Effect of Video-Assisted Reflective Practice on Infection Control Performance During Oral Hygiene Procedures Performed by Dental Hygienists.
Have staff watch and reflect on their own task videos to cut safety breaches faster than verbal reminders alone.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Adriaanse et al. (2026) tested a simple twist on staff training. Dental hygienists watched a video of themselves doing an oral cleaning. They then answered short reflection questions about each infection-control slip. A second group only heard the usual verbal reminders.
The study was a randomized trial, so hygienists were split by chance. No extra prizes or threats were used. The goal was to see if self-video plus reflection could cut touches on non-clinical surfaces—think pen, light handle, drawer knob.
What they found
Hygienists who saw their own video made fewer risky touches than the verbal-only group. The drop was large enough to matter for clinic safety. Verbal reminders helped a little, but video reflection helped a lot more.
How this fits with other research
Nielsen et al. (2009) ran a similar test with nurses lifting patients. Video scoring plus brief feedback lifted safe-lift scores. When feedback stopped, skills slid back. Kim’s 2026 study shows the same boost, but the reflection step may block that slide because staff generate their own fix.
Sorrell et al. (2025) used virtual video feedback to teach teachers how to run trial-based functional analyses. Both papers show video plus feedback beats lecture alone. The dental study adds a twist: short written reflection right after the clip.
McCafferty et al. (2024) compared tactile TAGteach to video self-review for medical students. Tactile cues won on speed. Kim’s results do not clash—they simply show video reflection still beats lecture, even if tactile beats video. Different goals, different winners.
Why it matters
You can copy this Monday. Record a short clip of your staff doing any sterile task—glove removal, toy sanitizing, syringe prep. Have them watch and write one sentence about what they touched that they shouldn’t have. Five minutes later you will see fewer risky moves, no extra gear needed.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Film one routine, play it back, ask the staff to jot one fix, then film again next week.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
The dental clinic environment is highly vulnerable to cross-infection from patients’ blood and oral fluids. Regular training is vital to prevent cross-contamination between healthcare providers and patients. This study evaluated the effectiveness of video-assisted reflective practice compared to traditional verbal Instruction for infection-control education. Dental hygienists participated in the study, during which their dental calculus removal procedures were video-recorded. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the verbal instruction group received conventional training on infection control, while the video-assisted reflective practice group reviewed video recordings of their own clinical performance with guidance from a researcher. Following the educational intervention, all participants repeated the calculus removal procedure, and this session was also recorded. The effectiveness of each instructional method was assessed by analyzing the number of non-clinical surface contacts during dental hygiene procedures in the video recordings, both before and after the intervention. Video analysis revealed that both verbal instruction and video-assisted reflective practice effectively reduced non-clinical surface contact during dental hygiene procedures. However, the reduction was statistically significantly greater in the video-assisted reflective practice group. Notably, the dental unit chair and the clinician’s knee, identified as the most frequent contact sites, showed statistically significantly greater reductions in contact frequency in this group compared to the verbal instruction group. This study demonstrates that video-assisted reflective practice, which allows clinicians to reflect on their own behavior, is effective for infection control training. When combined with verbal instruction, it may further enhance dental hygienists’ self-directed competence.
Oral Health & Preventive Dentistry, 2026 · doi:10.3290/j.ohpd.c_2491