PERSPECTIVES OF CLINICAL DENTAL STUDENTS AND GRADUATES ON THE STANDARD OF CLINICAL TRAINING AT IBADAN DENTAL SCHOOL.

Background: Since 1975, the Ibadan Dental School has been setting the pace in global dental practice. Hence, a continuous evaluation of the clinical training is indispensable to maintain this excellence. This study evaluates the perspectives of clinical students and graduates on the standard of clinical training provided at the Ibadan Dental School. Methods: A mixed-methods survey was conducted among clinical dental students and recent graduates of the University of Ibadan via Google Forms. Obtained data were analysed on SPSS version 28.0 and thematic analysis done for the open-ended responses. Mean perception scores were calculated across five evaluation domains. Bar charts visualised the mean scores and frequency of challenges. Results: Sixty responses were received from the 100 invited participants. Most of the respondents (58.3%) were Males and within the age 24-26 years (63.3%). Majority (56.7%) of the respondents were in final year. On the perceived standard of clinical training by discipline, Oral Pathology achieved the highest overall mean perception score (4.0) while Community Dentistry had the lowest (3.21). The identified strengths of the training include high clinical exposure, patient diversity, faculty expertise and simulation opportunities while limited access to modern equipment, inadequate handson experience, and overcrowded clinics are the major barriers. Respondents recommended an increase in dental clinical rotation period, upgrade of equipment, reduction in number of students within rotations, and curriculum review for more effective training. Conclusion: Though Ibadan Dental School is a leading dental institution in Nigeria, strategic improvement in infrastructure, clinical exposure, and curriculum review are crucial for excellence.