Students' perceptions of virtual interactive clinical case-based learning: A comparative study with three different cohorts.

Background/purpose: Since the introduction of virtual learning into dental education, students' perceptions of the effectiveness of virtual versus in-person learning formats have evolved for interactive clinical case-based learning (ICCBL). This study aimed to undertake a comparative analysis of three different cohorts that received various formats of ICCBL instruction. Materials and methods: A survey was distributed to the Classes of 2023, 2024, and 2025 following each class completion of interactive clinical case-based-tutorials (ICCBT) as part of the Treatment of Active Disease (TxAD) course at Harvard School of Dental Medicine. Results: A total of eighty-five participants from the three cohorts, twenty-three students from the Class of 2023 (virtual format, 71.9 % participation rate), thirty-one students from the Class of 2024 (combination of virtual and in-person, 91.2 %), and thirty-one students from the Class of 2025 (in-person, 83.8 %) completed the post-course survey. Across three classes, all cohorts were more likely to perceive the virtual format as more effective than in-person ICCBT. In addition, the classes were more likely to prefer virtual based classes compared to in-person tutorials in the future. Conclusion: This study highlights the dynamic shifts in educational approaches to align with the evolving demands of contemporary students. Our findings show that all cohorts expressed a preference for virtual ICCBT sessions and perceived virtual ICCBT sessions as somewhat more effective for learning compared to in-person sessions. These findings challenge the notion that such sessions must be conducted in person, prompting further research and the exploration of potentially more effective and optimized educational methods.