Learning by Clinical Reasoning: A Cross-Sectional Study of Dental Students

Context: Clinical reasoning is a central skill in optimal medical care. This study aimed to evaluate the perception of clinical reasoning learning training (CRT) sessions among dental students. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of dental students. The sessions on clinical reasoning were organized by the same teacher-facilitator and ended with an assessment of the learner’s satisfaction with the first Kirkpatrick level by the learners. Thus, a self-administered, anonymous, voluntary questionnaire with 20 closed questions was distributed during the last session. The questionnaire covers socio-demographic data, session organization, scientific interest, educational value, session progress and general assessment using a 4-level Likert scale. Results: 79 students out of 122 students participated in our study, including 51 women. A total of 93.98% of students appreciated the general concept of clinical reasoning. All the items questioned were fully satisfied by the students, in particular the scientific interest (90.55%), educational contribution (88.37%), organization (86.5%) and conduct of the sessions (89.69%). Finally, 98.3% of the participating students recommended CRT sessions. Conclusion: Learning through clinical reasoning is an active pedagogy that optimizes both theoretical and clinical performance.