Critical appraisal-based learning in a dental college in India: a randomized control study.
This study examined the effect of critical appraisal exercises on the quality of preclinical tooth preparation skills and the confidence level of undergraduate dental students at a dental college in India. Forty-two student volunteers were randomly divided into critical appraisal (CA; n=19) and control (C; n=23) groups. Both groups were given conventional lecture and video demonstration; the CA group was also given critical appraisal exercises. Four evaluators assessed the incisor, canine, premolar, and molar preparations made by all students. The mean overall scores (reported as mean±SD) assigned to the CA group by all evaluators were significantly higher (independent t-test, p<0.05) than the C group for incisor (CA: 6.19±1.47, C: 5.09±1.52), canine (CA: 5.64±1.36, C: 4.50±1.35), premolar (CA: 5.88±1.03, C: 4.88±1.18), and molar (CA: 5.98±1.16, C: 5.20±0.71) teeth. The CA group also demonstrated a significant increase in self-confidence over that of the C group (repeated measures general linear model F=8.554, p=0.006). In this study, the critical appraisal exercises significantly improved the preclinical incisor, canine, premolar, and molar tooth preparation skills and the confidence level of the undergraduate dental students.
Saveetha Dental College, Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. drnallu@gmail.com
Deepak Nallaswamy
DN
Veeraiyan
Prathap
P
Sekhar
D001641:Bicuspid / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003481:Cuspid / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000379:methods; D003814:Dentistry, Operative / Q000193:education*; D055094:Evidence-Based Dentistry / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007180:Incisor / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008963:Molar / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D012649:Self Concept; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014741:Video Recording; D055815:Young Adult
India; dental education; pedagogy; preclinical education; prosthodontics; teaching methods; tooth preparation