Problem Based Learning in a Technical Fixed Prosthodontic Curriculum

For four years, our course of fixed prosthodontics has been taking the concept of evidence-based dentistry into account. Thus last year we introduced a problem-based learning approach in the technical fixed prosthodontics preclinical works. At the end of the course we asked students who had received both traditional and new forms of teachings to evaluate the latter. Every session is divided into two parts. During the first part the students have to study a simple clinical problem and determine an appropriate treatment plan, without any teacher's helping. In the second part, they have to execute the technical work after having choosen the appropriate instrumentation. They can self-evaluate themselves, by mean of evaluation charts including some of basic clinical criteria about each elementary steps (preparation, dowel and core, impression, temporary crown). Formative and summative assessments are used to determine the final validation of the students. An anonymous questionnaire handed out to 101 students made us aware of their opinion on this new form of teaching. The main results were: 1- Does this new learning approach help make your clinical practice easier than the former ? 95% of positive opinion.2- Do you like a problem solving approach better than last year traditional one ? 84% of positive opinion.3- How often do you use the evaluation charts during the sessions? Very often: 13% - Often 63% - Rarely 23%.'We conclude that this new approach by problem based learning in technical works must be developed because it provides a helpful method of learning for all students in their preclinical technical works which paves the way for their clinical practice '. Keywords: prosthodontics, assessment, teaching, decision making