Evaluation of problem-based learning in dental trauma education: An observational cohort study

Problem-based learning (PBL) allows higher thinking among dental students and has improved first-time pass-rates in predoctoral pediatric dentistry education. The aim of this retrospective observational cohort study was to evaluate the impact of PBL-based, traumatic dental injuries case discussions...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Dental traumatology 2023-12, Vol.39 (6), p.625-636
Main Authors: Puranik, Chaitanya P, Pickett, Kaci, de Peralta, Tracy
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cohort analysis
Critical thinking
Dentistry
Dentition
Education
Learning
Observational studies
Pediatrics
Students
Surveys
Teeth
Trauma
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Problem-based learning (PBL) allows higher thinking among dental students and has improved first-time pass-rates in predoctoral pediatric dentistry education. The aim of this retrospective observational cohort study was to evaluate the impact of PBL-based, traumatic dental injuries case discussions on predoctoral dental trauma education. Student performance and perceptions after receiving dental trauma curriculum with or without PBL-based dental trauma case discussions were evaluated. All the students challenged their simulated patient-based assessments. Three recall-based, objective structured clinical examinations, and critical thinking competencies assessed student knowledge about management of traumatic injuries affecting primary or permanent dentition including avulsion. The scores and number of attempts for each competency were compared between the study cohorts using t-tests. Student's self-perceived learning outcomes were measured through a voluntary, five-question survey. Mantel-Haenszel ordinal Chi-square tests were used to assess for differences in rates of agreement on survey responses from the students. Linear regression was used to assess effect of training on scores adjusting for student type (predoctoral or advanced standing). Pearson's correlations were used to assess association between scores. Significance was set at 0.05. For the PBL cohort, there was a significant (p > 0.05) improvement in the first-time pass-rates and scores in three out of four competencies. A higher proportion of students in the PBL cohort perceived that their dental trauma education improved their radiographic and diagnostic skills compared to the cohort that did not receive PBL (p > 0.05). There was no correlation between recall-memory versus critical thinking competencies (r 
ISSN:1600-4469
1600-9657
DOI:10.1111/edt.12870