Sajjad Ahmed¹*, Saira Akhlaq², Khizar Ansar Malik³, Maria Shakeel⁴, Saria Khalid⁵, Farhana Ayub⁶

¹Department of Medical Education, Rashid Latif Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan

²Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan

³School of Health Profession’s Education, CMH Lahore Medical College & Institute of Dentistry, Lahore, Pakistan

⁴University College of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan

⁵CMH Lahore Medical College & Institute of Dentistry, Lahore, Pakistan

⁶College of Medicine, Bio-Medical Sciences Department, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

*Corresponding address: Department of Medical Education, Rashid Latif Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan
Email: sajjaddoc123.sa@gmail.com

Received: 19 September 2025 / Revised: 03 November 2025 / Accepted: 10 November 2025 / Available Online: 15
December 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63137/jsteam.732142

ABSTRACT

Objective: This study aimed to explore the lived experiences of Prosthodontics House Officers (HOs) in
translating theoretical knowledge into clinical practice during their rotations, addressing the persistent theory
practice gap in dental education.
Methods: A qualitative phenomenological approach, guided by hermeneutic phenomenology and the
Knowledge-to-Action (KTA) framework, was employed to examine how newly graduated dental trainees
experienced and directed the transition from theory to practice. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit twenty
Prosthodontics HOs who had completed their clinical rotations at a private dental college in Lahore, Pakistan.
Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Interviews were audio
recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis approach
with the support of NVivo 14 software. Trustworthiness was ensured through the application of credibility,
transferability, dependability, and confirmability criteria, including peer debriefing, member checking, and
multiple coder verification.
Results: Three major themes emerged: (1) Evolving Clinical Confidence Through Situated Knowledge
Application, highlighting the gradual development of competence and professional responsibility through
hands-on patient care; (2) Inhibitors to Knowledge Translation in Early Clinical Encounters, identifying
challenges such as insufficient knowledge recall, failure to apply theoretical concepts, limited experience, and
procedural haste; and (3) Catalysts for Clinical Skill Consolidation and Reflective Growth, emphasizing the
role of facilitator support, critical thinking, reflective learning, early clinical exposure, and laboratory practice
in bridging the theory-practice gap.
Conclusion: While theoretical preparation provides a foundation, effective clinical competence in
prosthodontics evolves through supervised practice, mentorship, critical reflection, and progressive patient
exposure. Addressing the theory-practice gap requires intentional educational strategies that blend knowledge,
skill development, and guided real-world experiences to ensure safe, confident, and effective patient care.
Keywords: Knowledge translation; Theory-practice gap; Prosthodontics; Dentistry; House officer; Clinical
facilitator

Data Availability: The data supporting this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.

How to Cite: Ahmed S et al., From Theory to Practice: A Qualitative Exploration of House Officers’ Clinical Learning Experience in Prosthodontics. J Sci Technol Educ Art Med. 2025;2(2):10-18