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.