Objectives: Since 2001, an e-learning tool has been developed for dentistry. To compare online self study with traditional lectures, a module about instrumental occlusal analysis was offered by oral lecture and by a unit in the virtual library of the e-learning tool.

Methods: 85 pre-clinical dental students were randomly divided into two groups: the computer assisted learning (CAL) group (n = 48) and the lecture group (n = 37). A pre-test was made to assess the students′ basic knowledge. The first post-test and the scoring of the teaching methods were performed immediately after the lecture or the self studying by the online tool and a second post-test six weeks later.

Results: The oral lecture got better educational and enjoyment values. The students prefer CAL in addition to traditional lectures. The results of the pre-tests were not different between the two groups (p = 0.706). The lecture group significantly improved their scores in the first post-test (p = 0.011), but the scores of the second post-test did not differ significantly (p = 0.157).

Conclusions: In the short term, knowledge acquisition seems to be better in oral lectures but in the long term there is no difference in knowledge retention between the two learning scenarios.