title: New Dental Accreditation Standard on Critical Thinking: A Call for Learning Models, Outcomes, Assessments.
abstract: This opinion article applauds the recent introduction of a new dental accreditation standard addressing critical thinking and problem-solving, but expresses a need for additional means for dental schools to demonstrate they are meeting the new standard because articulated outcomes, learning models, and assessments of competence are still being developed. Validated, research-based learning models are needed to define reference points against which schools can design and assess the education they provide to their students. This article presents one possible learning model for this purpose and calls for national experts from within and outside dental education to develop models that will help schools define outcomes and assess performance in educating their students to become practitioners who are effective critical thinkers and problem-solvers.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Johnsen is Professor and Dean, University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics; Dr. Williams is Professor and Dean, Indiana University School of Dentistry; Dr. Baughman is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of General Dentistry and Oral Medicine, University of Louisville School of Dentistry; Dr. Roesch is Assistant Professor, Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry; and Dr. Feldman is Professor and Dean, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine. david-johnsen@uiowa.edu.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Johnsen
authors.affiliation: Dr. Johnsen is Professor and Dean, University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics; Dr. Williams is Professor and Dean, Indiana University School of Dentistry; Dr. Baughman is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of General Dentistry and Oral Medicine, University of Louisville School of Dentistry; Dr. Roesch is Assistant Professor, Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry; and Dr. Feldman is Professor and Dean, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.
authors.forename: John N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Dr. Johnsen is Professor and Dean, University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics; Dr. Williams is Professor and Dean, Indiana University School of Dentistry; Dr. Baughman is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of General Dentistry and Oral Medicine, University of Louisville School of Dentistry; Dr. Roesch is Assistant Professor, Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry; and Dr. Feldman is Professor and Dean, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.
authors.forename: Pauletta Gay
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Baughman
authors.affiliation: Dr. Johnsen is Professor and Dean, University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics; Dr. Williams is Professor and Dean, Indiana University School of Dentistry; Dr. Baughman is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of General Dentistry and Oral Medicine, University of Louisville School of Dentistry; Dr. Roesch is Assistant Professor, Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry; and Dr. Feldman is Professor and Dean, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.
authors.forename: Darren M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Roesch
authors.affiliation: Dr. Johnsen is Professor and Dean, University of Iowa College of Dentistry & Dental Clinics; Dr. Williams is Professor and Dean, Indiana University School of Dentistry; Dr. Baughman is Clinical Associate Professor, Department of General Dentistry and Oral Medicine, University of Louisville School of Dentistry; Dr. Roesch is Assistant Professor, Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry; and Dr. Feldman is Professor and Dean, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine.
authors.forename: Cecile A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Feldman
mesh_terms: D000068:Accreditation / Q000592:standards*; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003162:Competency-Based Education / Q000592:standards; D003245:Consensus Statements as Topic; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000592:standards*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D017145:Models, Educational; D011340:Problem Solving; D013850:Thinking
keywords: accreditation; critical thinking; dental education; educational measurement; problem-solving; thinking