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A Systematic Review of Critical Thinking Instruments for Use in Dental Education.
Patrick L Anders1, Elizabeth M Stellrecht2, Elaine L Davis2
1Patrick L. Anders, DDS, MPH, is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine; Elizabeth M. Stellrecht, MLS, is Senior Assistant Librarian and Liaison, School of Dental Medicine, Health Science Library, University at Buffalo; Elaine L. Davis, PhD, is Professor, Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine; and W.D. McCall Jr., PhD, is Professor, Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. planders@buffalo.edu.
Assessing critical thinking in dental students is challenging. This review identified three instruments with strong psychometric evidence, suggesting potential for evaluating this essential dental education competency.
Area of Science:
- Dental Education
- Health Professions Education
- Cognitive Assessment
Background:
- Critical thinking is a vital skill in dental education.
- Standardized methods for assessing critical thinking in dental students are lacking.
- This study addresses the need for reliable assessment tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify instruments for measuring critical thinking in dental students.
- To evaluate the psychometric properties of available assessment tools.
- To determine the suitability of these instruments for dental education.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of medical and education literature (January 2017).
- Searched nine databases using keywords and Medical Subject Headings for critical thinking and assessment.
- Included grey literature; analyzed 36 articles for data extraction, with 10 focusing on psychometric properties.
Main Results:
- Seven critical thinking assessment instruments were identified.
- Three instruments demonstrated psychometric strength.
- These three instruments have potential for dental education despite limited use in health professions.
Conclusions:
- Three critical thinking assessment instruments show promise for dental education.
- Further research is needed to establish their validity and reliability in this context.
- These tools could help standardize the evaluation of critical thinking in future dentists.
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