Evaluation of an Experiential and Self-Learning Approach to Teaching Evidence-Based Decision Making to Dental Students.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact on predoctoral dental students of an experiential and self-learning pedagogical approach to evidence-based decision making. Dental students at one U.S. dental school in 2014 and 2015 participated in an evidence-based decision making course that consisted of minimal lecturing, learning through assigned readings and open-book online quizzes, and individual assignments to reach an evidence-based decision on a clinically relevant question. Before and after the course, each cohort completed a validated survey assessing students' knowledge, attitudes, access of evidence, and confidence related to evidence-based practice. In 2014, of 43 students enrolled in the course, all 43 (100%) completed the pre-course survey, and 33 (77%) completed the post-course survey. In 2015, of 35 students enrolled in the course, all 35 (100%) completed the pre-course survey, and 34 (97%) completed the post-course survey. Of those, the identifier codes for 23 students in 2014 and 25 students in 2015 matched for the pre-course and post-course surveys, allowing direct comparisons. Both cohorts of students showed a significant increase in knowledge regarding critical appraisal of the literature from the pre-course survey results to after the course (p<0.001). Students' reported frequency of accessing evidence from various sources also significantly increased from before to after the course for both cohorts (p<0.01). Students' confidence in evaluating various aspects of a published research report also increased significantly from before to after the course for both cohorts (p<0.001). However, no consistent change was found in students' attitudes about evidence-based practice. In this study, an experiential and self-learning approach to teaching evidence-based decision making in the classroom appeared to be successful in improving students' knowledge, use of evidence, and confidence in critical appraisal skills, though it did not have a consistent impact on their attitudes about evidence-based practice.