Dental students' perceptions of the use of digital microscopy as part of an oral pathology curriculum.

Recent technological advances have allowed the computer to be turned into a microscope and therefore entailed a shift from light microscopy to digital microscopy (DM). Recent studies have shown that DM is gaining popularity in multiple academic fields, including dentistry. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine-Illinois second-year dental students of the use of DM as a component of the institution's oral and maxillofacial pathology curriculum. After 129 students utilized DM in an oral and maxillofacial pathology course, they were asked to complete a voluntary survey regarding their perceptions of the use of DM. A total of 123 students responded, for a response rate of 95 percent; 112 of these were included in the final analysis. Nearly all the respondents (92 percent) favored DM over light microscopy. Almost all (98 percent) agreed that the digital microscope enhanced their learning, and 97 percent agreed that it allowed for greater collaboration among peers. These findings support the implementation of DM as the primary teaching methodology in the field of oral and maxillofacial pathology.