The effectiveness of integrating role play into case-based learning in dental education: enhancing critical thinking and teamwork skills

Background Modern dental education necessitates dynamic methodologies to foster critical thinking and teamwork skills, which might include case-based learning (CBL) and role play (RP). Objectives To evaluate the impact of the combined CBL and RP (CBL-RP) approaches on critical thinking and teamwork skills among dental students by comparing pre- and post-RP evaluation scores. Methods This pre-post intervention study was conducted at the Faculty of Dentistry, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The study involved all 193 third-year dental students, who were organized into groups of 7-9 members to participate in four CBL sessions. Each CBL session consisted of a detailed case scenario, a pre-RP presentation preparation, a CBL-RP session facilitated by a trained instructor, and a post-RP presentation. Case scenarios included demographic data, chief complaints, medical and dental histories, social history, clinical images, radiographs, caries assessment, periodontal charts, and questions targeting specific intended learning outcomes and social factors impacting oral health. Students' performances were evaluated pre- and post-RP using a standardized rubric focused on critical thinking and teamwork, with outcomes assessed through individual and collective scores. Outcomes were analysed using paired samples t-tests and repeated measures ANOVA. Results The study revealed significant improvements in total scores, combining critical thinking and teamwork, from pre- to post-RP evaluations across four sessions. Mean scores consistently increased post-RP (P < 0.001 for all sessions). Session scores, calculated as the averages of pre- and post-RP evaluations, showed a progressive increase from session 1 to session 4, indicating significant overall improvement (F = 16.8, P < 0.001). Pairwise comparisons identified session 4 as having significantly higher scores than the earlier sessions. Both teamwork and critical thinking scores showed significant increases from pre- to post-RP evaluations in each session (P < 0.001), with an upward trend in mean scores across sessions. Conclusion This interventional study demonstrates the effectiveness of integrating RP into CBL sessions in enhancing critical thinking and teamwork skills among dental students. This integration supports the efficacy of active learning and integrated educational strategies in engaging students and enhancing clinical learning outcomes.