentioned the load of theoretical contents relativaly appropriate to cover clinical needs. 4th year students mentioned the practical values lower than the 5th and 6th year students. Also 5th and 6th year students evaluated the relation of theoretical contents and clinical needs as good which shows desirable correlation and two way communication of theretical and practical contents.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To evaluate faculty members, quality of teaching in the universities and higher education centers, one of the most common sources for planning and implementation of educational interventions, is the viewpoints of the students. There is a little information about the evaluation of faculty members in the psychiatric groups of medical universities, therefore this research was performed to assess the internship medical students, opinions about the educational status of faculty members in this group. METHODS: This research is a descriptive- analytic study. All of internship medical students who entered to the psychiatric ward of Babol University of Medical Sciences in the year 2012 were delivered questionnaires to report their opinions about the educational status of this group. In this questionnaire, 25 questions in 5 domains related to evaluation of faculty members were considered. According to the scores, results were extracted. Data analysis was performed by Stata SE software, version8. Chi2, Spearman,s correlation coefficients were used for analysis. FINDINGS: Out of total score, mean score in the domain of active presence of faculty member was 90.38±2.78, in the domain of teaching method was 94.15±2.30, the level of knowledge was 94.75±1.71, in the domain of supervision on the function of students was 93.42±2.96 and in the domain of ethics and behavior of faculty member was 95.13±1.81. CONCLUSION: The attitude of internship medical students in Babol University of Medical Sciences is good about the training of faculty members of the psychiatric group.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Information revolution with a wide range of effectiveness, in different dimensions of the society, especially in medical sciences can be a way for solving the problems. METHODS: This study was before- after intervention HSR type research and clinical faculty members of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Babol, comprised the statistical population. With establishment of clinical research development unit in Shahid Beheshti Hospital in 2009, the provided services in this center, the number of published papers and the number of approved research projects and theses were considered as indicators of research performance. These indicators were calculated before and after the center establishment. For data collection, information in the database of faculty research system were used. The number of theses and published articles were asked from the faculty members. FINDINGS: Research activities of faculty in research projects, theses and published papers, before the establishment of the unit, were 58 cases (25.9%), and after that, 166 cases (74.10%). The contribution of this clinical research development unit in the improvement of research goals of Babol University of Medical Sciences, based on the number of published papers according to the type of the article and the indices of journals which articles have been published in, has been 84.5 since the time of the center establishment . CONCLUSION: Significant growth in the number, research projects per capita, approved articles and theses indicates a positive effect on the research consultations in database and increase in research attitude and interest of practitioners and students.

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ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Continuous evaluation of students’ educational status is one of the most important essentials in improving the quality of educational system in universities. This study was performed in order to assessment of academic achievement of dental students and individual effective factors on it in Babol University of Medical Science at clinical level.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 127 students admitted during the years 2008-2011 in Babol dental school (except health-servers of mouth and teeth and complementary level students). Data including: )age, gender, term time, average grade of diploma, additional occupation, housing situation, year of getting diploma, year of university entrance, marital status, occupation, parental education and residence situation) was collected by the questionnaire. Total GPA, failed course and number of probation semesters were gathered from the archive of dental school and by SPSS 17 and Repeated Measures ANOVA, ANOVA, T test, Chi-square was analyzed and P<0.05 was considered as significant.

FINDINGS: There was a meaningful relationship between history of failing in the university and the percentage of specialized courses in Entrance exam, pre-university average (P=0.03) and the age of students (0.01). Pre-university average and gender influenced on educational status. The students with higher pre-university average had better educational status and female students had better educational score than males during this period.(p=0.006 and 0.005 respectively).

CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study and the obvious role of educational status during high- school and pre-university average on the educational progress of students and considering the students of medical group have a responsibility in society’s health; it is better the future planning to be in direction of the essential changes in the admission criteria for college students.

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ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Effective teaching depends on the proper use of communicative skills so that the best teaching situation and issue become uninteresting in the case of professor’s inability in establishing desirable communication. Therefore, effective factors in the relationship between the professor and the student to improve teaching process are extremely important. This study was conducted at investigating the effective factors in the relationship between the professor and the student from the perspective of clinical students in Babol dental school.

METHODS: This descriptive-sectional study was conducted by using 111 clinical students’ opinions at Babol dental school, the students who had passed at least a semester and were familiar with their professor’s assessment process. A valid and reliable questionnaire including 37 questions concerning professors’ personal, scientific and professional effects on their relationship with students was prepared and be very high, high, medium, low, very low. After completing the questionnaire by the students, the indices of mean, standard deviation and statistical tests at 5% significant level were used for data analysis.

