Exploration and Evaluation of the Application of Mind Mapping in Pediatric Dentistry

Objective : To explore the application of mind mapping in Pediatric Dentistry education and evaluate its effectiveness in enhancing students' knowledge acquisition and learning outcomes. Methods : During the 2022-2023 academic year, 110 fourth-year dental students were required to create and refine mind maps for pre-class preparation and post-class review. Staged tests were conducted, and results were compared with a previous cohort (2018) that did not use mind mapping. A questionnaire assessed students' perceptions of mind mapping. Results : The 2019 cohort achieved significantly higher average scores in staged tests compared to the 2018 cohort (87.45 ± 14.24 vs. 81.81 ± 13.09, p < 0.05), with a higher proportion of students scoring above 90 points. The questionnaire revealed that 84.26% of students found mind mapping helpful, and 72.23% expressed interest in using it in other subjects. Conclusion : Mind mapping is an effective and innovative teaching tool in Pediatric Dentistry education, improving students' performance and engagement.