Analysis of moral reasoning in dentistry students through case-based learning (CBL)

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Medical Ethics
• Moral Development

Background:

• Analyzing ethical decision-making in dental students is crucial for professional development.
• Traditional methods may not fully capture the nuances of ethical reasoning in clinical scenarios.
• Case-based learning (CBL) offers a promising pedagogical approach for exploring complex ethical issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a tool for analyzing ethical dimensions in dental students' decision-making.
• To utilize case-based learning (CBL) and narrative responses for assessing moral competencies.
• To explore potential associations between ethical reasoning and variables like gender and theoretical knowledge.

Main Methods:

• Five clinical scenarios with ethical dilemmas were developed for case-based learning (CBL).
• Dental students responded to scenarios using a narrative technique during an ethics course.
• Responses were analyzed using a criterion inspired by Kohlberg's theory of moral development, with statistical evaluation.

Main Results:

• A total of 260 students (182 women, 78 men) provided 1300 narratives; construct reliability was acceptable (Cronbach's alpha = 0.7).
• Descriptive analysis indicated a tendency to resolve moral problems based on established norms and laws.
• No significant gender differences or strong correlations with theoretical ethics knowledge were found; component analysis revealed a generic moral sensitivity.

Conclusions:

• Case-based learning (CBL) combined with the narrative method is an effective tool for evaluating dental students' moral competencies.
• The study highlights the utility of CBL in assessing ethical reasoning and its interaction with other student variables.
• Findings suggest a foundation for further research into enhancing ethical training in dental education.