Analyzing the Impact of a Practical Student Checklist on Addressing Misinformation in Anatomy and Related Fields in Dentistry

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> ContextoThe shift to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic increased students’ exposure to online content, raising their vulnerability to health misinformation. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a practical checklist to help preclinical dental students critically assess the credibility of digital health information.MétodosA 10-item checklist was designed to identify key elements indicating reliable content. Three adapted news items—classified as true, partially true, or false—were assessed using this checklist. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 85 dental students from a Brazilian university. Participants received the instrument via institutional email and WhatsApp. Descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha, the Mann–Whitney U test, and the Chi-square test were used for data analysis.ResultadosMost students correctly identified the false (75%) and partially true (67%) news. However, only 43% correctly classified the true news, suggesting challenges in recognizing trustworthy content. Editorial features like grammar and publication date were more frequently noted, while fewer students identified authorship and source origin. Gender differences were statistically significant in some checklist items; no significant differences were found between academic levels.ConclusõesThe checklist supported students’ ability to detect misleading information but revealed difficulties in validating true content. These findings underscore the need for structured tools in health education to develop critical thinking and digital literacy among students.

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