No abstract

In a randomized controlled trial, self‐teaching booklets and computer media were evaluated for teaching diagnostic testing to dental students as a foundation for further development of clinical decision making skills. Effectiveness was assessed by pre‐ and post‐tests. Reliability of these test instruments was examined by analyzing the pre‐ and post‐test scores of 49 first year dental students who received no instruction. Forty‐one second year dental students were exposed to clinical epidemiological principles applied to endodontic diagnosis through either self‐teaching booklets or computer media. No statistically significant difference was found between the mean test scores of the students through self‐teaching booklets and computer media. Although first and second year students showed a statistically significant improvement between the pre‐test and post‐test, the improvement in the second year class was greater. An addendum was later made to the main trial to compare the self‐teaching booklet to the traditional lecture format in teaching endodontic diagnosis. Seventy‐one third year dental students were exposed to these same materials through either a lecture or the self‐teaching booklet and then similarly tested. There was no significant difference between the self‐teaching booklet and traditional lecture for the third year students.

No abstract