title: Oral health students as reflective practitioners: changing patterns of student clinical reflections over a period of 12 months.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the levels of reflection shown by bachelor of oral health students in relation to their clinical and professional practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reflective learning was embedded as a topic in the oral health curriculum within  the discipline of dental hygiene practice. Reflective journal writing was integrated with clinical practice and linked with assessment requirements. Students' reflective writing was analyzed thematically to elucidate levels of reflection based on Boud's 4 Rs of Reflection (review, react, relate  and respond) over a period of 12 months. Differences in the levels of reflection at different time intervals were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students' ability to critically reflect improved over the period of 12 months. The predominant level of reflection changed from primarily descriptive  and superficial at the start of the academic year to primarily critical and relational by the end. As expected, the highest level of critical reflection (respond) occurred infrequently, although it became more frequent as the academic year progressed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bachelor of oral  health students do reflect critically. Regular reflective writing contributed to the development of critical reflective skills in the context of clinical and professional development.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Annetta K L
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tsang
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003071:Cognition; D003479:Curriculum; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000193:education*; D005246:Feedback; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D009048:Motor Skills; D012650:Self Disclosure; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D013850:Thinking; D014956:Writing