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Problem–Based Learning in Dental Education: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Author(s) -
Bassir Seyed Hossein,
SadrEshkevari Pooyan,
Amirikhorheh Shaden,
Karimbux Nadeem Y.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of dental education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.53
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1930-7837
pISSN - 0022-0337
DOI - 10.1002/j.0022-0337.2014.78.1.tb05661.x
Subject(s) - inclusion (mineral) , randomized controlled trial , medical education , problem based learning , curriculum , preparedness , medicine , intervention (counseling) , inclusion and exclusion criteria , population , dental education , medline , psychology , alternative medicine , nursing , pedagogy , social psychology , surgery , environmental health , pathology , political science , law
The purpose of this systematic review was to compare the effectiveness of problem–based learning (PBL) with that of traditional (non–PBL) approaches in dental education. The search strategy included electronic and manual searches of studies published up to October 2012. The PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome) framework was utilized to guide the inclusion or exclusion of studies. The search strategy identified 436 articles, seventeen of which met the inclusion criteria. No randomized controlled trial was found comparing the effectiveness of PBL with that of lecture–based approach at the level of an entire curriculum. Three randomized controlled trials had evaluated the effectiveness of PBL at a single course level. The quality assessment rated four studies as being of moderate quality, while the other studies were assessed as being of weak quality. This review concludes that there are a very limited number of well–designed controlled studies evaluating the effectiveness of PBL in dental education. The data in those studies reveal that PBL does not negatively influence the acquisition of factual knowledge in dental students and PBL enhances the ability of students in applying their knowledge to clinical situations. In addition, PBL positively affects students’ perceived preparedness.