A problem-based approach to a course in oral diagnosis

This paper describes the first two years of an attempt to introduce a problem-based approach into the teaching of oral diagnosis. The most significant features of this approach were the involvement of the students in setting course goals, the use of student journals to encourage reflection on learning, the encouragement of self-assessment, and an attempt to relate clinical practice to problem-solving seminars. The paper reports on student reactions to the course and discusses further developments in the course, in particular attempts to develop a more explicit understanding in students of their own learning processes, and more attention to factors in the learning environment which engender confidence, reflection and self-evaluation.