Developing integrated clinical reasoning competencies in dental students using scaffolded case-based learning -...

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Clinical Reasoning Development
• Instructional Design

Background:

• Investigates integrated clinical reasoning development in dental students.
• Utilizes case-based learning (CBL) in comprehensive patient care (CPC) within a preclinical curriculum.
• Employs the four-component instructional design model for scaffolding complex learning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of CBL on clinical reasoning and decision-making in dental students.
• To compare the performance of students exposed to CBL with those receiving traditional lecture-based teaching.

Main Methods:

• Compared progress test scores of third-year CBL students with preceding fourth- and fifth-year lecture-based cohorts.
• Progress tests included complex case studies and multiple-choice questions assessing diagnostic and treatment-planning skills.
• Students gathered information and made diagnostic and treatment-planning decisions.

Main Results:

• Preclinical CBL students achieved comparable scores to final-year lecture-based students.
• Final-year CBL students made significantly more accurate clinical decisions than lecture-based peers.
• Students demonstrated greater proficiency in diagnosis than in treatment planning.

Conclusions:

• Scaffolded CBL enhances accurate clinical decision-making compared to traditional teaching methods.
• Integrated reasoning competencies should be developed early in dental curricula, starting in preclinical years.
• Treatment planning requires specific attention and pedagogical focus within dental education.