FINDINGS: The most important effective factors in the relationship between the professor and the student from clinical students’ opinions were professors’ patience, respect for students by professors and professors’ mastery on scientific concepts and materials. On the other hand, professors’ gender, presentation of curriculum to students and professors’ scientific degree were of the lowest importance for the students.

CONCLUSION: According to the results, professors should give patience, respect for students and professors’ mastery on scientific concepts and materials on their agenda. Moreover, it is necessary that universities, after admission and before their work will participate professors in educational workshops to teach how to communicate with the audience, how to organize materials and teaching methods in order to get students’ satisfaction by increasing educational quality.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The missions of a university are education, research and social services. Because of the attention to education has been decreased in the evaluation of scientific activities, the evaluation of education should be made due to determining its effectiveness. Knowing the opinions of the postgraduate students about the features of effective teaching could have a significant effect on educational managers programing. METHODS: This descriptive-analytical research was carried out as a cross-sectional study in 2017-2018 academic years. Sampling was performed by census method. Data collection tool was a questionnaire consisted of two parts of demographic data and effective teaching items in four fields of scholarship, teaching method, relationship with assistant and personal characteristics. To analyze the data, SPSS version 22 software was used and the significance level of 0.05 was considered. FINDINGS: From the viewpoints of postgraduate students, the fields of individual characteristics and communication with the students have the most and the least importance, respectively. The mean score of the field of individual characteristics with other fields (P=0.001), the field of scholarship between male and female participants (P=0.017), the fields of relationship with the students and individual characteristics between the participants with different academic fields (P=0.009 and P=0.021, respectively), the fields of teaching method and individual characteristics between the participants with different enterance years (P=0.023 and P=0.037, respectively) and the fields of communication with the students, teaching method and individual characteristics between the participants with different total average (P=0.005, P=0.034 and P=0.008, respectively), were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Individual characteristics of faculty members from the viewpoints of postgraduate students had the greatest impact on the effectiveness of teaching, which could be considered along with other studied fields in this study, to improve the quality of education.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate and determine the strategies for studying and learning and factors affecting them in dental students of Babol University of Medical Sciences in order to evaluate the students' study and learning skills while entering university.
METHODS: This analytical-descriptive study was carried out in 2017 using dental students' opinions of Babol University of Medical Sciences by a questionnaire was comprised of two parts (the first part included demographic information and the second part containing 80 questions in 10 categories). For data analysis, SPSS software was used to comparing mean score between various categories and questions and in each of them in term of demographical variables by parametrical compare mean tests include of repeated measurement, independent t-test, and analysis of variances (ANOVA) and multiple comparisons. The significance level was considered less than 0.05.
FINDINGS: Of the 137 participants, 46% (63 men) and 54% (74 women) had a mean age of 22.62 ± 3.19. The highest score was for the skill group with a mean of 3.2 ± 0.39 and the lowest score for the group of will with a mean of 3.12 ± 0.37. The difference between the average score obtained between the skill group and the will and self-regulation groups were significant (P= 0.017 and P= 0.022 respectively).
CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study and the obtained scores by the participants which were often in the midrange of acceptable scores (1 to 5), students in most categories of study strategies and learning could be considered weak. Therefore initial assessment while entering the university, monitoring, and continuing education should be provided by the universities' educational development centers to maintain and enhance the level of the categories during the study period.

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Background and Objective: Choosing the right teaching method that improves the quality of education requires careful examination and diagnosis of learning styles. When it comes to knowledge acquisition, information processing, memory retention, and recall, students have unique preferences. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the preferred learning styles of Babol dental students and investigating the effect of gender, academic semester and grade point average (GPA) of the previous semester.

Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted using the VARK learning styles questionnaire (Visual-Aural-Reading/Writing-Kinesthetic) on 165 students from the 5th to 12th semester who passed the basic science and were satisfied to participate. The data was analyzed with SPSS version 26 and CHI-SQUARE and ANOVA tests.

Findings: Among 165 students who responded to the questionnaires, 69.1% were tuition-free students and 30.9% were tuition-paying students. The most participants were from the 6th semester and the least from the 7th semester, and the average age was 24.05±3.64. The highest percentage of students had GPA between 16 and 18 in the previous semester ⅔ dental students are more partial to an unimodal learning style, among which the Aural and kinesthetic style was preferred. No significant relationship was found between students' GPA at the end of the semester, academic semester, gender and type of entry(tuition-free/ tuition-paying) with learning style.

Conclusion: The superiority of the unimodal learning style and the greatest preference for the auditory method without the influence of demographic variables on these styles can help professors choose a more effective educational method.