title: Critical Thinking Disposition and Skills in Dental Students: Development and Relationship to Academic Outcomes.
abstract: Critical thinking is a key element of complex problem-solving and professional behavior. An ideal critical thinking measurement instrument would be able to accurately predict which dental students are predisposed to and capable of thinking critically and applying such thinking skills to clinical situations. The aims of this study were to describe critical thinking disposition and skills in dental students at the beginning and end of their first year, examine cohort and gender effects, and compare their critical thinking test scores to their first-year grades. Volunteers from three student cohorts at the University of British Columbia were tested using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory and California Critical Thinking Skills instruments at the beginning and end of their first year. Based on the preliminary findings, one cohort was retested at graduation when their final-year grades and clinical advisor rankings were compared to their critical thinking test scores. The results showed that students who entered dental school with higher critical thinking scores tended to complete their first year with higher critical thinking scores, achieve higher grades, and show greater disposition to think critically at the start of the program. Students who demonstrated an ability to think critically and had a disposition to do so at the start of the program were also likely to demonstrate those same attributes at the completion of their training. High critical thinking scores were associated with success in both didactic and clinical settings in dental school.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Whitney is Senior Instructor, Department of Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia; Dr. Aleksejuniene is Assistant Professor and Chair of Preventive and Community Dentistry, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia; and Dr. Walton is Professor Emeritus, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia. eli.whitney@dentistry.ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Eli M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Whitney
authors.affiliation: Dr. Whitney is Senior Instructor, Department of Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia; Dr. Aleksejuniene is Assistant Professor and Chair of Preventive and Community Dentistry, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia; and Dr. Walton is Professor Emeritus, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Jolanta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aleksejuniene
authors.affiliation: Dr. Whitney is Senior Instructor, Department of Oral Biological and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia; Dr. Aleksejuniene is Assistant Professor and Chair of Preventive and Community Dentistry, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia; and Dr. Walton is Professor Emeritus, Department of Oral Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, University of British Columbia.
authors.forename: Joanne N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Walton
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D004497:Education, Dental; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology*; D013850:Thinking
keywords: critical thinking; dental education; dental school admissions