A case-based and team-based learning model in oral and maxillofacial radiology

The purpose of this article is to describe the process of transitioning a traditional face-to-face oral and maxillofacial radiology (OMR) lecture course to a case-based, team-based learning model for students ready to enter their fourth and final year of dental school. Data were collected from 294 new fourth-year students (Classes of 2009, 2010, and 2011) who participated in the newly formatted OMR course. At the time the course was taken, students had completed one year of clinical experience in taking and evaluating radiographic images on patients with various clinical conditions. Each class of approximately 100 students was divided into ten teams of ten each, and a topic on oral and maxillofacial lesions was assigned to each team. The teams researched their assigned topics, created PowerPoint presentations, and posted them on the course management system Blackboard site. The instructor posted on Blackboard eight to ten cases representing various lesions on that topic. Minimal clinical history was released at that point. Students reviewed the teams' PowerPoint presentations and the cases, answered the questions for each case, and turned in written assignments to be graded. The diagnoses were discussed in class. An end-of-course survey found that 71 percent of the students felt the case-based instruction helped them learn the content in a more comprehensive manner and 77 percent felt the in-class discussion increased their knowledge of radiographic interpretation. Some students said they felt uncomfortable being called on randomly during the class discussion. National Board Dental Examination results for the classes of 2009 and 2010 showed slight improvement when compared to national scores. As a result of student feedback, the course continues to be offered in the case-based, team-based format.